NYLC and NYLE: New York’s Online Requirements

Bar Exam Project wiki article. Part of the New York Bar Exam cluster.

Beyond the UBE, every New York applicant must complete two New York-specific online components: the New York Law Course (NYLC), an on-demand video course, and the New York Law Exam (NYLE), an open-book online multiple-choice exam. Together they cover topics the UBE does not test — New York-specific procedural and substantive law.

One-line summary

NYLC = ~17 hours of online video lectures with embedded quiz questions. NYLE = 50 multiple-choice questions, 2 hours, open book, online. NYLE registration is $27 with a 30-day pre-registration deadline. Both must be completed within three years around the UBE administration.

NYLC: the course

An on-demand online course. Approximately 17 hours of recorded video lectures with embedded multiple-choice questions. You must answer each embedded question correctly before the lecture continues; this enforces engagement. Topics include New York Civil Practice Law and Rules (CPLR), New York Estates Powers and Trusts Law (EPTL), New York Domestic Relations Law, Professional Responsibility under the New York Rules, and Real Property under New York law. There is no fee. You must complete the entire course before you can register for the NYLE.

NYLE: the exam

A 50-question, two-hour, open-book online multiple-choice exam. Administered remotely. Questions are drawn from the NYLC topics. You may consult written materials during the exam. Registration is $27. The deadline to register is 30 days before your chosen test date. The NYLE is offered multiple times per year; most candidates take it shortly before or shortly after sitting for the UBE.

How to prepare

NYLC is roughly 17 hours of video. Pace the videos over 1–2 weeks; do not try to bingewatch. Take notes on New York-specific deviations from general U.S. law (CPLR vs. FRCP, EPTL vs. UPC, NY ethics rules vs. ABA Model Rules). For the NYLE itself, plan an additional 8–10 hours of focused review with practice questions.

Three-year window

NYLC and NYLE must be completed within three years around the UBE administration. If you let the window lapse, you may need to retake them. This matters most for candidates who pass the UBE but delay applying for admission.

Common pitfalls

Rushing through NYLC video without absorbing CPLR and EPTL specifics. Not registering for the NYLE 30 days in advance and missing your preferred date. Treating the NYLE as an afterthought (most who fail the NYLE do so on procedural questions because they over-relied on general U.S. law instead of NY-specific rules).

Companion pages

Sources

New York State Board of Law Examiners, NYLC and NYLE registration page; New York Court of Appeals Rule 520.18; Columbia Law School and Fordham School of Law NY bar admission guidance for JD and LLM applicants.

New York Law Course (NYLC) and New York Law Exam (NYLE)

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