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District of Columbia Bar Exam News & Format Changes
Bar Exam Project wiki article. Part of the District of Columbia Bar Exam cluster.
A living timeline of D.C. COA rule changes and announcements that affect District of Columbia bar applicants. Bookmark this page if you are sitting in 2026, 2027, or 2028 — the NextGen transition is a significant format change.
One-line summary
DC will administer the NextGen UBE starting February 2028. Effective July 2026, DC accepts NextGen transferred passing scores from other adopting jurisdictions at 616 on the new scale. The MPRE 75 minimum is unchanged.
NextGen UBE status in District of Columbia
DC will administer the NextGen UBE starting February 2028. Effective July 2026, DC accepts NextGen transferred passing scores from other adopting jurisdictions at 616 on the new scale.
Score acceptance: accepts NextGen UBE transferred passing scores starting July 2026 (cut: 616 on the new scale).
Cut score and MPRE stability
District of Columbia cut score: 266 (on the 400 scale). MPRE minimum: 75. Both have been stable in recent years.
Fee schedule changes
D.C. COA fees for 2026: $405 application + $750 background investigation fee. February 2026 deadlines: October 1 - October 31, 2025. July 2026 deadlines: March 2 - March 31, 2026 (or earlier if seating capacity is filled).
What this means for your study plan
- Verify which exam format applies to your administration (District of Columbia status: DC will administer the NextGen UBE starting February 2028. Effective July 2026, DC accepts NextGen transferred passing s...).
- For legacy UBE prep: traditional MEE/MPT/MBE materials. Free MBE practice: MBEmax Free MBE Quiz; subject drills: MBEmax browse subjects.
- For NextGen prep: NCBE-released NextGen sample items plus a NextGen-aligned commercial bar prep course. Skip Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Secured Transactions, and Trusts & Estates as doctrinal study (not tested on NextGen).
Companion pages
Sources
- D.C. Court of Appeals Committee on Admissions (COA) — https://admissions.dcappeals.gov/.
- NCBE jurisdiction page — ncbex.org/jurisdictions/DC.