WSBA | Online Admissions

Yes. On August 6, 2026, the Court issued an order addressing the July 2026 exam, including waivers and special exam make-up considerations for affected applicants. All affected applicants have been contacted directly with information specific to their situation. If you haven't received this, contact admissions@wsba.org. 

Email admissions@wsba.org and we'll confirm your eligibility individually. Please don't guess based on the categories below — choosing the wrong option could affect your application, and your election becomes final once we receive it (or by 12:00 p.m. PDT (noon) August 14, 2026, if we don't hear from you).

You may accept a waiver of the exam requirement, meaning you would not need to sit for the bar exam itself. If you choose the waiver, you'll still need to complete the Washington Law Component, take the oath of attorney, and achieve a qualifying MPRE score of 85 or higher, all by November 28, 2029 — and you won't be eligible for admission before October 9, 2026. If you choose the waiver, you're not eligible to sit for the September make-up exam.

Alternatively, you may sit for the make-up exam in Tacoma, WA scheduled on September 1–2, 2026, or transfer your application to the February 2027 administration — both without paying again. Email admissions@wsba.org with your decision by 12:00 p.m. (noon) PDT on August 14, 2026.

You are not eligible for the September make-up exam. If you do not pass based on your July 2026 exam score, you may sit for the exam in February 2027 without paying again. Results for the July 2026 exam and the September 2026 make-up exam will be released together, on October 9, 2026. Contact admissions@wsba.org with questions. 

A waiver of the exam requirement is not available to retakers who failed a prior bar exam. You may sit for the make-up exam, scheduled for September 1–2, 2026, in Tacoma, WA, or transfer your application to the February 2027 administration — both without paying again. Email admissions@wsba.org with your decision by 12:00 p.m. PDT (noon) on August 14, 2026.

Yes.  If you passed the bar exam in a U.S. jurisdiction prior to July 2026, then you are eligible for the exam waiver even if you failed a bar exam prior to passing.

No. The WSBA keeps a record of how a lawyer was admitted; however, that information is not public.  It is part of the application record and is confidential under APR 1(d).  Certificates of good standing from the Court, and status certificates from the WSBA do not include method of admission.  The WSBA provides members with a certificate of admission by exam as some jurisdictions require that information for admission decisions, but only upon request from the member.

The September bar exam will take place at the University of Washington Tacoma in Tacoma, WA.  It will be held on September 1 and 2, 2026.

No one can guarantee with 100% certainty that technology will work as expected because technology fails us every day. Similarly, we cannot say with 100% certainty that human-made or naturally occurring events won’t impact the bar exam administration.

What we can confidently say is that the WSBA has directly confirmed with NCBE and the venue that the venue meets the technology requirements needed to administer the September exam, and we have taken additional steps with NCBE (e.g., NCBE Chief Product Officer onsite oversight, multiple rooms, staggered start, etc.) to reduce the risk of a repeat disruption.

Since July 28, 2026, a team at the WSBA has been working to secure a venue and prepare for the September 2026 exam administration. That work has included a review of the requirements necessary for a strong, reliable Wi-Fi network and an effective backup plan to support a successful exam administration. We have applied lessons learned from July in preparing for September. As part of that process, the WSBA has verified directly with University of Washington Tacoma (UW Tacoma) and NCBE that the venue meets NCBE’s newly published technology requirements, which were updated based on the July exam failure. This work reflects the significant change to an entirely online bar exam administration and our ongoing work and consultation with NCBE to successfully administer NCBE's NextGen exam.

 

The WSBA team has also confirmed the following for the September exam:

• NCBE’s Chief Product Officer will be onsite for the duration of the exam to oversee and assist with exam administration
• Applicants will be in multiple rooms with staggered start times as recommended by NCBE
• Two WSBA IT employees will be onsite during the entire exam administration to support UW Tacoma’s IT team and deploy WSBA’s operational contingency plan if needed.
• UW Tacoma’s network is connected by fiber through UW Seattle to the PNW GigaPop, which serves as the regional internet exchange point. UW Seattle manages this connection and maintains a backup circuit to ensure continuity if the primary line ever experiences an outage
• WSBA has secured enterprise grade cellular hotspots that operate independently from the UW Tacoma/Seattle networks. These hotspots provide an additional layer of redundancy so applicants can continue testing even if both UW provided primary and secondary connections fail

No. The NCBE has confirmed with the WSBA that the exam content for September will be different from July.

NCBE is handling the timing and process for these refunds directly with applicants. It depends on the option they choose. Those withdrawing will get a full refund of the July technology fee. Applicants who take the September make-up exam won't owe an additional technology fee — it's already covered. Those transferring to February 2027 will get their July fee refunded but will owe a new technology fee at registration. You can also find additional information on NCBE's FAQ page.

Yes. WSBA is finalizing a process for requesting reimbursement and will publish full details — including how to submit a request — within the next few days. This FAQ will be updated once that's available. 

Reimbursement of certain non-refundable costs is available to eligible applicants who registered in-person for the July 2026 exam but unable to take the exam due to the technology failure: 

 

• If you elect to accept the exam waiver: WSBA will reimburse for non-refundable exam-related costs incurred in anticipation of needing to extend the test to a third day on July 30, 2026. This would include, for example, non-refundable fees to change a flight, a non-refundable charge to extend a hotel stay. 

• If you do not elect the exam waiver or are not eligible for the exam waiver: WSBA will reimburse nonrefundable travel and lodging expenses, meals, change fees, and other reasonable expenses determined to be bar-exam related — including childcare and out-of-state travel. 

Reimbursement follows standard WSBA Fiscal Policy limits, including lodging up to $200/night outside Seattle, mileage (IRS rate of $0.76), and meals ($23 breakfast, $26 lunch, $38 dinner). Reimbursement also goes beyond WSBA’s standard Fiscal Policy limits to include other reasonable expenses such as childcare and out-of-state travel. Up to $75 may be reimbursed without a receipt.

Yes. If you withdrew your application, or if you completed the July 2026 exam and aren't eligible for the waiver, September exam, or the reimbursement categories described above, we still want to hear from you. We're finalizing where these requests should be sent and will share that shortly

The options and reimbursement categories above reflect the Court's and WSBA's decisions as of August 7, 2026. WSBA and the Washington Supreme Court will continue to consider individual hardships arising from the July 2026 exam disruption, as they're raised, in the weeks and months ahead. We're finalizing where these requests should be sent and will share that shortly.

We heard directly from many of you on this. At its emergency meeting on August 13, 2026, the Board of Governors voted unanimously to formally advocate with the Washington Supreme Court for equal treatment across all applicant categories, so that no group would be excluded from the waiver option under the Court's August 6, 2026 order. On Aug. 14, the Court responded that its Aug. 6, 2026 order will stand and will not be modified. The remedy options and eligibility categories in that order remain in effect.

No. This reimbursement decision applies to applicants who were registered and present at the July 2026 exam but unable to take it due to the technology failure. Since you were able to complete the exam, this decision does not apply to your situation. If you've incurred costs you'd like us to be aware of, we're finalizing a dedicated way to receive these and will share that shortly.

You're right that the Court acknowledged this in its August 6, 2026 statement. The distinction the Court's order draws is not based on whether interruptions occurred — it's based on whether the exam was completed. Applicants whose exams were cancelled outright were unable to test at all; applicants in your group were able to complete the exam despite the interruptions, and results are being scored normally. That distinction is what determines eligibility for the waiver, the September exam, and this reimbursement decision — not the degree of disruption experienced. 

 

We understand this is a difficult distinction to sit with, especially having gone through real problems during your exam. If you don't pass, you're eligible to retake in February 2027 at no additional fee. WSBA and the Court will continue to consider individual hardships. If you'd like to share your experience or have costs or concerns this doesn't address, we're finalizing a dedicated way to receive these and will share that shortly.

Under the Court's August 12, 2026 order (No. 25700-B-754), you may request an extension of your current Rule 9 license — or apply for a new one — through July 31, 2027, if you completed the July 2026 exam, don't qualify for the exam waiver, or decline the waiver. This applies even if it's been more than nine months since your graduation or APR 6 law clerk program completion, which would otherwise be the application deadline. Contact rule9@wsba.org with any questions.

• Extension: Submit the "Application for Extension and/or Change of Supervision – July 2026" form via your online admissions home page, under "Upload Required Forms & Documents" / "Change of Supervision."
• New license: Complete the Rule 9 application on the WSBA Online Admission site.

The extension of the Rule 9 license is intended to bridge the gap between when you would have been admitted had you passed the July 2026 exam and when February 2027 exam results are released. If you accept the bar exam waiver, you will be eligible for admission on the same timeline as if you had passed the July exam so the gap doesn’t apply to you, and an extension is not warranted.

The WSBA offers free and confidential consultations/counseling for WSBA members and law students. We are extending that service to the applicants impacted by the July bar exam cancellation. You can schedule an appointment by using the link here: Book an Initial Consultation. We also have resources on our webpage for dealing with stress and anxiety here: Member Wellness Program | Washington State Bar Association.

Yes. NCBE is offering affected applicants complimentary access to a NextGen UBE Practice Set (your choice of Sets 1–6) as a study aid. If you already have access to the practice sets, you can instead select two additional practice attempts on the set of your choice. Details are being communicated directly by NCBE — watch your email for next steps. You can also find additional information on NCBE's FAQ page.

Unlike prior NCBE exams, where the exam content is provided to applicants in paper exam booklets, the content for the NextGen UBE is downloaded to a secure testing browser on the applicant's laptop at the exam site at the start of each exam session. In addition, the answers are uploaded via the internet throughout the session which requires a strong, stable Wi-Fi network at the venue where the exam is administered

We are committed to an independent review of what happened and will be working with the NCBE, ITS, and the Washington Supreme Court to determine what happened and to provide the information to the public.

Yes, you will be able to sit for either the February 2027 or July 2027 bar exam after admission by exam waiver or after electing to accept admission by exam waiver; allowing you to earn a portable NextGen UBE score without having to travel outside of Washington.  This is referred to as “courtesy seating.”  Note that you will be required to pay a registration fee and a technology fee. Detailed information about how to register for courtesy seating at the exams in 2027 will be posted on the WSBA’s online admissions site by October 9, which is when registrations for courtesy seating will open.

No.  The results of any future bar exam will not affect your admission or eligibility for admission by exam waiver.

You must complete the admission process within 40 months from the date of the administration of the bar exam in which the passing score was earned; within 12 months of the LPO exam.

 

The Oath of Attorney and Oath of LPO must be taken in person, by telephone, or by videoconference before an elected or appointed judge, excluding judges pro tempore, sitting in the state of Washington. See APR 5(f) for more information.

 

 You can take the oath in Washington by phone or video, but if you choose to get sworn in by an out-of-state judge, an order from the Washington Supreme Court conferring jurisdiction on an out-of-state judge is required for an out-of-state swearing in ceremony. If you choose to do an out-of-state ceremony, please provide the required information online in the swearing in selection section of your user home page and provide the requested information about why it is impossible or impractical for a Washington judge to swear you in. We will forward your request to the Washington Supreme Court, which has the discretion to issue an order conferring jurisdiction on the judge you have chosen. Upon receipt of the order, the WSBA Admissions Office will upload a copy of the order to be used at the swearing in ceremony with instructions on your user home page. Use the online link from your user home page to print or download a copy of the oath and provide it to the judge.  

Once you complete all of the new admittee licensing requirements, a recommendation for your admission is sent to the Washington Supreme Court.  It generally takes two to three weeks for the Court to issue an admission order admitting you to the practice of law in Washington.  You will be notified by email from WSBA when you have been admitted and a license number is assigned. Your bar card and certificate will be mailed within two to three weeks.

New lawyers only may purchase a wall certificate suitable for framing, approximately 16 ½” x 13 ½”, by writing to:

 

Supreme Court of Washington
Temple of Justice
PO Box 40929
Olympia, WA 98504

*The cost is $25.  Please enclose a copy of your WSBA bar card.  It may take up to six months for the wall certificate to be completed.

 

 

 

You may add one additional supervisor (up to two total) or change supervisors while your license is still valid. Please use the Change of Supervisor form. If your internship or supervision ended earlier than what is stated in your application, the supervisor should submit a Termination of Supervision form. You cannot use your license if you do not have a valid supervisor on file with the WSBA or if your supervision end-date has passed.

Your license is valid for 30 months or 18 months after graduation from law school or the Washington Supreme Court APR 6 Law Clerk Program. Whichever occurs first; there are no extensions. Passing or failing the bar exam does not affect your license.

Your license will be automatically terminated when employment by the employer furnishing the affidavit required by APR 8(f) is terminated. You should promptly report to the WSBA a change in employment. You can notify the WSBA at admissions@wsba.org. 

WSBA staff issues an electronic ID card to the applicant's online user home page, and forwards a copy to your supervising lawyer by email.  Applicants may not act as a Rule 9 licensed legal intern until they receive an ID card and supervision officially begins. 

Applications are forwarded for licensure to the Washington Supreme Court. If you are a Washington licensed legal professional and need a copy of your licensure application, please contact the Clerk's office at supreme@courts.wa.gov.

 

Once we receive the oath along with the license fee for your house counsel or foreign law consultant application, we send a recommendation to the Washington Supreme Court. It generally takes two to three weeks for the Court to review the application and issue an admission order. The WSBA will assign you a license number and will post your limited license bar card, admission letter and the order from the Court to your user home page.

Log on to your user home page and click the "Supplement" link underneath your application type., you will receive a notice asking you to confirm you want to supplement your application with additional information. Scroll down to "Application and Forms" and select the "supplement" button next to "Application for Licensure" and select what part of the application you are supplementing.  When completed, select "save and close" and then select the green "submit" button from your user home page. You can find step-by-step instructions here.

If you are required a NCBE background investigation, then also logon to your NCBE account to supplement your application in possession of the NCBE with the new information.

You may update your address, or other contact information, by logging on to your online account and selecting your name in the upper right corner and select "Edit Personal Info".

NCBE investigation reports are valid for one calendar year from the date the WSBA receives the completed NCBE investigation report.

General Applicants applying under APR 3(b)(4)(B) and Attorney Applicants will not be allowed to sit for the exam if the WSBA does not receive a completed investigation report back from the NCBE at least 18 days prior to the first day of the exam. There are no exceptions to this rule. If the WSBA has not received a NCBE investigation report for General Applicants applying under APR 3(b)(4)(B) or Attorney Applicants, the WSBA will transfer your application and fee to the next exam.

Yes, you must submit a certificate of good standing from each jurisdiction to which you are or have ever been admitted to practice law.

Provide the undisclosed but responsive information as a supplement to your submitted application as soon as possible and explain why you failed to disclose it previously by uploading a document. Failure to fully disclose requested information may be considered a reflection on an applicant’s moral character and may itself result in denial of admission. It is an applicant’s duty to advise the WSBA of any changes in or additions to the information provided in the application.

 

The NCBE investigation typically takes four to six months for U.S lawyers and up to nine months for foreign lawyer applicants. After you submit your application, the NCBE will contact you within a few weeks for additional payment and authorization and release forms that will need to be executed by you.

Any applicant with a disability for which testing accommodation is needed must request such accommodation though the online admissions site at least 80 days prior to the examination date.  Applicants requesting testing accommodations because of disabilities must provide appropriate documentation of the disability and specify the extent to which the standard testing procedures need to be modified. The burden of proof is on the applicant to show the need for any testing accommodations.  The Bar reserves the right to make final judgement concerning testing accommodations and may have documentation reviewed by a medical specialist, psychologist or learning disability specialist.  See the testing-accommodation webpage for additional information. Any testing accommodation may not compromise the integrity or security of the examination or affect the standards set for the examination. 

Admission by Motion and Attorney UBE Score Transfers: It takes approximately four to six months for the application to be approved.

General UBE Score Transfers: It takes approximately two to three months for the application to be approved. For general applications with a foreign law degree, it takes approximately four to six months.

Rule 9 Interns:  It generally takes 2-3 weeks.  *Please be aware that complex character and fitness matters will take more time, possibly going beyond the four-week timeline. *  

The length of time to complete a character and fitness review of an application varies by application. Washington requires resolution of all character and fitness issues at least 18 days prior to sitting for the exam. Applicants with information to disclose that may raise an issue of character or fitness are strongly encouraged to file their applications early in the registration period.

After you submit your online application please request the NCBE to forward your score transcripts to the
Washington State Bar Association. You can request a score transfer by going to the NCBE Score Services webpage. We will not accept a score transfer directly from an applicant.

All applications for admission to the practice of law in Washington are subject to character and fitness review.  We look at each application on a case-by-case basis.  Please refer to APR 20(c)-(e) and APR 21 which include definitions for good moral character, fitness to practice law and the essential eligibility requirements and describe factors considered when determining an applicant's character and fitness.

You are required to provide details of any violations or events responsive to any application question, even if you are unable to find any documentation.  Please be as accurate as possible with the information you provide in your application.  Please answer the question to the best of your ability.

Provide all related documentation. Depending on the type of incident being disclosed, this may include but is not limited to police reports, complaints, judgment orders, probation information (requirements and completion information), order of dismissal or other final disposition, court docket, law school documents of incident; bankruptcy petition, schedules and order of discharge; documentation of satisfaction of debt or of steps taken to address outstanding debt. Applicants may also submit a clear and concise statement explaining a particular incident that they believe warrants additional explanation.

It is your duty to advise the WSBA in writing of any changes in or additions to the information provided in your application that occur at any time between the date you certified your application and the date you are licensed to practice law in Washington state.  Failure to fully disclose may be considered a reflection on your moral character.

No.

All applicants are subject to a character and fitness review prior to being admitted to practice law in Washington State.  You may or may not be required to have a hearing.

UBE Score Transfer & Admission by Motion applicants have one year from the date you submitted your application to complete all requirements for admission, including passing the Washington Law Component. There are no extensions except in unusual circumstances.

The NCBE and WSBA are not limited to contacting only the individuals you name in your application when performing its investigation. The WSBA and NCBE will contact anyone necessary to investigate and verify the information in the application.

You are required to provide details of any legal matters, even if you are unable to find any documentation. Contact the relevant court to request copies of your records. Provide something in writing from the court indicating that your document request is in process or that the documents are no longer available. If you were represented, contact your attorney for that legal matter. Also, talk to your family and inquire if they have any additional information about the legal matter, especially if you were a juvenile at the time. Please describe the legal matter to the best of your ability, providing as much detail as possible, even if you are unable to find any documentation.

Yes, the WSBA may complete background checks in anywhere an applicant has resided or worked. 

To take the NextGen UBE in Washington, you must meet the qualifications stated in APR 3(b). You cannot take the bar exam if you qualify for admission by motion or admission by UBE score transfer. In all cases, you must establish that you possess good moral character and the requisite fitness to practice law. To qualify to take the lawyer bar exam, you must have:

1. Graduated from an ABA-accredited law school; or
2. Completed the Washington Supreme Court APR 6 Law Clerk Program; or
3. Graduated from any U.S. law school and earned an LLM degree from an ABA-accredited law school that meets the requirements of Washington Supreme Court APR 3; or
4. Graduated from a university or law school outside the U.S. with a degree in law that currently qualifies you to practice law as a lawyer or the equivalent in that jurisdiction and earned an LLM degree from an ABA-approved law school that meets the requirements of Washington Supreme Court APR 3; or
5. Been admitted to the practice of law in any jurisdiction where the common law of England is the basis of its jurisprudence and have active legal experience for at least three of the five years immediately preceding the filing of the application.

You may submit an application for a legal intern license up to 4 weeks prior to completing the required course of study and the start of their supervision if, at the time of submission, he/she is duly enrolled and in good standing at an approved law school, will have satisfied APR 9(b) by the end of the current school term (quarter or semester), and has the approval of the law school dean or the dean’s designee.  Submitting your application earlier than 4 weeks prior to your eligibility date, will result in your application being rejected and you will need to reapply.

A law student working in a law office can do all the things that are not the practice of law that a paralegal or investigator can do. The purpose of the Rule 9 license is to provide a limited ability to practice law under the supervision of a lawyer. APR 9 (e) identifies the scope of practice in which a Licensed Legal Intern may practice law. If you have questions regarding what constitutes the practice of law, please refer to General Rule (GR) 24.

No, you are not eligible to take the lawyer bar exam in Washington because your foreign law degree does not qualify you to practice law as a lawyer or the equivalent in that jurisdiction.

Yes, the same rules and procedures apply to both legacy and NextGen UBE score transfers.

Yes, you can apply before receiving a UBE score or taking the bar exam in another jurisdiction. NOTE: You are not permitted to apply at the same time for admission in Washington as both an applicant to take the exam in Washington and an applicant seeking to transfer a UBE score to Washington; you must choose one or the other. 

Applicants for Admission by Motion must complete the Washington Law Component (WLC), a 60-question online test available anytime after submitting an application. House Counsel applicants do not but may review the materials.

House Counsel in Washington can apply for either a limited House Counsel license or full admission to practice law. The WSBA encourages admission by motion for lawyers licensed in another U.S. state or territory with at least one year of active practice in the past three years. Admission by motion grants full WSBA membership and authority to practice law and appear in Washington courts.

Lawyers licensed under APR 8(f) as House Counsel may advise their employer-client only and cannot appear in court. House Counsel must meet the same MCLE requirements and pay the same license fees as active WSBA members. If House Counsel later seek full admission by motion, they must submit a new application with application fees. 

To take the LPO exam, you must be at least 18 years old. In all cases, you must establish that you possess good moral character and the requisite fitness to practice as a LPO.

Washington accepts UBE Scores of 260 or higher for the legacy UBE and 610 or higher for the NextGen UBE.

Please see APR 1(e). Active legal experience means experience in the active practice of law as a lawyer, a teacher at an approved law school, or a judge of a court of general or appellate jurisdiction in the U.S. other positions may qualify if the position requires a license to practice law to perform the job functions. You must also have had an active license to practice law at the time you gained the experience. For example, if you started a judicial clerkship in August, but were not licensed until December you may count only that experience starting in December. The preceding months do not count.

Effective September 1, 2026, a person is eligible to apply for the bar exam in Washington using a JD from a non-ABA law school if:

• the law school is approved or accredited by a state or territory of the U.S. or the District of Columbia; 
• the degree conferred was a Juris Doctor (JD); 
• the JD was conferred during the time the law school was approved or accredited by the state; and 
• the person is eligible to apply for the bar exam in that U.S. jurisdiction with the JD. 

The WSBA will verify the JD qualifies for eligibility in applying for the bar exam in the other jurisdiction.

 

No. If you wish to change your application type, you must withdraw your current application and reapply with a new application and fee. Refer to the Admissions Policies for information on partial refunds and bar exam dates and deadlines.

You are not allowed to take the Washington bar exam if you:

• qualify for admission by motion, see APR 3(c);
• qualify for admission by UBE score transfer, see APR 3(d); or
• do not intend to seek admission to the practice of law in Washington. Only bona fide applicants applying for admission to the practice of law in Washington are allowed to take the Washington bar exam.

General Applicant.  Your applicant type is determined by your admission status in the other jurisdiction at the time you submit your application. 

Submit a new application for admission by motion and application fee through the online admissions system. Your NCBE investigation report might be a supplemental report at a lower cost than the full fee for a new report.

You must submit your application no later than 40 months from the first day date of the UBE in which you received a 260+ for the legacy UBE or 610+ for the NextGen UBE. 

All applications for admission to the practice of law in Washington are subject to character and fitness review.  We look at each application on a case-by-case basis.  Please refer to APR 20(c)-(e) and APR 21 which include definitions for good moral character, fitness to practice law and the essential eligibility requirements and describe factors considered when determining an applicant's character and fitness.

If licensed in another U.S. jurisdiction you can use your practice as House Counsel to satisfy the one year active legal experience requirement.

The seating card you receive at registration will have your exam room and seat assignment on it. In addition, you must present your seating card and ID to enter the exam room. Please take your seating card and ID with you whenever you leave the exam room.

No. The WSBA does not endorse, approve, recommend, or rate any bar review courses. 

Applicants who arrive late will not be permitted to sit for any remaining exam session. (e.g. if you are late to the first session, you will not be able to sit for the entire exam).

The WSBA provides a nursing room at the exam site with a refrigerator for cold storage.  Please email admissions@wsba.org if you anticipate using the nursing room or having any questions about it.

The following hotels have given special rates to applicants taking the bar exam and LPO exam.  You should make your arrangements as soon as possible, because space is limited.  When making your reservations, you must mention that you are a Washington State Bar Exam applicant, in order to receive the special rate.

Hilton Garden Inn

401 E. Yakima 

Yakima, WA 98901

 

Home2 Suites by Hilton Yakima Airport

Tru by Hilton Yakima Airport

2420 West Nob Hill Blvd

Yakima, WA 98902

Hotel Maison

321 E. Yakima Avenue

Yakima, WA 98901

 

Fairfield by Marrott Inn & Suites

137 N. Fair Ave.

Yakima, WA 98901

 

Oxford Suites

1701 East Yakima Ave.

Yakima, WA 98901

 

Baymont Inn

1603 E Yakima Ave.

Yakima, WA 98901

 

La Quinta Inn

1001 Staff Sgt. Pendelton Way

Yakima, WA 98901

 

Ledgestone Hotel

107 North Fair Avenue

Yakima, WA 98901

509.453.3151

There will be coffee, tea, and water provided at the site for no additional costs. 

No, unless you made a special request, and that request was approved. In general, applicants are able to access personal belongings during breaks and, if necessary, during the exam in the company of a proctor.  A special request can be made at least 18 days in advance of the exam online from your user home page. All requests must be supported (if applicable) by written documentation from a treatment provider.

Very few items are allowed in the exam room.  For a complete list of what you may bring into the exam room, please carefully review the Bar Exam Security Policy, and the LPO Exam Security Policy.

 

For bar exam applicants, you must bring:

• A laptop with the secure testing browser installed
• Your laptop power cord
• A valid, government-issued photo ID with a recent, recognizable photo and signature.

Yes, unsecured storage space is available for personal belongings.  You can access your personal belongings during breaks, and during the exam if accompanied by a proctor to access items such as medication, menstrual supplies or snacks.

No, the WSBA provides scratch paper.

See the schedule on your user home page.

No. There is no option to use your laptop for the LPO exam.

No, you cannot bring your own earplugs into the exam room. Foam earplugs are available at the exam site at no cost.

Yes. You may use the restroom as often as needed during the exam. No additional time will be granted for restroom breaks during an exam session

Yes. You may place menstrual supplies in your Ziploc bag. Free, generic menstrual products will also be available.

Washington's qualifying score is 260 for the legacy UBE and 610 for the NextGen UBE. 

No. APR 4(f)(4) does not allow LPO exam applicants to receive copies of their exam answers.

No. APR 4(b) and WSBA Admission Policies IX.A(3) state that there is no appeal of final examinations results.

If you were affected by the July 2026 exam cancellation, no new application or fee is required - see the July 2026 Bar Exam Update page for your options.

Yes, you will have to submit a new application and fee with new good moral character certificate's and a new authorization and release form if your previous forms were signed more than six months prior to submitting your new application.  All supporting documents will need to be uploaded to your application.

 

 

Please review the Fees & Deadlines webpage.

Please see the Fees & Deadlines page 

Please see the Fees & Deadlines page 

 Yes.  All bank card transactions are subject to separate non-refundable transaction fee of 2.5%. There is no transaction fee for payments by electronic funds transfer or check.

If you withdraw 18 days or more prior to the exam, then you will receive a partial refund. Please review the Fees & Deadline page.

Please review the Fees & Deadlines page.

No, however, you may withdraw and then reapply during the next application acceptance period.        

No, you may submit your Rule 9 application at any time, but no earlier than four weeks before your start date. *Please be aware that complex character and fitness matters will take more time. 

UBE score transfer, admission by motion, and house counsel applicants may withdraw their application and receive a partial refund if  the application is withdrawn within 12 months after filing it. Please review the fee and deadlines page.

To apply for the Law Clerk Program, you must meet the qualifications stated in the Washington Supreme Court Admission and Practice Rule (APR) 6(b).

1. Be of good moral character and fitness;
2. Bachelor’s degree from a school with approved accreditation;
3. Be engaged in regular, full-time employment in Washington State in a law office, legal department or court;
4. Have an established tutor relationship and;
5. Pay the $100 non-refundable application fee.

Upon submission of your Law Clerk application, you may provide a petition for advanced standing. With your petition, you must provide proof of courses taken, syllabi and course material.

*Basic Legal Skills cannot be granted for advanced standing.

Applications are due 60 days prior to the Board meeting in which you wish to apply for consideration. For example, if a Board meeting is on August 2^nd, your application would be due June 1^st.

The annual fee ($2,000) must be paid in full  by January 31^st each year. There is no payment plan available.

No, if enrolled sometime during the year, you can make a pro-rated payment based on the number of months enrolled that year. For example, if enrolled in August you would pay an enrollment fee of $830.00 ($166/month x 5 months). Then, each year thereafter, you would pay the annual fee.

Once your application is reviewed, you will be assigned a liaison from the Law Clerk Board. The assigned liaison will visit you and your tutor at your office to conduct an interview. The liaison will bring a recommendation to the Board for review at their next meeting. You will be notified within one week after the Board meeting on your enrollment status.

A tutor must meet the qualifications stated in the Washington Supreme Court Admission and Practice Rule (APR) 7. A primary tutor must meet the following requirements:

1. Only act as a tutor for one clerk at a time;
2. Be an active member in good standing;
3. Active legal experience for at least 10 of the last 12 years (2 of those years must be in WA); and
4. Certify to the applicant’s employment;

No. For all Law Clerk applicants, there is a $100 non-refundable administrative processing fee.

No. You must submit a new application with all updated information during the next application period.

The Law Clerk Board Regulations outlines course descriptions for each course required in the program.  The tutor must guide the clerk in choosing textbooks, casebooks, and other materials each month.  The WSBA does not assist in the creation of monthly course material.

The NextGen UBE is the new version of the Uniform Bar Exam.  It has new question formats and is administered by laptop computer only.  You can learn more at the NCBE. Washington begins administering the NextGen UBE in July 2026.

Only Mac and PC laptops are permitted for testing. Tablets are NOT permitted.

• Windows 10 or later
• MacOS 13 or later

Your device must be able to connect to Wi-Fi and you must have administrator rights on your computer to install the secure browser required for the exam.

You can bring in a wired, non-Bluetooth mouse in the exam room. However, hybrid mice are not permitted even if Bluetooth functionality is disabled.

Yes. You may take a bathroom break if needed, but your testing time will continue and will not be paused.

Contact candidate services for assistance via the Contact NCBE form in your NCBE Account after June 2, 2026.

Yes. Once completed, you will see a checkmark next to that step in your NCBE Account.  If you have questions, please contact candidate services for assistance via the Contact NCBE form in your NCBE Account.

No. Handwriting is not an option for the bar exam. You must bring a laptop in order to test.

You can take the WLC anytime after you submit your application, however it is required for admission. 

If you fail the test, you must wait 24 hours before retaking the test. If you failed more than once, you must wait 72 hours before retaking the test. There is no limit on how many times you can take the WLC.

 

Passing the WLC is required for admission and licensing. Bar exam applicants must pass the WLC within 40 months from the date of the administration of the UBE in which the applicant achieves a passing score.

You will have to retake the Component if you apply for the next UBE administration. WLC scores do not transfer to subsequent applications.

Admission by Motion and UBE transfer score applicants must pass the WLC within one year from the date of filing the application. Please reference the Admissions Policies for more information.

You have four hours to complete 60 multiple choice questions. You will receive your score at the end of the test.

You must answer 80% of the questions correctly in order to pass

Please click on the hyperlink on the bottom of your user home page to take the Washington Law Component (WLC).

Yes, the materials are accessible online.  The WLC is an “open-book,” self-administered online test.