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Court Decisions re July 2026 Exam Applicants


September Exam Safeguards, Courtesy Seating, and Court Response to Board Advocacy - Aug. 14, 2026

Following a technical failure at the venue that led to the cancellation of the July 2026 bar exam for the majority of applicants, the WSBA remains committed to transparency as the September make-up exam approaches. As previously communicated to examinees, the make-up exam will be administered at the University of Washington Tacoma (UW Tacoma) on September 1-2, 2026. The July exam was the nation's first administration of NCBE's NextGen Bar Exam, which - unlike prior NCBE bar exams - is designed to be administered entirely online. The WSBA understands that applicants want assurance of a smooth exam experience, and we take that seriously. Our goal is to give September applicants every reasonable safeguard against a repeat failure.

While we continue working to understand the factors underlying the technical failure, based on initial review we are taking three steps ahead of September:

  1. Direct involvement with University of Washington Tacoma (UW Tacoma) and NCBE in verifying UW Tacoma's ability to meet NCBE's technology requirements.
  2. Confirming UW Tacoma's backup (redundancy) plan;
  3. Putting WSBA's own operational contingency plan in place in the event that both the primary and backup systems fail.

Separately, the WSBA Board of Governors has adopted a temporary "courtesy seating" policy for July 2026 bar exam applicants who elected admission by bar exam waiver. This policy will allow Washington lawyers admitted by exam waiver, or individuals who elected admission by exam waiver, to sit for the bar exam in 2027 in Washington - giving them the opportunity to earn a portable NextGen UBE score without traveling to another jurisdiction to test. A registration fee and technology fee will be required. Additional details will be posted online by October 9, 2026, when registration for courtesy seating opens.

Following the Board of Governors' emergency meeting on August 13, WSBA formally advocated to the Washington Supreme Court on behalf of applicants not currently eligible for the waiver option, urging equal treatment across all applicant categories.  On August 14, the Court responded that its August 6, 2026, order will stand and will not be modified.  In its response, the Court noted that its resolution was not intended to be individually tailored to each applicant's circumstances, and reflected a balance of competing interests amount applicants, employers, law schools, WSBA, and NCBE.  WSBA is updating applicant-facing resources to help affected individuals navigate the options available to them under the Court's order, as well as any further remedies available based on their individual circumstances. 

Please email admissions@wsba.org with any questions.

Rule 9 Licensed Legal Intern License Relief - Aug. 12, 2026

On August 12, 2026, the Court issued a further order (No. 25700-B-754) addressing Rule 9 Licensed Legal Intern licenses. If you registered in-person in Yakima and either completed the July 2026 exam, do not qualify for the exam waiver, or qualify but decline it, you may request an extension of your current Rule 9 license - or apply for a new one - through July 31, 2027.  See the Rule 9 Licensed Legal Intern License section below for details.

The Court's Decision & Your Options - Aug. 6, 2026

The Washington Supreme Court delivers this message to you. On August 6, 2026, the Court issued a court order, and statement to provide solutions and clarity to applicants who registered for the July 2026 bar exam.  The WSBA has also posted a message.  Under the terms of the Court’s order, there are different options available to you depending on your situation.

First, if you registered in-person in Yakima, were unable to complete the exam, and have not failed a prior bar exam in a U.S. jurisdiction, you may choose one of the following options:

  1. accept a waiver of the bar exam requirement, with the new admittee process beginning on October 9, 2026 (the same date as July 2026 exam-results release);
  2. transfer your application to the September 1 and 2, 2026 exam in Tacoma;
  3. transfer your application to the February 2027 exam in Tacoma; or
  4. withdraw and request a refund. 

Second, if you registered in-person in Yakima, were unable to complete the exam, and failed a prior bar exam in a U.S. jurisdiction, you may choose one of the following options:

  1. transfer your application to the September 1 and 2, 2026 exam in Tacoma;
  2. transfer your application to the February 2027 exam in Tacoma; or
  3. withdraw and request a refund. 

Third, if you completed the July 2026 exam and do not achieve a minimum passing score, you may choose to reapply for the February 2027 exam without an additional application fee and exam fee. Your July 2026 exam results will be released to you on October 9, 2026.

Note: NCBE technology fees are handled separately from WSBA fees - no new technology fee applies if you choose the September make-up exam, a new fee applies at registration if you transfer to February 2027, and withdrawing gets you a full refund of your July fee.  See FAQ for details.

If you are in one of the first two groups, you must notify the WSBA of your decision by email to admissions@wsba.org by Noon (12:00 p.m. PDT) on August 14, 2026.  If you previously notified the WSBA and wish to change your selection based on the Court’s order you may do so. Failure to notify the WSBA of an option by the deadline will result in withdrawal of your application and refund.

 

Full eligibility details and answers to common questions are available in our July 2026 NextGen Bar Exam FAQ.



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