DC Bar Admissions General Information

Information & Applications » Admission by Transferred UBE Score » General Information

This summary is not a definitive description of the rules governing admission. For a definitive description please consult Rule 46 of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.

Please click on the link by the appropriate rule provision to apply.

Application Type	Application Requirements
Rule 46(d)(3) – Motion by UBE score transfer Click here to apply under Rule 46(d)(3)	A qualifying UBE score of 266 or higher A qualifying MPRE score of 75 or higher Earned a JD or LLB from an ABA approved law school, OR graduated from non-ABA law school AND earned 26 credit hours at an ABA approved law school. The 26 credit hours must be earned in single subject courses on areas of law substantially tested on the Uniform Bar Exam.(see Rule 46 for details.) General Instructions on How to Apply for Admission Without Examination by UBE Score Transfer Rules Regulating Admission to the Bar in the District of Columbia You are responsible to read and understand the rules governing admission and unauthorized practice of law: D.C. App. R. 46 (https://admissions.dcappeals.gov/rule-46) and D.C. App. R. 49 (https://admissions.dcappeals.gov/admin/getpdfformfromadmin.action?queryType=1&id=389) If you did not obtain a JD or LLB from an ABA approved law school, please also read Guidance Regarding 26 ABA Credit hour Requirement for Graduates of non-ABA Approved Law Schools. (https://admissions.dcappeals.gov/admin/getpdfformfromadmin.action?queryType=1&id=388) Proper Application Filing Process For your application to be properly filed, you must submit the electronic application, any required supplemental documents, application fees, submit the District of Columbia authorization and release form, pay the NCBE background investigation fee, and submit the NCBE athorization and release form. You will receive an acknowledgement email when you complete the steps and file your application online. Create an Account - All applicants must create an account and answer screening questions to determine eligibility to apply. (If you applied on the old system and think that you already have an account please follow the instructions on how to claim your account: https://admissions.dcappeals.gov/admin/getpdfformfromadmin.action?queryType=1&id=383) Application - Complete and submit the application online. Filing Fee - Pay the prescribed filing fee, either by credit card, debit card, or e-check. We do not accept any other form of payment. District of Columbia Authorization and Release form - Print the A&R form and sign it in the presence of a notary. Scan and save the notarized A&R as a PDF document. The properly signed and notarized A&R PDF must be uploaded to your account. Supplemental forms All applicants with a JD from an ABA Approved law school must upload a Declaration of Graduation/Anticipated Graduation Form. All exam applicants who do not have a JD from an ABA approved law school must upload the following: Declaration of Graduation from a non-ABA Approved Law School Declaration of Completion/Anticipated Completion of 26 Credit Hours at an ABA Approved Law School Copy of Diploma from non-ABA approved Law School Copy of Official Transcripts from non- ABA approved law school Copy of Official Transcripts from ABA approved law school Copy of course descriptions from ABA approved law school Additional Documentation – The documents that applicants need from third parties or other sources will be determined by your responses to specific questions. Applicants who reply "yes" to questions regarding the following will need to provide additional documentation: arrests, civil litigation, academic disciplinary action, unauthorized practice of law, law school discipline, college/university discipline, military service, alcohol or drug related traffic violation and tax debt. Note: The analyst performing the background investigation may ask for other information after your application is submitted. UBE Score Report – A minimum score of 266 on the Uniform Bar Exam is required. You must request that your UBE score be reported to the District of Columbia. MPRE Score Report – A minimum score of 75 on the MPRE is required for admission. You may upload a copy of your unofficial MPRE score if you have it. Background Investigation – Within 7-10 business days after filing your application with the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, you will receive an email from the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) with instructions on how to submit payment for the background investigation. The background investigation is required for your character and fitness review. If you are a first time applicant to the District of Columbia who has already completed and made payment for a character and fitness questionnaire through the NCBE website for a District of Columbia application, you will also complete the Abbreviated Application. You will not pay additional for the Abbreviated Application and you will not receive an email from NCBE. Electronic Communications All information and announcements are posted on our website at https://admissions.dcappeals.gov/home. You are expected to regularly visit the Committee on Admissions ("COA") web site to review the announcements and information posted there. COA corresponds with applicants primarily via e-mail. You should use an e-mail address that you can access even after graduation from law school. You are required to maintain a current e-mail address and mailing address on your personal COA Registration Account, and to regularly read all mail from this office, whether sent electronically or by postal service. It is your responsibility to ensure that e-mails from COA are not filtered as spam and to add @admissions.dcappeals.gov to your e-mail address book.

Application Type

Application Requirements

Rule 46(d)(3) – Motion by UBE score transfer

Click here to apply under Rule 46(d)(3)

A qualifying UBE score of 266 or higher
A qualifying MPRE score of 75 or higher
Earned a JD or LLB from an ABA approved law school, OR graduated from non-ABA law school AND earned 26 credit hours at an ABA approved law school. The 26 credit hours must be earned in single subject courses on areas of law substantially tested on the Uniform Bar Exam.(see Rule 46 for details.)

General Instructions on How to Apply for Admission Without Examination by UBE Score Transfer

Rules Regulating Admission to the Bar in the District of Columbia

You are responsible to read and understand the rules governing admission and unauthorized practice of law: D.C. App. R. 46 (https://admissions.dcappeals.gov/rule-46) and D.C. App. R. 49 (https://admissions.dcappeals.gov/admin/getpdfformfromadmin.action?queryType=1&id=389)

If you did not obtain a JD or LLB from an ABA approved law school, please also read Guidance Regarding 26 ABA Credit hour Requirement for Graduates of non-ABA Approved Law Schools. (https://admissions.dcappeals.gov/admin/getpdfformfromadmin.action?queryType=1&id=388)

Proper Application Filing Process

For your application to be properly filed, you must submit the electronic application, any required supplemental documents, application fees, submit the District of Columbia authorization and release form, pay the NCBE background investigation fee, and submit the NCBE athorization and release form. You will receive an acknowledgement email when you complete the steps and file your application online.

Create an Account - All applicants must create an account and answer screening questions to determine eligibility to apply. (If you applied on the old system and think that you already have an account please follow the instructions on how to claim your account: https://admissions.dcappeals.gov/admin/getpdfformfromadmin.action?queryType=1&id=383)
Application - Complete and submit the application online.
Filing Fee - Pay the prescribed filing fee, either by credit card, debit card, or e-check. We do not accept any other form of payment.
District of Columbia Authorization and Release form - Print the A&R form and sign it in the presence of a notary. Scan and save the notarized A&R as a PDF document. The properly signed and notarized A&R PDF must be uploaded to your account.
Supplemental forms
- All applicants with a JD from an ABA Approved law school must upload a Declaration of Graduation/Anticipated Graduation Form.
- All exam applicants who do not have a JD from an ABA approved law school must upload the following:
Additional Documentation – The documents that applicants need from third parties or other sources will be determined by your responses to specific questions. Applicants who reply "yes" to questions regarding the following will need to provide additional documentation: arrests, civil litigation, academic disciplinary action, unauthorized practice of law, law school discipline, college/university discipline, military service, alcohol or drug related traffic violation and tax debt. Note: The analyst performing the background investigation may ask for other information after your application is submitted.
UBE Score Report – A minimum score of 266 on the Uniform Bar Exam is required. You must request that your UBE score be reported to the District of Columbia.
MPRE Score Report – A minimum score of 75 on the MPRE is required for admission. You may upload a copy of your unofficial MPRE score if you have it.
Background Investigation – Within 7-10 business days after filing your application with the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, you will receive an email from the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) with instructions on how to submit payment for the background investigation. The background investigation is required for your character and fitness review. If you are a first time applicant to the District of Columbia who has already completed and made payment for a character and fitness questionnaire through the NCBE website for a District of Columbia application, you will also complete the Abbreviated Application. You will not pay additional for the Abbreviated Application and you will not receive an email from NCBE.

Electronic Communications

All information and announcements are posted on our website at https://admissions.dcappeals.gov/home. You are expected to regularly visit the Committee on Admissions ("COA") web site to review the announcements and information posted there. COA corresponds with applicants primarily via e-mail. You should use an e-mail address that you can access even after graduation from law school. You are required to maintain a current e-mail address and mailing address on your personal COA Registration Account, and to regularly read all mail from this office, whether sent electronically or by postal service. It is your responsibility to ensure that e-mails from COA are not filtered as spam and to add @admissions.dcappeals.gov to your e-mail address book.