All applicants must create an account and answer screening questions to determine eligibility to apply. For your application to be properly filed you must submit the electronic application, any supplemental documents, application fees, and the District of Columbia authorization and release form. Additional instructions related to the background investigation will be provided after you file your application. Specific information on how to apply by the various methods of application can be found on the Information & Applications page.

• Admission to the practice of law in the District of Columbia is under the jurisdiction of the D.C. Court of Appeals. You may hold out that you are entitled to practice law once you have received notice that the Committee on Admissions of the D.C. Court of Appeals has accepted your swear-in documents. You will receive a email once your swear in documents have be accepted. (Processing time is 5 to 7 business days.)
• You must also register with the D.C. Bar to receive your attorney license. All registration questions are answered by the DC Bar Membership Office 202-626-3475.

• Please create an account by visiting the Committee on Admissions website. You will need an email address for your user ID. Please register with an email that will be accessible to you for the duration of the application. Please read carefully and select the proper Motion Application.

• No. This office does not provide bar review courses. In addition to commercial providers, the National Conference of Bar examiners offers some study aids: www.ncbex.org.

• Yes, you are limited to 4 attempts on any component of the exam. See Rule 46(c)(14).

• Yes, you may not transfer a UBE score that was earned on the 5th (or more) attempt on the UBE in any jurisdiction. See Rule 46 (d)(3)(C).

• A Certificate of Good Standing is not required to apply for admission. However applicants who are admitted in another jurisdictions and are applying  by Three Year Provision must upload a Declaration of Three Years' Good Standing.
  
• UBE Score Transfer applications do not require a certificate of good standing.

Yes, request that NCBE send your scores  to the District of Columbia.

• No, but you must request that your MPRE score be reported by NCBE to the District of Columbia.
  

• Exam Applicants: A UBE score (266) expires after 5 years after it was earned. See Rule 46(d)(3)(B)
  
• MPRE scores DO NOT EXPIRE.

Click here for a breakdown of the Motion/ Waive In Fees and Special Legal Consultant Fees.

• Please refer to the memo “Guidance for Graduates of non-ABA Approved Law Schools: Here
  

• Yes, you may take the bar exam, however you will not be admitted to the bar without having earned a passing score of 75 or higher.

• Yes, you may use a laptop for the essay portion of the exam.
• Software for the exam is provided by a third party and applicants must register and pay during the registration period which is approximately 3 to 6 weeks before the exam.
• The District of Columbia is not responsible for any electrical failure/software failure or any other occurrence that interferes with the functioning of the laptop at the exam.

• Wall Certificate requests should be emailed to coa@dcappeals.gov.

Committee on Admissions DC Court of Appeals,

Room 123 430 E Street,

NW Washington,

DC 20001

• Please contact bar membership at 202-626-3475 or email memberservices@dcbar.org

• Please contact DC Bar Membership Office at 202-626-3475 or email memberservices@dcbar.org

Your photo must meet the following requirements:

• Taken within the past 6 months and reflect your current appearance.

• Color photo.

• Individual photo taken in front of a plain white background.
• Full face view, directly facing the camera, with a neutral expression and both eyes open.
• Taken with uniform lighting. Photo must not show shadows or shadowing of facial features.
• No hat or head covering unless worn for religious purposes.
• Glasses are permitted; however, a glare or light reflection in the lenses of glasses in the photo is not acceptable (glare can be avoided with a slight downward tilt of the glasses or by turning off the flash).
• 300 x 300 once uploaded and cropped.
• Photo file type must be a .png, .jpg., or .jpeg
• Photo should only include your head and your shoulders.