Washington Bar Exam

Washington Bar Exam Format

Washington tests the Uniform Bar Exam (“UBE”). The Washington bar exam takes two days and consists of the Multistate Performance Test (“MPT”), Multistate Essay Exam (“MEE”), and the Multistate Bar Exam (“MBE”). Washington law is tested through the Washington Law Component test.

Washington Law Component
Applicants must also complete the online, open-book Washington Law Component (“WLC”). The WLC covers Washington law. The passing score is 80%. The WLC may be taken anytime after filing the bar exam application and up to one-year after sitting for the UBE.

MPT (Performance Test)
Washinton tests two (2) MPT performance tests.

MEE (Essays)
Washington tests six (6) MEE essays. Subjects may include:

  • Business Associations (Agency and Partnership; Corporations and LLCs)
  • Civil Procedure (Federal)
  • Conflict of Laws
  • Constitutional Law
  • Contracts (Common Law, Sales/UCC Art. 2)
  • Criminal Law
  • Criminal Procedure
  • Evidence
  • Family Law
  • Negotiable Instruments/Commercial Paper (UCC Art. 3)
  • Real Property
  • Secured Transactions (UCC Art. 9)
  • Torts
  • Trusts and Estates (Decedents’ Estates, Trusts, Future Interests)

MBE (Multiple Choice)
Washington uses the standard MBE. Subjects include:

  • Civil Procedure
  • Constitutional Law
  • Contracts (Common Law, Sales/UCC Art. 2)
  • Criminal Law
  • Criminal Procedure
  • Evidence
  • Real Property
  • Torts

UBE Score Transfer
Washington accepts UBE scores of 270 or greater for up to 40 months after the UBE when the score was achieved.

Washington Bar Exam Dates and Application

The Washington bar exam is held on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July. Applications can be found on the Washington State Bar’s Website.

Exam Date Preliminary Date Application Deadline Final Deadline
Feb. 21-22, 2017 Sept. 1  Oct. 5  Nov. 5
July 24-25, 2017 Feb. 1  March 5  April 5

Grading

Washington UBE Bar Exam Weight

MPT 20%
MEE 30%
MBE 50%

Grading Procedure
Raw essay scores are converted to scaled essay scores using the standard deviation method and puts the raw essay scores on the same 200 point scale as the MBE. The scaling also adjusts for possible differences in the difficulty of the essay questions or in the harshness of the essay grading from one exam administration to another.

An applicant’s MBE raw score is the number of MBE questions the applicant answered correctly. MBE raw scores are then converted to scaled scores. The scaling controls for possible differences in question difficulty from one exam administration to another.

The written portion scaled score and the MBE scaled scores are added to generate the final bar exam score.

Passing Score
The UBE passing score is 270.

Pass Rates
Bar exam statistics can be found here.

Review and Appeal for Applicants Failing the Washington Bar Exam
Failing applicants are entitled to receive copies of the MEE and MPT answers at no cost. The exam results are final.

Retaking the Washington Bar Exam

Applicants failing the Washington bar exam may reapply.