Utah Bar Exam

Utah Bar Exam Format

The Utah bar exam is the Uniform Bar Exam (“UBE”). The UBE consists of the Multistate Performance Test (“MPT”), the Multistate Essay Exam (“MEE”), and the Multistate Bar Exam (“MBE”). Utah law is not tested on the Utah bar exam.

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

(MEE) Essays
Utah tests six (6) essays. The essays may be drafted by the Utah board or be MEE essays. Subjects include:

  • Business Entities (Agency and Partnerships; Corporations and LLCs)
  • Civil Procedure (Federal)
  • Conflict of Laws
  • Constitutional Law
  • Contracts (Common Law, Sales/UCC Art. 2)
  • Corporations
  • Creditor/Debtor Rights
  • 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 and Future Interests)

MBE (Multiple Choice)
Utah 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 and MBE Score Transfer
Utah accept UBE scores of 270 or greater if achieved within the past three administrations of the current bar exam. The UBE score may be transferable for up to five years if the applicant can prove by clear and convincing evidence that he or she has been actively engaged in the full-time practice of law in one or more jurisdictions since the UBE score was earned. Qualifying attorneys with two or more years of practice must meet a 15 hour CLE requirement.

Utah accepts MBE scores for concurrent bar exams only.

Utah Bar Exam Testing Schedule

Day 1
Morning – 6 MEE Essays
Afternoon – 2 MPT Performance Tests

Day 2
Morning – MBE Part I (100 questions; 3 hours)
Afternoon – MBE Part II (100 questions; 3 hours)

Utah Bar Exam Dates and Application

The Utah bar exam is normally held on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July each year. Applications can be found on the Office of Bar Admissions’ Website.

Exam Date Application Deadline
 Late Deadline
 Final Deadline
Feb. 21-22, 2017 Oct. 1 Oct. 15 Nov. 1
July 25-26, 2017 March 1 March 15 April 1

Grading

Utah Bar Exam Weight

MPT 20%
MEE 30%
MBE 50%

Grading Procedure
The MPT questions carry a greater weight than each essay question. The essay and MPT scores are added together for the raw written component score. The written component score is scaled to the MBE using the standard deviation method. For the written component and the MBE, the maximum possible scaled score is 200 points each. The scaled written score and the MBE are then added together. The scaled scores are then added together for the final bar exam score. For attorney applicants, the written essay scores are converted to a scaled score using the MBE scale.

Passing Score
Applicants must achieve a final bar exam score of 270 or greater. Attorney applicants must achieve a scaled score of 135 or greater on the essay portion of the exam.

Pass Rates
Not currently available.

Review and Appeal for Applicants Failing the Utah Bar Exam

Unsuccessful applicants are entitled to examine the questions, their answers, and the model answers of the written portion of the bar exam. Copies of the materials are available by written request from the Utah State Bar for a copying fee, but copies are not available for the model answers of the MPT. Copies are available after May 15 for the February exam and after October 15 for the July exam.