Idaho Bar Exam

Idaho Bar Examiners

Idaho State Bar
525 W. Jefferson
P.O. Box 895
Boise, ID 83701
(208) 334-4500

Bar Exam Format

The Idaho State Bar uses the Uniform Bar Exam (“UBE”).  The Idaho bar exam includes the MEE and MPT on Tuesday and the MBE on Wednesday.

Day 1

The Idaho bar exam’s first day is an essay exam, which includes six MEE questions in the 3-hour morning session and two MPT items in the 3-hour afternoon session.

Day 2

The Idaho bar exam’s second day consists of 100 MBE multiple choice questions in the 3-hour morning session and 100 more in the 3-hour afternoon session.

Reciprocity

Idaho allows reciprocal admission for a lawyer who proves that the lawyer has fulfilled several qualifications, some of which include:

  • admission to practice law in a reciprocal jurisdiction;
  • substantially and actively practicing law for three of the past five years; and
  • not having failed the Idaho bar exam within the past five years.

A lawyer who is not eligible for reciprocal admission that has actively practiced law for three of the past five years may be eligible for admission to the Idaho State Bar by sitting for the MEE and MPT of the Idaho bar exam, but not the MBE.

If you earned a UBE score of 272 in another jurisdiction within the prior 37 months, then you could obtain admission to the Idaho State Bar without sitting for the Idaho bar exam.

Subjects/Topics

The essay component of the Idaho bar exam may test these subjects:

  • Agency;
  • Article 9 of the U.C.C. – Secured Transactions;
  • Conflict of Laws;
  • Constitutional Law;
  • Contracts (including Article 2 of the U.C.C. – Sales);
  • Corporations;
  • Criminal Law (including Criminal Procedure);
  • Decedents’ Estates;
  • Evidence Law;
  • Family Law;
  • Federal Civil Procedure;
  • Limited Liability Companies;
  • Partnerships;
  • Real Property;
  • Torts; and
  • Trusts and Future Interests.

Bar Exam Dates

The Idaho bar exam is held in February and July. The exam is usually on the last Wednesday and prior Tuesday of each month.

2024

  • February 27-28, 2024
  • July 30-31, 2024

Exam Results

The Idaho State Bar will grade and report the Idaho bar exam results about six weeks after the exam.  The Idaho State Bar will post a list of the passers online, mail confirmation letters, and give “pass or fail” results by phone.

Scoring/Grading

You will pass the Idaho bar exam by scoring 272 on a 400-point scale.  The Board of Commissioners of the Idaho State Bar weights the Multistate Essay Exam (“MEE”) at 30% and the Multistate Performance Test (“MPT”) at 20%.  The Idaho State Bar weights the Multistate Bar Exam (“MBE”) at 50%.

Pass Rate/Stats

For total takers, 88% is the highest pass rate and 65% is the lowest.  For first-time takers, 92% is the highest pass rate and 70% is the lowest.  For repeat takers, 67% is the highest pass rate and 8% is the lowest.