Do not substitute predictions for the published scope
Train each California task separately
Use timed essays for issue coverage, rule statements, California distinctions, fact analysis, and completion. Use performance-test practice for closed-universe task control, synthesis, and product format. Use current multiple-choice specifications and official samples for the administration you will take.
A ‘65’ on a practice essay is only meaningful if the rubric, grader, administration, and scale are identified. Treat feedback as analytic evidence, not a guaranteed official score.
How to pass the first time: verify operational rules close to the exam
California’s testing delivery and policies have changed in recent years. Recheck exam locations or remote rules, laptop requirements, allowed items, reporting times, and contingency procedures from the State Bar’s current notices.
What the State Bar publishes about the exam you are studying for
California gives its own two-day California Bar Examination twice a year, not the UBE. The July 2026 exam ran Tuesday, July 28 and Wednesday, July 29, in person at designated test sites, and the February 2027 exam is Tuesday, February 23 and Wednesday, February 24. For July 2026 the State Bar used NCBE's 200-question MBE for the multiple-choice session, answered by bubbling a Scantron sheet with a No. 2 pencil, and contracted ExamSoft to deliver the written sessions, which applicants answered on personal laptops.
Those two mechanics deserve their own practice blocks. Do timed multiple-choice sets on paper with a pencil, because that is how the State Bar collected the answers, and do written practice by typing in a timed setting that resembles the software you will use. Check the State Bar's exam page for the vendor and format of your own administration before you lock in the plan.
Dates and costs to put on the calendar
For February 2027 the State Bar lists October 1, 2026 as the day applications become available, November 2, 2026 as the timely filing deadline and January 4, 2027 as the final filing deadline. Its Schedule of Charges lists $878 for a general applicant and $1,650 for an attorney applicant, a $50 late fee in the first late window, a $250 late fee after that, and $153 for a laptop.
A study plan that slips can cost $250 in late fees, so set the filing date first and build backward from it. Results also drive planning: the State Bar scheduled results for the July 2026 exam for November 6, 2026, so a retake calendar has to start before the pass list is public.
Common questions
Is the California bar exam the UBE?+
No. California gives its own California Bar Examination on two days. Its multiple-choice session is NCBE's 200-question MBE, and the California Supreme Court sets the passing score.
How should I practice the California multiple-choice session?+
On paper with a No. 2 pencil, filling in a Scantron sheet under time. For July 2026 the State Bar collected the 200 MBE answers that way, so screen-only practice leaves a mechanical gap.
Do I type the California written sessions?+
For July 2026 the State Bar used ExamSoft and applicants typed on personal laptops. Practice typing under time in a similar environment, and confirm the vendor for your own administration on the State Bar's exam page.
How much does the California bar exam application cost?+
$878 for a general applicant and $1,650 for an attorney applicant, plus $153 for a laptop. A $50 late fee applies in the first late window and $250 after that.
When is the California filing deadline for February 2027?+
The State Bar lists November 2, 2026 as the timely deadline and January 4, 2027 as the final one, with applications available from October 1, 2026.
When does California release bar exam results?+
The State Bar scheduled results for the July 2026 exam for November 6, 2026 and for the February 2026 exam for May 1, 2026. A public pass list follows several days later.
Who decides what score passes in California?+
The California Supreme Court has ultimate authority to admit attorneys and set the passing score. The State Bar evaluates the exam at least every seven years and recommends whether the score should change.
Can I get a refund if I withdraw from the California bar exam?+
Possibly, under the State Bar's Refund of Fees policy. Not receiving your preferred testing site does not qualify you for a refund.
What to do next
- 1
Open the current California exam page.
- 2
Map every published subject and task.
- 3
Write released essays before reading selected answers.
- 4
Practice performance tests to completion.
- 5
Reverify delivery and exam-day rules.