Route the next administration independently
Turn the prior record into a study schedule
Run the Illinois application timeline in parallel
Check the new application, character-and-fitness updates, MPRE, score age, accommodations, and any review rights immediately. Do not let study planning cause an administrative missed deadline.
What Illinois says about retaking
An Illinois applicant who fails must take the exam in its entirety on re-examination, and Illinois does not allow concurrent testing, so the MBE cannot be taken elsewhere while the essays are taken in Illinois. A total UBE scaled score of 266 or higher passes. The MBE counts for 50% of the total, the MEE for 30% and the two MPT items for 20%.
Those weights change how to spend retake time. The two MPT items share 20%, so each is worth about 10% of the total, while each of the six MEE essays is worth about 5%. One MPT item is worth as much as two essays, a fact worth weighing when deciding where to add practice. A passing Illinois score stays valid in Illinois for four years for every applicant.
What a retake costs and when to file
For the February exam, an applicant who previously registered and paid for an Illinois exam pays $650 through November 1 and $1,125 from November 2 to November 30. For July the retaker's early fee is $650 through April 30. A first-time applicant in the same early window pays $1,200. The amounts are effective January 1, 2026.
Filing fees are not refundable or transferable, even after a withdrawal, under Rule 706(j). Accommodation forms are filed on paper and are due November 30 for February and April 30 for July, so a retaker who needs them should not wait for the results letter.
Common questions
Do I retake the whole Illinois bar exam if I fail?+
Yes. Illinois requires the exam in its entirety on re-examination, and it does not carry any part forward.
Is an MPT item worth more than an MEE essay in Illinois?+
Yes, about twice as much. Two MPT items share 20% of the total, about 10% each, while six essays share 30%, about 5% each.
How much does an Illinois retake cost?+
$650 through November 1 for February or April 30 for July, and $1,125 from November 2 to 30 for February. A first-time applicant pays $1,200 in the early window.
Are Illinois bar fees refundable?+
No. Under Rule 706(j) filing fees are not refundable or transferable, even if you withdraw your application.
How long is a passing Illinois score valid?+
Four years in Illinois for every applicant, though other jurisdictions accept transferred scores of different ages.
Can I split the Illinois exam between two states?+
No. Illinois does not allow concurrent testing, so all three parts must be taken in one UBE jurisdiction in one administration to earn a portable score.
When are Illinois accommodation forms due?+
November 30 for February and April 30 for July, filed on paper with the paper part of the application.
What to do next
- 1
Confirm the next exam format.
- 2
Preserve and analyze the score report.
- 3
Choose a materially changed study method.
- 4
File and update disclosures on time.
- 5
Schedule feedback and full-condition work.