BAR ADMISSIONS
BAR EXAMINATION APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

The Uniform Bar Examination is administered in Charleston, West Virginia, on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July each year. The February 2026 exam is scheduled to be held at the Four Points by Sheraton.

West Virginia is not a courtesy seating jurisdiction. For more information on courtesy seating, please visit https://reports.ncbex.org/comp-guide/charts/chart-6/#1610475724864-43f00c57-7d9d. 

EXAMINATION TIME FRAMES

February Examination

• August 1 – first date on which applications will be accepted;
• November 1 – priority postmark deadline for applications;
• Applications postmarked between November 2 and December 1 require an additional $200 late processing fee; and,
• Applications postmarked after December 1 will not be accepted.

July Examination

• March 1 – first date on which applications will be accepted;
• April 1 – priority postmark deadline for applications;
• Applications postmarked between April 2 and May 1 require an additional $200 late processing fee; and,
• Applications postmarked after May 1 will not be accepted.
   

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

FIRST: Read and familiarize yourself with the Rules for Admission to the Practice of Law in West Virginia. These Rules govern all applications to practice law in West Virginia, and all applicants are charged with knowledge of the Rules’ requirements. Anyone wishing to apply to this jurisdiction must confirm they meet the Rules’ requirements and follow all instructions and Rules as available on the website. Thoroughly review the instructions on this page, these FAQs and Tips, and the National Conference of Bar Examiners instructions for answers to your questions regarding the application process. Neither the WVBLE office nor the Board can give advisory opinions. An application must be filed according to the Rules and instructions. There are no waivers to the Rules or instructions.

If you are reapplying to sit for a West Virginia Bar Examination, carefully review your results letter and these Reapplication FAQs and Tips for details regarding the required reapplication materials.

SECOND: Go to the website of the National Conference of Bar Examiners and fill out the online West Virginia-specific character and fitness application (hereinafter referred to as "application"). 

THIRD: Follow the NCBE’s instructions for submitting the required supporting material to the NCBE with your payment. This payment is separate from and additional to payment to the WVBLE. We will accept NCBE supplemental reports only if the original NCBE report was completed no more than three (3) years prior to the date of your application to West Virginia.

FOURTH: Mail the following materials together in one envelope to the West Virginia Board of Law Examiners at:

WVBLE 
WEST VIRGINIA JUDICIAL TOWER  
4700 MACCORKLE AVE SE STE 700B 
CHARLESTON WV  25304

Do NOT include staples, post-it notes, and/or exhibit tabs with your application. Do not fold your application or supporting materials (excludes envelopes containing transcripts). Application materials are scanned upon receipt and using such items may cause your application to be torn or shredded during the scanning process. All materials must be submitted on paper measuring 8½” x 11” and must be single-sided.

The following materials must be postmarked by the application deadline or your application will be rejected. If you fail to include these items you will not be given any grace period beyond the filing deadline to correct the error:

• Application Filing Fee payable to the State of West Virginia. Please reference the Application Filing Fee Schedule for acceptable payment types and applicable fee.
• One copy of the application submitted to the NCBE (see SECOND above) with bar code and number and "finalized" date at the bottom of each page.  You must attach any required documents (e.g., copies of pleadings, orders, criminal complaints, military separation documents, financial, etc.), if applicable, which the application directs you to include to both the NCBE and WVBLE. If you no longer have the materials listed, contact the court(s)/issuing agency to provide copies of these documents (or provide their response, in writing, if they are unable to do so). The application finalized date (bottom right corner) must be no more than sixty (60) days prior to the date of submission to our jurisdiction.
• One (1) completed Application Affidavit with original/wet signatures of applicant and Notary Public, dated no more than sixty (60) days prior to your application submission.
• One (1) completed Affidavit of Authorization and Release with original/wet signatures of applicant and Notary Public, dated no more than sixty (60) days prior to your application submission.
• Official transcript from the school(s) that awarded your undergraduate degree(s). Transcripts must show that your degree has been awarded and the date on which it was awarded. Photocopies and unofficial printouts will not be accepted. If the transcript indicates that it must be in its original, sealed envelope to be official, send it to the Board of Law Examiners without opening the envelope. If the college or university provides transcripts via electronic service you must request ashton.bias@courtswv.gov as the designated recipient and include a cover letter with your application listing the name that appears on the transcript (if different than the name on your application), the issuing college/university, and the date you requested the document. Items submitted under separate cover will be held for no more than thirty (30) days prior to submission of a complete application.
• An original credit report dated no more than thirty (30) days prior to the date your application is postmarked. A credit report printed from an online free annual credit reporting agency or from any website that provides detailed history on each account is acceptable. A print-out that shows only your credit score is insufficient. The report must include your full name and the date it was issued and no pages may be redacted.
• If you are requesting transfer of a previous Multistate Bar Examination score, complete and submit the MBE Transfer Certification Request (as well as answering the appropriate question on the application) with your application. The deadline for receipt of a transferred MBE score for the February bar examination is January 1. The deadline for receipt of a transferred MBE score for the July bar examination is June 1. It is the applicant’s responsibility to contact the issuing jurisdiction or NCBE to request that the score transfer arrive in our office by the deadline. NOTE: If you transfer an MBE score, you will not receive a Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) score; a successful bar exam score will be valid only for admission in West Virginia.
• If applicable, a written request to the Board of Law Examiners pursuant to Rule 3.4(c) of the Rules for Admission to the Practice of Law: "An applicant who has failed to earn the minimum score required to pass in this State after a fourth examination taken in this or any other jurisdiction shall not again be admitted to an examination except upon permission of the Board of Law Examiners for good cause shown. The Board so granting the permission may, as a condition to the granting of another examination, prescribe a further course of study." Copies of score reports (from jurisdictions other than West Virginia), which include the exam date and applicant name, should be submitted along with the request.

FIFTH: If you require testing accommodations (e.g. extra time, large font, etc.) please complete the Testing Accommodations Form. Be sure to include all documentation requested in the form. It is recommended that testing accommodations requests be postmarked no later than the priority deadline of November 1st preceding the February examination, or April 1st preceding the July examination; requests must be postmarked no later than the late deadline of December 1st preceding the February examination, or May 1st preceding the July examination. Information about accommodations for lactation may be found here.

SIXTH: As soon as possible after filing your application, submit the following materials to the West Virginia Board of Law Examiners at the address listed in Step Four. Your file will not be complete and you will not be eligible for admission until we have received these items:

• Official transcript from the school that awarded your law degree. Transcripts must show that your degree has been awarded and the date on which it was awarded. Photocopies and unofficial printouts will not be accepted. If the transcript indicates that it must be in its original, sealed envelope in order to be official, send it to the Board of Law Examiners without opening the envelope. If the college or university provides transcripts via electronic service, you must request ashton.bias@courtswv.gov as the designated recipient. Your law school transcript must be received in our office prior to the exam. Graduates of the West Virginia University College of Law who are applying for the July exam after graduating in May will not need to provide an official law school transcript, as the WVU College of Law provides certification of law degrees directly to our office (graduates must be eligible for degree certification in order to sit for the exam). Items submitted under separate cover will be held for no more than thirty (30) days prior to submission of a complete application.
• Original Certificates of Good Standing from the Clerk of the Supreme Court from each state where you have been admitted to practice, signed no more than sixty (60) days prior to your application submission. If these are issued solely electronically, you must request ashton.bias@courtswv.gov as the designated recipient and include a cover letter with your application listing the issuing agency and the date you requested the document. Items submitted under separate cover will be held for no more than thirty (30) days prior to submission of a complete application.
• Official score report from the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE). If you specified West Virginia as one of the reporting states when you took the exam, you must inform our office in writing of the date you took the MPRE so that we can confirm your score without the need for an official score report. Pursuant to Rule 3.2(d), applicants for admission by examination must achieve a passing MPRE score of 80 within 25 months of successful completion of the West Virginia bar examination. There will be no exceptions to or waivers of this rule. Items submitted under separate cover will be held for no more than thirty (30) days prior to submission of a complete application.

SEVENTH: Keep the West Virginia Board of Law Examiners apprised of any changes in the information provided on your application by submitting an Application Update Form when necessary (please submit update items according to the instructions in red above). You must also inform the NCBE of changes to your application using the NCBE’s amendment forms available under your NCBE online account.