Back to Bar Admissions Guide

Hawaii

Overview

Admitting Entity (Supreme Court, Mandatory Bar, etc.)
Hawaiʻi Supreme Court
Entity Managing Admissions Process

The Hawaiʻi Board of Examiners

[State] Application Materials

Hawaii Application Materials

Are law students required to register with jurisdiction while in law school?
No
If UBE, is there a Jurisdiction Component?
Yes
Multistate Bar Exam?
Yes
Multistate Essay Exam?
Yes
Is exam jurisdiction-drafted?
Yes
Multistate Performance Test?
Yes
Does the jurisdiction provide information on day of testing procedures?

No information available

What are the restroom use rules of the admitting entity?

No rules specified

General

Phone Number
808-539-4977
Diploma Privilege

No

Prelegal education requirements

No

Registration requirements, if applicable.

Must register for access to the Judiciary Electronic Filing and Service System (JEFS),

Registration fee, if applicable.
$500
Limit on attempts?
No limit
Fee(s)

$500

Are laptops allowed/required?
Yes, allowed if you register as part of the application
Laptop fee?
Unknown
Is courtesy seating allowed?
Unable to verify
Transfer fee?
N/A
Day-of Testing Procedures

An applicant testing at a Pearson VUE testing center must present a government-issued primary ID and a secondary ID. The primary ID must include a first and last name, recent recognizable photo, and signature. The secondary ID must include at least a first and last name and signature or first and last name and recent recognizable photo. The first and last name used to register must match exactly both IDs presented on test day. Any name corrections must be submitted through the NCBE Account Dashboard at least 48 hours before the first day of the test administration. Before entering the test room, Pearson VUE will collect a digital photograph and digital signature to verify identity. The applicant must consent to the NCBE Candidate Rules Agreement, which in part requires that if the applicant uses the restroom during testing, they must use “the restroom that is closest to the testing room” and pat themselves down (arms, legs, waistline) when leaving and re-entering the testing room. Applicants must also pat themselves down before entering the test room for the first time.

What security measures can applicants expect? Metal detectors? Bag search?

None published

Eligibility

Admission by Exam
Yes
Admission by Transfer
No
Admission by Motion
Yes
UBE Exam?
No, not it its entirety. However, Hawaii intends to first administer the NextGen bar exam in July 2028.
Minimum passing score?
132
Can exam score be transferred?
No
Can only UBE scores be transferred?
N/A
Is there a time limit for accepting transferred scores?
N/A
Is MPRE required?
Yes
Minimum passing score
85
Is there a time period in which the MPRE score must be earned?
Must be passed within two years before the Hawaii Bar Exam, and the score must be reported to the Board within one year of passing the exam.
MPRE fee
Not specified

Requirements

Application Name and Gender Identification

The MPRE application requires the first and last name to match exactly as listed on valid government-issued photo identification. If the applicant indicates they have been known by a different name, they must list the first name and last name or surname and does not have the option to explain the reason for the name change. The demographic information section asks, “[w]which of the following questions best represents your gender identity?” and provides the following options: “man,” “woman,” “non-binary,” “gender not listed here (please specify),” and “I prefer not to have my response used for research purposes.”

What identifying documents do applicants need on test days and what name is required to be on that ID (as related to the name on the application for admission)?

None published

Is there assigned seating? If so, how do applicants identify their seat (i.e. name, application number, etc.) If it is by name, which name will be listed?

Information not available online

The National LGBTQ+ Bar Association and Foundation
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.