Maine
Admission Process
- Admitting Entity
- Maine Supreme Judicial Court
- Entity Managing Admissions Process
- Phone Number
- 207-623-2464
- Email Address
- Admission by Exam
- Yes
- Admission by Score Transfer
- Yes
- Admission by Motion
- Yes
- Diploma Privilege
No
Education Requirements
- Application Materials
- Prelegal Education Requirements
Yes; must have graduated with a bachelor’s degree
- Legal Education Requirements
Yes; Rule 10 provides several different options, including graduating with a JD or a bachelor of laws from a law school that had received its provision or final accreditation from the ABA at the time of graduation.
- Mandatory Law Student Bar Card Registration in Jurisdiction
- No
- Mandatory Student Registration Requirements (if applicable)
N/A
- Mandatory Student Registration Fee (if applicable)
- N/A
Bar Exam
- Universal Bar Exam
- Yes. Maine intends to first administer the NextGen bar exam in July 2028.
- Jurisdiction-Specific Component
- No
- Multistate Bar Exam
- Yes
- Multistate Essay Exam
- Yes
- Jurisdiction-Drafted Exam
- No
- Multistate Performance Test
- Yes
- Attempt Limit on Bar Exam
- No limit
- Minimum Passing Bar Exam Score
- 270
- Fee(s)
Applicants Never Admitted in Any Jurisdiction or Admitted in Another Jurisdiction for Less Than One Year: $800; Applicants Admitted in Another Jurisdiction for One Year or More: $900 (plus NCBE Character and Fitness Application)
- Laptops Allowed/Required
- Yes - laptops can be used on the essay portion of the exam
- Laptop Fee
- Regular registration - $145; late registration - $195; manual registration - $290
- Courtesy Seating Availability
- The Maine Board of Bar Examiners voted to temporarily suspend courtesy seating for the February 2025 and July 2025 bar exams. The Board will review the suspension's impact and may elect to make the suspension permanent after the July 2025 exam administration
Transfer Score
- Transferred Scores Accepted
- Yes
- UBE Score Required for Transfer
- Yes
- Score Transfer Time Limit
- 3 years
- Score Transfer Fee
- Applicants not admitted in another jurisdiction for one year or more: $900; Applicants admitted in another jurisdiction for a year or more: $1,000, plus a fee of $105-$550 depending upon NCBE application required. MBAR 6(a)(3).
Mpre
- Passing MPRE Score Required
- An MPRE is no longer required in order for an applicant to apply and sit for the Maine bar exam
- Minimum Passing MPRE Score
- 80
- Time Limit on MPRE Score
- Within 15 years prior to the date on which the applicant is admitted
- MPRE Fee
- $160
- MPRE Application Name and Gender Identification Requirements
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.”
- MPRE Testing Day 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.
Testing Day Procedures
- Bar Exam Testing Day Procedures
Information is provided.
- Bar Exam Testing Day Restroom Rules
Restrooms will be identified by posted signs. Applicants using the restroom must sign out an in in a log. No more than two applicants may be out of the exam room at a time and must use separate restrooms. No applicant is allowed to leave the examination room in the last 15 minutes.
- Bar Exam Testing Day Security Measures
Applicants must present photo identification to be admitted to the exam each day. Acceptable forms of identification are 1) a passport, or 2) a current driver’s license or other government issued form of identification with a photograph.
- Bar Exam Testing Day Identification Documents
Applicants must present photo identification to be admitted to the exam each day. Acceptable forms of identification are 1) your passport, or 2) a current driver’s license or other government issued form of identification with a photograph.
- Bar Exam Testing Day Seating Assignment
Applicants have an assigned seat and must maintain at their seat a photo identification, an applicant number card, a seating card, and an NCBE number card.