New Mexico
Admission Process
- Admitting Entity
- New Mexico Supreme Court
- Entity Managing Admissions Process
New Mexico Board of Bar Examiners
- Phone Number
- 505-271-9706
- 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
No
- Legal Education Requirements
A graduate with a JD or bachelor of laws and letters degree from a law school that is (a) formally accredited by the ABA; or (b) not formally accredited by the ABA, in which event the applicant must also show admission to the practice of law in one or more other states for at least 4 of the 6 years immediately preceding application.
- 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. New Mexico intends to first administer the NextGen bar exam in July 2027.
- Jurisdiction-Specific Component
- No
- Multistate Bar Exam
- Yes
- Multistate Essay Exam
- Yes
- Jurisdiction-Drafted Exam
- No. A separate one-day, in-person course on New Mexico law is required prior to admission.
- Multistate Performance Test
- Yes
- Attempt Limit on Bar Exam
- No limit
- Minimum Passing Bar Exam Score
- 260
- Fee(s)
$750: Bar Exam application fee: $500: for applicants who have only ever taken the UBE one time, regardless of state; $1700: UBE score transfer application fee; $2500: Reciprocity/Admission on Motion application fee; $100: Laptop Fee paid to Exemplify/Exam soft; $1500: Initial Deposit for any Character and Fitness Hearing, if applicable
- Laptops Allowed/Required
- Allowed
- Laptop Fee
- $100
- Courtesy Seating Availability
- No
Transfer Score
- Transferred Scores Accepted
- Yes
- UBE Score Required for Transfer
- Only an entire UBE score, not portions (e.g., MBE score only)
- Score Transfer Time Limit
- 5 years
- Score Transfer Fee
- $1,700
Mpre
- Passing MPRE Score Required
- Yes
- Minimum Passing MPRE Score
- 80
- Time Limit on MPRE Score
- No
- MPRE Fee
- $30: NCBE fee to report MPRE score
- 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
No, instruction is provided directly to applicants
- Bar Exam Testing Day Restroom Rules
Information not publicly available
- Bar Exam Testing Day Security Measures
Information not publicly available
- Bar Exam Testing Day Identification Documents
Information not publicly available
- Bar Exam Testing Day Seating Assignment
Information not publicly available