Vermont
Admission Process
- Admitting Entity
- Vermont Supreme Court
- Entity Managing Admissions Process
The Board of Bar Examiners and the Character and Fitness Committee oversee the process of admission to the Vermont bar in accordance with the Rules of Admission.
- Phone Number
- 802-859-3000
- Email Address
- Admission by Exam
- Yes
- Admission by Score Transfer
- Yes
- Admission by Motion
- Yes
- Diploma Privilege
No
Education Requirements
- Application Materials
After completing the NCBE Standard Character and Fitness Electronic Application, NCBE will provide further instructions on how to access the application required by the Vermont Board of Bar Examiners. (By design, those Vermont-specific applications are not made available until after you have completed and submitted the NCBE Standard Character and Fitness Electronic Application.) The completed Vermont application must be submitted through Odyssey File and Serve. You must submit your NCBE application along with your Vermont application.
- Prelegal Education Requirements
No
- Legal Education Requirements
Must have: (1) graduated from an approved law school or satisfied the requirements for early examination in Rule 9(c)(5) of the Rules of Admission; (2) completed the Law Office Study Program; or (3) graduated from a nonapproved Law School, if you have met the equivalency requirements. You do not need to meet these requirements for admission without examination. See Rule 8 of the Rules of Admission.
- 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. Vermont intends to administer the NextGen bar exam in July 2027.
- 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
- 4; may be waived for good cause shown
- Minimum Passing Bar Exam Score
- 270
- Fee(s)
$300 for admission by examination; $50 late fee; $800 for admission without examination (including on motion); $50 nonrefundable administrative fee.
- Laptops Allowed/Required
- Allowed
- Laptop Fee
- $50 registration fee + additional fee to software company
- Courtesy Seating Availability
- No
Transfer Score
- Transferred Scores Accepted
- Yes
- UBE Score Required for Transfer
- Yes
- Score Transfer Time Limit
- 3 years, possibly 5 years under certain conditions.
- Score Transfer Fee
- $525
Mpre
- Passing MPRE Score Required
- Yes
- Minimum Passing MPRE Score
- 80
- Time Limit on MPRE Score
- No earlier than 3 years before taking the bar exam and no later than one year after being notified of passing the UBE
- 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
Not on the website
- Bar Exam Testing Day Restroom Rules
6.23.2025 call with staff – indicated that the testing locations tend to be hotel conference rooms, and that there are not specific policies. Applicants can reach out with any questions or concerns.
- Bar Exam Testing Day Security Measures
Metal detectors are generally not used. Tests tend to take place in hotel conference rooms. Applicants receive additional information once registered on test day policies
- Bar Exam Testing Day Identification Documents
6.23.2025 call with staff – no particular information other than the fact that applicants need a valid government issued ID
- Bar Exam Testing Day Seating Assignment
Applicants are assigned seats, two per six-foot table, in a room set for 40 to 100 applicants.