State Bar Admisssion Offices
NATIONAL
National Conference of Bar Examiners
American Bar Association (ABA)
Obtaining a license to practice law (also referred to as being “admitted to the bar”) in a jurisdiction is governed and overseen by each jurisdiction’s Board of Bar Examiners (or a similarly titled entity). Thus, each jurisdiction’s licensure requirements vary, but the process typically involves the following elements:
- Satisfactorily and timely applying for, taking, and earning a minimum score required by the jurisdiction on the Bar Exam.
- Completing and satisfying the jurisdiction’s Character & Fitness process.
- Satisfactorily and timely applying for, taking, and earning a minimum score required by the jurisdiction on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE)
Completion of the UToledo ABA-accredited Juris Doctor (J.D.) program meets state educational requirements to apply for admission to every state's bar. However, states may specify minimum and/or maximum types of credits in various categories of courses (e.g., in-classroom vs. non-classroom, skills training, etc.), and require the candidate to pass state law exams to be eligible for admission. Any student interested in gaining admission to practice in a particular jurisdiction is strongly advised to work with an advisor to find and understand the jurisdiction’s application and eligibility requirements.
Links to state bar admission requirements are below.
ALABAMA
Alabama State Bar Admissions Office
In addition to completing the UToledo ABA-accredited Juris Doctor (J.D.) program, an individual must complete an online course in Alabama law administered by the Alabama State Bar Admissions Office to be eligible for admission
to the Alabama bar.
ALASKA
Alaska Bar Association
In addition to completing the UToledo ABA-accredited Juris Doctor (J.D.) program, an individual must complete a course on attorney ethics administered by the Alaska Bar Association to be eligible for admission to the Alaska bar.
ARIZONA
Arizona Supreme Court
In addition to completing the UToledo ABA-accredited Juris Doctor (J.D.) program, an individual must complete an online course in Arizona law administered by the Arizona Supreme Court to be eligible for admission to the Arizona bar
ARKANSAS
Arkansas State Board of Law Examiners
CALIFORNIA
COLORADO
Colorado Supreme Court
In addition to completing the UToledo ABA-accredited Juris Doctor (J.D.) program, an individual must complete a 'Practicing with Professionalism' course administered by the Colorado Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel to be eligible
for admission to the Colorado bar.
CONNECTICUT
Connecticut Bar Examining Committee
DELAWARE
Delaware Board of Bar Examiners
In addition to completing the UToledo ABA-accredited Juris Doctor (J.D.) program, an individual must complete a 5-month clerkship in Delaware under the supervision of a Delaware attorney and attend a pre-admission conference administered by the Delaware Board of Bar Examiners to be eligible for admission
to the Delaware bar.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
District of Columbia Courts Committee on Admissions
FLORIDA
Florida Board of Bar Examiners
GEORGIA
Supreme Court of Georgia Office of Bar Admissions
HAWAII
IDAHO
ILLINOIS
Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar
INDIANA
Indiana Judicial Branch, Office of Admissions & Continuing Education
IOWA
KANSAS
KENTUCKY
Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions
LOUISIANA
Louisiana Supreme Court, Committee on Bar Admissions
MAINE
MARYLAND
Maryland State Board of Law Examiners
In addition to completing the UToledo ABA-accredited Juris Doctor (J.D.) program, an individual must complete an online course in Maryland law administered by the Maryland State Board of Law Examiners to be eligible for admission
to the Maryland bar.
MASSACHUSETTS
Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners
In addition to completing the UToledo ABA-accredited Juris Doctor (J.D.) program, an individual must complete an online course in Massachusetts law administered by the Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners to be eligible for admission
to the Massachusetts bar.
MICHIGAN
Michigan Board of Law Examiners
MINNESOTA
Minnesota State Board of Law Examiners
MISSISSIPPI
Mississippi Board of Bar Admissions
MISSOURI
Missouri Board of Law Examiners
In addition to completing the UToledo ABA-accredited Juris Doctor (J.D.) program, an individual must complete an online course in Missouri law administered by the Missouri Board of Law Examiners to be eligible for admission
to the Missouri bar.
MONTANA
State Bar of Montana
In addition to completing the UToledo ABA-accredited Juris Doctor (J.D.) program, an individual must complete the Montana Law Seminar administered by the State Bar of Montana to be eligible for admission to the Montana bar.
NEBRASKA
NEVADA
NEW HAMPSHIRE
New Hampshire Supreme Court Office of Bar Admissions
NEW JERSEY
New Jersey Board of Bar Examiners
NEW MEXICO
New Mexico Board of Bar Examiners
In addition to completing the UToledo ABA-accredited Juris Doctor (J.D.) program, an individual must complete an in-person course on New Mexico law administered by the New Mexico Board of Bar Examiners to be eligible for admission
to the New Mexico bar.
NEW YORK
New York State Board of Law Examiners
The New York bar’s new academic eligibility requirements for J.D. graduates are detailed
in Rule 520.3 and described here.
It is your responsibility to read rule 520.3 in its entirety and understand its requirements. Please note that among other things, there are specific requirements on: the total number of credits taken; professional responsibility coursework; clinics, field placement and externships; skills requirements; the number of credits you may take in any semester; and the number of credits you may take outside of the Law School (including credits taken as part of a dual-degree program). When you apply to take the NY Bar exam, you will submit a Certification Form with your application substantiating your academic eligibility in these coursework categories. Review and complete this form very carefully and note the information that you are asked to provide — you may find it easier to have your transcript in front of you when you complete the form. The Certification Form you submit to the NY Bar Examiners (NYBOLE) is mailed to the Student Records Office for verification. Then SRO reviews all forms and mails all the NY Bar Certification Forms collectively via overnight delivery back to the NYBOLE before the application deadline.
In addition, an individual must complete an online course on New York law administered by the New York State Board of Law Examiners to be eligible for admission to the New York bar.
NORTH CAROLINA
Board of Law Examiners of the State of North Carolina
In addition to completing the UToledo ABA-accredited Juris Doctor (J.D.) program, an individual must complete the North Carolina State-Specific Component to be eligible for admission to the North Carolina bar.
NORTH DAKOTA
North Dakota State Board of Law Examiners
OHIO
Supreme Court of Ohio, Office of Bar Admissions
In addition to completing the UToledo ABA-accredited Juris Doctor (J.D.) program, an individual must complete an online Ohio component administered by the Supreme Court of Ohio to be eligible for admission to the Ohio bar.
OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma Board of Bar Examiners
OREGON
Oregon State Board of Bar Examiners
PENNSYLVANIA
Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners
PUERTO RICO
Puerto Rico Board of Bar Examiners
RHODE ISLAND
Rhode Island Supreme Court, Board of Bar Examiners
SOUTH CAROLINA
Supreme Court of South Carolina, Board of Law Examiners
In addition to completing the UToledo ABA-accredited Juris Doctor (J.D.) program, an individual must complete a course on South Carolina law administered by the South Carolina Board of Law Examiners to be eligible for admission to the South Carolina bar.
SOUTH DAKOTA
South Dakota Board of Law Examiners
TENNESSEE
Tennessee Board of Law Examiners
In addition to completing the UToledo ABA-accredited Juris Doctor (J.D.) program, an individual must complete the online Tennessee law course administered by the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners to be eligible for admission
to the Tennessee bar.
TEXAS
Texas Board of Law Examiners
In addition to completing the UToledo ABA-accredited Juris Doctor (J.D.) program, an individual must complete an online course on Texas law to be eligible for admission to the Texas bar.
UTAH
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS
Virgin Islands Committee of Bar Examiners
In addition to completing the UToledo ABA-accredited Juris Doctor (J.D.) program, an individual must complete an online course on Virgin Island law administered by the Virgin Islands Committee on Bar Examiners to be eligible for
admission to the Virgin Island bar.
VERMONT
Vermont Office of Attorney Licensing
VIRGINIA
Virginia Board of Bar Examiners
WASHINGTON
Washington State Bar Association
In addition to completing the UToledo ABA-accredited Juris Doctor (J.D.) program, an individual must complete the Washington Law Component administered by the Washington State Bar Association to be eligible for admission
to the Washington bar.
WEST VIRGINIA
West Virginia Board of Law Examiners
WISCONSIN
Wisconsin Board of Bar Examiners