Montana

Verified

Imported 2026-09-27 — not yet reviewed; confirm with the admitting authority.

How to apply

Application portalApply online

Character & fitnessApplication process managed by the jurisdiction's bar admission agency; many jurisdictions use NCBE's Character & Fitness application/investigation as part of the exam application (timing: filed together with or shortly after the bar exam application). Verify exact process/timing per jurisdiction at the agency_url.

Exam & score rules

Exam typeUBE; transitioning to NextGen UBE (first administration: February 2028)

UBE min score266

MPRE requiredyes (min: 80)

Education requirementABA-approved J.D. required; no alternative domestic legal-education pathway reported.

Other required components

Local law componentNone identified beyond standard UBE components (per NCBE 'Legacy UBE Jurisdiction-Specific Requirement: Yes' — confirm precise nature directly with the State Bar of Montana / Board of Bar Examiners).

Other pathsNo diploma privilege or supervised-practice pathway identified.

Transfer options

Accepts transferred UBEyes, max score age 3 years

UBE transfer acceptedyes

Score age limit3 years

Admission on motion

Allows AOMyes

Reciprocal onlyno

Years of practice5 of past 7

AOM feenot confirmed (search returned years figure only)

Other requirementsABA-approved JD required; diploma-privilege admittees NOT eligible.

Official AOM source

Essays & sample answers

Publishes past essaysno dedicated public archive found

Years availableConfirm with the admitting authority.

Sample answersno

Exam typeUBE (adopted structure eliminated the historic 4 Montana-specific essay questions)

Essay archive / sample answers

Montana Board of Bar Examiners publishes 'Guidelines for Acceptable Essay Answers' (grading philosophy) but no past-question/sample-answer archive was found on montanabar.org or courts.mt.gov.

Fees & deadlines

Feesfirst_time_applicant: $620 (plus C&F fee); attorney_applicant: $875; repeater: $310; laptop_fee: $125; admission_on_motion_fee: $2,500 (plus C&F fee)

Application deadlinesjuly_2026_regular: March 15; july_2026_late: —; february_2027_regular: Oct. 1; february_2027_late: —

Next exam datesjuly_2026: Scheduled (standard UBE/local administration); february_2027: Scheduled (standard UBE/local administration); nextgen_first_administration: February 2028; legacy_ube_final_administration: July 2027

Official sources

Source 1 Source 2 Source 3 Source 4 Source 5 Source 6 Source 7 Source 8 Source 9

UBE; NextGen UBE first administration announced for February 2028. | Caveats: Nature of Montana's flagged 'jurisdiction-specific requirement' not independently confirmed; verify directly with montanabar.org / courts.mt.gov.

VerdictUp is a study aid and does not provide legal advice or guarantee admission. Confirm with the admitting authority.