Rhode Island

Verified

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

How to apply

Admitting agencyRhode Island Supreme Court Clerk's Office

Application portalApply online

Character & fitnessNCBE conducts investigations for some application types. MPRE/character timing: character & fitness application should be filed with the bar exam application by the jurisdiction's filing deadline; most jurisdictions require the NCBE Character and Fitness Application to be submitted online via ncbex.org regardless of whether NCBE conducts the investigation.

Exam & score rules

Exam typeUBE (legacy); NextGen UBE first administration July 2028

UBE min scoreLegacy UBE: 270; NextGen UBE: TBA

MPRE requiredRequired, minimum score 80

Education requirementABA-approved JD required: No; Alternatives accepted: Non-ABA-approved out-of-state law school (additional: Bar admission in another state, specified number of years of practice); Foreign-educated graduates eligible: Yes (Admission in another US jurisdiction)

Other required components

Local law componentNo separate jurisdiction-specific law component required per NCBE data

Other pathsNCBE data shows Rhode Island rules do NOT provide for admission on motion (aom_provided=No) - RI is exam-only for out-of-state attorneys per NCBE; no diploma privilege identified. This should be confirmed directly with RI Supreme Court given how unusual a "no admission on motion" jurisdiction is - flagged as needing manual confirmation.

Transfer options

Accepts transferred UBEYes (accepts legacy UBE: Yes; NextGen UBE: TBA); max score age: 2 years

UBE transfer acceptedyes

Score age limit2 years (n/a - RI does not offer general AOM)

Admission on motion

Allows AOMno general reciprocity

Reciprocal onlyConfirm with the admitting authority.

Years of practiceConfirm with the admitting authority.

AOM feen/a - no true AOM; Rule 1A essay-only exam option for experienced attorneys

Other requirementsRI has NO reciprocity agreement with any jurisdiction (confirmed via RI courts FAQ). However, attorneys admitted/practicing law (or teaching at an ABA-accredited law school) full-time for 5 of the last 10 years may sit only the essay portion (Rule 1A) or, for 5 of last 7 years, an abbreviated Rule 1B path — these are still bar-exam pathways, not a waiver.

Official AOM source

Essays & sample answers

Publishes past essaysno dedicated public archive found

Years availableConfirm with the admitting authority.

Sample answersno

Exam typeNon-UBE historically (12 RI-specific essay questions + MBE); current status (UBE vs local) not fully confirmed

Essay archive / sample answers

RI Judiciary's attorney-resources pages cover admission rules but no essay archive was found; recommend follow-up check of courts.ri.gov Board of Bar Examiners Rules of Practice page.

Fees & deadlines

Feesfirst_time_applicant: $975; attorney_applicant: $1,475; repeater: $975; late_fee_note: Late fees reflected in the higher figure(s) shown for the filing-deadline fields above where jurisdiction publishes a two-tier fee; laptop_fee: $0

Application deadlinesjuly_2026_regular: Feb. 1/ May 1; july_2026_late: —; february_2027_regular: Sept. 1 / Dec. 1; february_2027_late: —

Next exam datesUBE jurisdictions administer the exam on the NCBE-set dates, generally the last Tue/Wed of Feb and July; New York has confirmed July 28-29, 2026 for the July 2026 administration. Confirm exact per-jurisdiction dates on the agency site; NCBE filing-deadline data above is confirmed for July 2026 / February 2027.

Possible multi-bar pathways

Researched examples that name Rhode Island. Discovery content only — not eligibility approval.

Attorneys' Examinations as a quasi-portability shortcut (CA, RI, OK, ID)

Several non-AOM or limited-AOM states instead offer a shortened 'Attorneys' Examination' (essays + performance test only, no MCQ) to already-licensed, experienced attorneys — not true reciprocity, but a faster/cheaper alternative to a full first-time bar exam. This is the practical workaround candidates use when a state (like CA) has zero reciprocity.

Official sources

Source 1 Source 2

NextGen UBE first administration announced for July 2028; Legacy UBE final administration February 2028.

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