Ten Jurisdictions Complete the Inaugural Administration of the NextGen Uniform Bar Examination

MADISON, WISCONSIN, July 31, 2026—The inaugural administration of the NextGen Uniform Bar Examination (NextGen UBE) was held this week, marking the first operational administration of the new examination.

In total 2,640 examinees successfully completed the first administration of the NextGen UBE across 10 jurisdictions and 16 testing locations. The administration marked the culmination of eight years of research, development, and collaboration between the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) and the legal education community, courts, bar admission agencies, practicing attorneys, psychometricians, accessibility experts, and technology partners. 

Connecticut, Guam, Idaho, Maryland, Missouri, the Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, Palau, the US Virgin Islands, and Washington participated in the inaugural administration of the NextGen UBE. The majority of applicants completed the examination as scheduled, and most testing locations administered the examination without significant incident.

Certain testing locations in three jurisdictions—Maryland, Missouri, and Washington—experienced site-specific network bandwidth issues on the first day of the administration. Most of those issues were resolved, allowing examinees to complete testing as scheduled. 

In Washington, where approximately 700 applicants were scheduled to test, most were unable to start the examination because of a venue-specific infrastructure issue at the Yakima Convention Center. Despite extensive efforts by jurisdiction staff, testing-site personnel, and technical support teams to diagnose and resolve the issue, the Washington State Bar Association ultimately determined that it could not proceed with the administration and canceled testing for the affected applicants.

NCBE recognizes the extraordinary time, effort, and sacrifice invested by the Washington applicants who were unable to complete the examination as planned and deeply regrets the disappointment and uncertainty they have experienced. NCBE remains committed to supporting the Washington State Bar Association as it implements plans for affected applicants. 

The Washington State Bar Association has announced several options for affected applicants and will communicate directly with them regarding next steps. NCBE has also established a dedicated web page with additional information and resources for affected applicants.

Preliminary operational data from the inaugural administration indicate the following performance across participating jurisdictions: 

• The examination was administered across 10 jurisdictions, 17 testing locations, and 131 testing rooms. Jurisdictions including Connecticut, Guam, Idaho, the Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, Palau, and the US Virgin Islands completed testing without major disruption.
• A total of 2,640 examinees successfully completed and submitted their examinations.
• Approximately 3,318 applicants registered for the examination. Of those, 28 did not appear for the exam, 3 did not complete their attempts, and 647 were unable to test in Washington because of the venue issue.
• Contingency measures, including backup devices, redundant networks, staggered starts, and mobile hotspots, helped jurisdictions continue testing when localized issues arose.
• Backup devices were distributed to approximately 4% of examinees to address routine technical issues unrelated to the localized disruptions experienced at certain sites, allowing testing to continue with minimal disruption.
• There were no systemic platform issues, and the NextGen platform performed as designed.
• Preliminary survey responses, many of which reflected the experiences of applicants who encountered testing delays, indicate that examinees nevertheless responded positively to both the content and the testing platform experience, citing the platform's modern design and the flexibility of the non-linear testing format.

"The Connecticut Bar Examining Committee has trusted the tests designed and produced by NCBE for many years," said Hon. Anne C. Dranginis (Ret.), Chair of the Connecticut Bar Examining Committee. "We have participated in many parts of the extensive preparation of the NextGen exam, were pleased with the platform, and the support by NCBE before and during its administration. The CBEC has confidence that this exam better reflects the fundamental knowledge base and skill sets that new attorneys should have across practice areas they enter the practice of law."

NCBE will continue reviewing operational and technical data in partnership with participating jurisdictions, testing sites, and technology providers and will incorporate those findings into preparations for future administrations.

Building on the proven foundation of the Uniform Bar Examination, the NextGen UBE measures proficiency in seven foundational skill areas: legal research, legal writing, issue spotting and analysis, investigation and evaluation, client counseling and advising, negotiation and dispute resolution, and client relationship and management. 

Beginning with the July 2027 administration, Arizona, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming will join the jurisdictions already administering the NextGen UBE. A total of 52 jurisdictions will begin administering the NextGen UBE between now and July 2028.

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About the National Conference of Bar Examiners 

The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE), headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, is a not-for-profit corporation founded in 1931. NCBE promotes fairness, integrity, and best practices in bar admissions for the benefit and protection of the public, in pursuit of its vision of a competent, ethical, and diverse legal profession. Best known for developing bar exam content used by 54 US jurisdictions, NCBE serves admission authorities, courts, the legal education community, and candidates by providing high-quality assessment products, services, and research; character investigations; and informational and educational resources and programs. For more information, visit the NCBE website at https://www.ncbex.org.  

About the NextGen Uniform Bar Exam 

Designed to reflect the work performed by newly licensed attorneys, the NextGen UBE tests a broad range of foundational legal doctrine and lawyering skills in the context of the current practice of law. The subjects and skills to be tested were developed through a nationwide legal practice analysis and reflect the most important knowledge and skills for newly licensed lawyers in both litigation and transactional practice. For more information, visit https://www.ncbex.org/exams/nextgen.