Bar Exam

Drake Law School has provided information for current students about applying for and taking the bar exam.

February 2026 Bar Exam

The February Bar Examination will be held on February 24-25, 2026, at the Courtyard by Marriott in Ankeny, Iowa. The application deadline for the exam is November 1, 2025.

July 2026 Bar Exam

The July Bar Examination information is to be determined.

Bar Exam Test Options

Uniform Bar Exam

The Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) is coordinated by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) and consists of the MEE, the MPT, and the MBE.

The UBE gives test takers a portable score that they can use to practice law in the other UBE jurisdictions: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming, and the Virgin Islands. Each state sets its own minimum passing score and testing requirements.

Iowa will continue to administer the current form of the UBE through February 2027 and then transition to the NextGen UBE, beginning July 2027. The current UBE will no longer be administered in any jurisdiction as of July 2028

Find more information at www.ncbex.org/exams/ube.

NextGen Universal Bar Exam (NextGen UBE)

The NextGen UBE is also coordinated by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) and consists of three components: multiple choice questions, integrated question sets, and performance tasks. This new exam is meant to replace the current UBE by July 2028.

The NextGen UBE gives test takers a portable score that they can use to practice law in other NextGen UBE jurisdictions. States are still in the process of adopting this new exam, and you can find a full list of eligible jurisdictions and adoption schedules here. Each state will set its own minimum passing score and testing requirements.

Find more information at NextGen Bar Exam | NCBE

Test Requirements

Non-UBE jurisdictions set their own testing and scoring requirements. To learn more about each state's requirements and subjects tested, see this webpage.

For Iowa requirements, visit the Iowa Bar Exam website.

Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MRPE)

The NCBE also administers the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE), a two-hour, 60-question, multiple-choice ethics examination offered three times a year. It is required for admission to the bars of all but three U.S. jurisdictions (Maryland, Wisconsin, and Puerto Rico).

Each state sets its own minimum score requirement. The state of Iowa requires a score of 80 or above to sit for the Iowa Bar Exam.

Find more information at www.ncbex.org/exams/mpre.

Character and Fitness

In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Students are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners. For more information click here.

Bar Exam Components

Check out state bar websites to see the requirements of the state you are interested in, subjects tested, and any MPRE requirements. You should regularly visit your respective bar’s website for information and updates.

Multistate Essay Exam

The Multistate Essay Exam (MEE) consists of six 30-minute essay questions administered in a three-hour session.

The following subjects may be tested:

Business Associations (Agency and Partnership, Corporations and LLCs)
Conflict of Laws*
Constitutional Law (Federal)
Contracts (including Uniform Commercial Code (Sales)) (Art. 2)
Criminal Law and Procedure
Evidence (Federal Rules of Evidence)
Family Law*
Federal Civil Procedure
Real Property
Torts
Trusts and Estates (Decedents' Estates, Trusts and Future Interests)*
Uniform Commercial Code (Secured Transactions) (Art. 9)*

*Will no longer appear on the MEE beginning July 2026

Some MEE questions may include issues from more than one area of law. Conflict of Laws issues are embedded in the other MEE topic areas; they do not appear as stand-alone questions. Uniform Commercial Code issues may require the applicants to know the general principles and applicable definitions set forth in Art. 1.

Learn more here.

Multistate Performance Test

The Multistate Performance Test (MPT) consists of two 90-minute performance tests. User jurisdictions may select one or both MPT items to include as part of their bar examinations.

Jurisdictions that administer the Uniform Bar Examination use both MPT items.

Learn more at www.ncbex.org/exams/mpt.

Multistate Bar Examination

The Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) consists of two three-hour sessions (100 multiple choice questions per session).

The MBE tests the following subjects:

Constitutional Law
Contracts
Criminal Law and Procedure
Evidence
Real Property
Torts
Federal Civil Procedure

Find more information here.

NextGen UBE Components

The NextGen UBE consists of three three-hour blocks of testing covering the following doctrinal subjects:

Business Associations and Relationships
Civil Procedure
Constitutional Law
Contracts
Criminal Law and Constitutional Protections of Accused Persons
Evidence
Family Law*
Real Property
Torts
Trusts and Estates**

(*From July 2026 through February 2028, Family Law will consistently be tested in one performance task, and may appear in integrated question sets, which include the provision of legal resources. Family Law will become a foundational concept for the entirety of the exam beginning in July 2028.)

(**From July 2026 through February 2028, Trusts and Estates will consistently be tested in one performance task, and may appear in integrated question sets, which include the provision of legal resources. Trusts and Estates will not become a foundational concept but may still appear in future examinations in performance tasks and/or integrated question sets beginning in July 2028.)

Each three-hour block of testing will include 40 multiple choice questions, 2 integrated question sets, and 1 performance task.

Multiple Choice Questions: Multiple choice questions may appear in two formats: select one correct response of four options or select two correct responses of six options. The multiple choice questions will test the eight foundational concepts and principles in approximately equal numbers and may cross over to test more than one foundational concept at a time. Standalone multiple choice questions make up 49% of the total exam score.

Integrated Question Sets: This type of testing includes sets of questions based on a common fact scenario and may appear in one of two different formats: drafting sets and counseling sets. Drafting sets will require the examinee to write a single medium-length response, and counseling sets will contain both multiple choice and short-answer questions. These types of questions may include legal resources and/or supplemental documents for the examinee to analyze and use in their response. Integrated question sets make up 21% of the total exam score.

Performance Tasks: The NextGen UBE will include a 1-hour performance task in each testing block. Two performance tasks will focus on a single longer writing assignment based on legal resources in the form of a case file and library. One performance task will be a legal research performance task, which includes multiple choice and short-answer questions, followed by a medium-length writing assignment. These tasks demonstrate an examinee's ability to use lawyering skills in realistic situations by completing tasks a beginning lawyer should be able to accomplish. Performance tasks make up 30% of the total exam score.

If you have questions during the transition time on the new exam style or would like to discuss which exam you should take, please contact Ashley Madsen, Director of Academic Success, to discuss.

Prepare for the Bar Exam

1. Register for the Bar Exam Preparation Course, offered both fall and spring semesters.

2. Find resources, sample questions and more on the Drake Law Library website.

3. Consider commercial courses, such as BARBRI, Kaplan, Helix or Themis.

4. For questions or concerns, contact Ashley Madsen, Director of Academic Success

Bar Exam Application

Download the Iowa Bar Examination Application on the Iowa Bar Examination website.

Note: If more space is needed to complete the forms, use an additional piece of paper. Do not alter the formatting or add lines to the document.

Send a printed copy of the completed form to the Office of Professional Responsibility:

Office of Professional Responsibility
1111 East Court Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50319

As part of the Iowa Bar Exam Application, an Affidavit of the Dean must be filed with the Office of Professional Regulation. Students who indicate on their Bar Plans and Authorization for Release of Information form their intent to sit for the Iowa bar immediately following graduation, the Dean's Office will automatically prepare the Affidavit of the Dean and submit the same to the Office of Professional Regulation.

Students who plan to sit for a bar examination outside the state of Iowa or at a date other than the testing date immediately following graduation, must contact Betty Straub (betty.straub@drake.edu) in the Student Services Suite to make arrangements for their specific bar certification.