NCBE

MBE

Multistate Bar Examination

The multiple-choice core of the U.S. bar exam, used by nearly every jurisdiction and weighted 50% of the Uniform Bar Examination total. It tests fundamental legal principles and reasoning across seven subjects.

Six hours (two three-hour sessions)Required to practice

What's on the exam

NCBE MBE Subject Matter Outline (25 scored questions per subject)

Civil Procedure

~14%

Jurisdiction and venue · Pretrial procedures and pleadings · Discovery · Motions and trial procedure · Verdicts, judgments, and appeals

Constitutional Law

~14%

Judicial review and separation of powers · Federalism and the commerce power · Individual rights and due process · Equal protection · First Amendment freedoms

Contracts

~14%

Formation and consideration · Defenses to enforceability · UCC Article 2 sales of goods · Performance, breach, and discharge · Remedies and third-party rights

Criminal Law and Procedure

~14%

Homicide and other crimes · Inchoate crimes and parties · Defenses · Fourth Amendment search and seizure · Confessions and right to counsel

Evidence

~14%

Relevance and its limits · Hearsay and exceptions · Witnesses, impeachment, and opinion · Privileges · Authentication and the best evidence rule

Real Property

~14%

Ownership and future interests · Landlord-tenant law · Conveyancing and recording · Mortgages and security interests · Rights in land (easements, covenants)

Torts

~14%

Intentional torts · Negligence · Strict liability and products liability · Defenses and damages · Nuisance and economic torts

Frequently asked questions

How much does the MBE cost?

Fees vary. Administered as part of a jurisdiction's bar exam; fees are set by each state board and vary.

How long is the MBE and how many questions does it have?

200 items total; 175 scored, 25 unscored pretest items — Six hours (two three-hour sessions).

What do you need to pass the MBE?

Scaled score; no standalone passing score — combined with written components per jurisdiction.

Can you retake the MBE?

Permitted; governed by each jurisdiction's retake rules.

What is the best way to study for the MBE?

Study the official blueprint, not random material: the exam is weighted by domain (Civil Procedure ~14%, Constitutional Law ~14%, Contracts ~14%, Criminal Law and Procedure ~14%, Evidence ~14%, Real Property ~14%, Torts ~14%). Spaced-repetition flashcards built domain-by-domain against that blueprint are the most time-efficient way to cover everything the exam tests.

Program in development

We're building a blueprint-complete program for this exam. Meanwhile, explore live programs across 11 exam.

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