NCBE
NextGen Bar Exam
NextGen Uniform Bar Examination
NCBE's redesigned bar exam, launching July 2026 and replacing the legacy UBE in adopting jurisdictions. It integrates foundational legal concepts with foundational lawyering skills, testing knowledge and skills together rather than as separate components.
Full program: 9 decks, 1,886 cards.
What's on the exam
NCBE NextGen UBE Content Scope (Aug. 1, 2025; July 2026–Feb. 2027 administrations) + NextGen UBE Blueprint (June 2, 2025)
Business Associations and Relationships
~8.75%Agency and authority · Vicarious liability of principal for acts of agent · Formation, management, and control of general partnerships · Formation of corporations and limited liability companies · Corporate promoters: pre-organization actions and fiduciary duties · Management and control of corporations and LLCs · Fiduciary duties within business associations · Shareholder and member litigation · Liability rules related to business associations
Civil Procedure
~8.75%Jurisdiction and venue · State law in federal court · Pretrial procedures · Preserving the right to a jury trial · Dispositive motions · Judgments · Appealability and review
Constitutional Law
~8.75%Federal judicial power · Legislative powers · Executive powers · The relation of nation and states in a federal system · Individual rights
Contracts
~8.75%Identification of governing law · Formation of contracts · Defenses to enforceability · Contract content and meaning · Performance · Breach and discharge · Remedies · Third-party rights and obligations
Criminal Law and Constitutional Protections of Accused Persons
~8.75%General principles · Statutory crimes · Inchoate crimes and parties to a crime · Constitutional protections of accused persons
Evidence
~8.75%Relevance and reasons for excluding relevant evidence · Presentation of evidence · Privileges and other policy exclusions · Hearsay and circumstances of its admissibility · Exceptions to the rule against hearsay · Impeachment, contradiction, and rehabilitation
Real Property
~8.75%Ownership of real property · Rights in real property · Real estate sales contracts · Mortgages and foreclosure · Titles
Torts
~8.75%Intentional torts · Negligence · Strict liability for abnormally dangerous activities · Products liability · Nuisance · Misrepresentation · Defamation and privacy · Damages
Foundational Lawyering Skills
~30%Issue spotting and analysis · Investigation and evaluation · Client counseling and advising · Negotiation and dispute resolution · Client relationship and management (select MRPC rules) · Legal research · Legal writing and drafting
Frequently asked questions
How much does the NextGen Bar Exam cost?
Fees vary. Administered by each jurisdiction; application and seat fees are set by the state board and vary.
How long is the NextGen Bar Exam and how many questions does it have?
120 standalone MCQs (select-one-of-four and select-two-of-six; 20 unscored pretest), 6 integrated question sets (1 pretest), 3 performance tasks (standard PT and legal research PT) — 9 hours: two 3-hour sessions on day one, one 3-hour session on day two.
What do you need to pass the NextGen Bar Exam?
Single scaled score reported on a 500–750 scale; each jurisdiction sets its own passing score.
Can you retake the NextGen Bar Exam?
Permitted; attempts and waiting periods set by each jurisdiction.
What is the best way to study for the NextGen Bar Exam?
Start from the official outline and your primary study materials: the exam is weighted by domain (Business Associations and Relationships ~8.75%, Civil Procedure ~8.75%, Constitutional Law ~8.75%, Contracts ~8.75%, Criminal Law and Constitutional Protections of Accused Persons ~8.75%, Evidence ~8.75%, Real Property ~8.75%, Torts ~8.75%, Foundational Lawyering Skills ~30%). Once you've learned the material, spaced-repetition flashcards organized by those domains are an efficient way to retain it and refresh it before test day.
Ready to prepare?
Our NextGen Bar Exam program is organized by this outline's domains and scheduled by spaced repetition, with a path from first card to test day.
Flashcards are a memory tool. Learn the material first, then use NoReread to retain it and refresh what you already know. It doesn't replace studying the subject.