So, you didn’t pass the bar exam. First, breathe. It happens to a lot of people, way more than you probably think. The immediate panic is real, and it’s normally followed by a ton of questions. One of the biggest ones floating around in your head is probably this: how often can you take the bar exam? It’s a question that, you know, has an answer that is a bit complicated. The thing is, there isn’t just one single rule for everyone, which can be super confusing when you’re already feeling down.
This whole process is governed by the place you want to get licensed in. Every state has its own ideas about how many shots you should get at this thing. We’re going to break down what you can generally expect in 2025, because knowing the rules is the first step to making a solid plan for your next attempt. It’s not just about hitting the books again; it’s about knowing the literal rules of the game you’re playing.
So, How Many Tries Do You Actually Get? The Short Answer is… It Depends.
There is no big, overarching national rule on bar exam retakes. It is the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) that writes the big parts of the test, like the MBE and MEE, but they don’t set the rules for who can sit for it or how many times. That power is left up to each state’s board of bar examiners, and they all do things a little differently.
Basically, the rules fall into a few different buckets. Some states are pretty chill about it. Others are a lot more strict and give you a hard limit on your number of attempts. It is considered to be a fact that you absolutely have to check the specific rules for the state you’re in. Don’t just listen to what your friend who took it in another state says. Their reality could be totally different from yours.
State Bar Exam Attempt Limits: A Mixed Bag for 2025
Let’s get into the nitty-gritty of what these state rules can look like. They’re all over the map, really. You’ve got states that will let you try until you’re old and gray, and others that will cut you off after just a few tries. It’s a real mixed bag.
The “Unlimited Attempts” Crew
A good number of the bigger states have decided not to limit the number of times you can take the bar exam. Places like California, New York, Texas, and Illinois fall into this category. On the surface, this sounds amazing, right? No pressure of a hard cutoff.
But there’s a catch. Just because you can take it ten times doesn’t mean you should without changing something. If you keep failing, the bar examiners might start to ask questions later on during the Character and Fitness part of things. They might want to know why you’re not getting over the hump. It is the reason why it’s a good idea to really switch up your study plan if you find yourself in this boat.
States with Specific Limits (The Numbers Game)
This is where things get more serious. Many states have put a specific number on how many times you can fail before you’re either cut off for good or have to jump through major hoops. These limits can feel pretty scary.
The numbers are typically all over the place. You might see limits like:
Three Attempts: Some states give you three shots before you have to do something extra.
Five Attempts: This is a pretty common number. States like Florida, for example, have rules centered around this number. After five fails, it can get very difficult to get permission to try again.
Six Attempts: Another number you’ll see out there.
The rules can be really particular. For instance, some states might say you have five tries, and after that, you have to wait a couple years before trying again. Or they might say you need to go back to law school and take more classes.
The “Petition for More Tries” States
This is sort of a middle ground. A state might have a limit, say four attempts. But it’s not always a hard stop. After you hit that limit, you can petition the state bar for permission to take it again. This isn’t just filling out a form, normally.
You’ll likely have to prove to them that you’ve done something different. You have to show that there is a good reason to believe you’ll pass this time around. This could mean showing them you’ve completed a different bar prep course, gotten a private tutor, or taken specific law school classes again. It’s basically you making a case for yourself, and there is no guarantee they’ll say yes.
What About the MPRE and Other Character & Fitness Stuff?
The bar exam isn’t the only test you have to worry about. There’s also the MPRE, the ethics exam. Generally, the rules for retaking the MPRE are much more relaxed. Most places let you take it as many times as you need to get a passing score.
But, as I mentioned before, multiple bar exam failures can sometimes become a Character and Fitness issue. The bar examiners’ job is to protect the public, and if an applicant can’t pass the basic competency test after many, many tries, they might question if that person is ready to be a lawyer. It’s not an automatic disqualifier, but it’s something to be aware of. It’s one of those things that can add another layer of stress to the whole situation.
Your Game Plan if You Have to Retake the Bar
Okay so you’ve failed and you’ve figured out the rules for how many more times you can take it in your state. What now? Just signing up for the next test without a new plan is probably a bad idea. You have to be honest with yourself about what went wrong.
Was it the multiple-choice part? The essays? Did you run out of time? Did you have a panic attack during the test? Pinpointing the weak spots is the most important first step you can take.
From there, you need a new game plan. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result, right? Maybe your big-box bar prep course just didn’t work for your learning style. Perhaps you need a tutor who can give you one-on-one feedback on your practice essays. Or maybe you need to focus way more on doing timed practice questions instead of just watching lectures. Whatever it is, you have to change something.
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FAQs about Bar Exam Retakes
1. How often can you take the bar exam in a year?
Typically, the bar exam is offered twice a year, once in February and once in July. So, if you fail the July exam, your very next opportunity would normally be the following February. You can take it as often as it’s offered, as long as you haven’t hit your state’s attempt limit.
2. Is there a lifetime limit on taking the bar exam?
This completely depends on the state. Some states, like California and New York, have no lifetime limit. Other states have very hard lifetime limits—for example, once you fail a certain number of times, you may never be allowed to sit for that state’s bar exam again. You have to check your specific state’s rules.
3. What happens if I use up all my bar exam attempts?
If you’re in a state with a hard limit and you’ve used all your attempts, you generally cannot take the bar exam in that state anymore. Your options would be to either try to petition for another chance (if the state allows that) or consider taking the bar exam in a different state that has more generous rules or no attempt limits at all.
4. Do my bar exam attempts in one state count in another?
Generally, no. Each state is its own little world. If you fail the bar exam three times in Florida, that doesn’t mean you’ve used up any attempts in Georgia. You would be starting fresh in Georgia, subject to whatever rules Georgia has.
5. Does failing the bar exam look bad to employers?
Honestly, not as much as you think. Many, many successful attorneys failed the bar exam at least once (even people like Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton). Once you pass and get licensed, most employers don’t care how many tries it took you. They just care that you are a licensed attorney.
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Key Takeaways
There’s no single, national rule for bar exam retakes; it is 100% a state-by-state issue.
You must check the rules for the specific state where you plan to practice law. Don’t assume anything.
States generally fall into three camps: unlimited attempts, a hard numerical limit on attempts, or a limit that can be overcome by petitioning the bar.
Failing multiple times could potentially raise questions for the Character and Fitness committee, so it’s something to keep in mind.
If you have to retake the exam, it’s a very good idea to change your study method instead of just repeating what you did before. Figure out what went wrong and attack that weakness.
