Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) Exam Guide
At a glance
- Questions
- 60
- Time limit
- 2h
- Passing score
- Set by each jurisdiction
- Governing body
- National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE)
The Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination is the ethics exam of American bar admission: a two-hour, 60-question multiple-choice test developed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners and required for admission in all but two U.S. jurisdictions (Wisconsin and Puerto Rico; Connecticut and New Jersey also accept a law school professional responsibility course). Most law students sit for it in their second or third year, before the bar exam itself.
It tests the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and the Model Code of Judicial Conduct through scenario questions — not abstract philosophy but rule application, where a single dropped element separates the right answer from a near miss.
Overview
Of the 60 questions, 50 are scored and 10 are unscored pretest items mixed in without identification, so every question deserves equal effort. Each question carries four answer choices and ends in a precise 'call' — 'Is the lawyer subject to discipline?', 'subject to civil liability?', 'subject to disqualification?' — and each call points at a different body of law, which is why reading the call first is the standard MPRE technique.
Scores are scaled from 50 to 150, and each jurisdiction sets its own passing score — most fall in the 75-86 band. Because the scale is national, one sitting can qualify you in multiple jurisdictions, and NCBE score services transfer results between them.
Cost and registration
The fee to schedule your MPRE test appointment with Pearson VUE is $185, paid by debit or credit card during the multi-step registration: complete NCBE's portion, schedule with Pearson VUE, and pay by 11:59 p.m. Central on the deadline. The operative warning is the deadline itself — NCBE accepts absolutely no registrations after it, so a missed date means waiting for the next of the year's three administrations.
Budget beyond the fee is modest: official NCBE practice materials are inexpensive, and the exam's content — the Model Rules — is freely available. For most candidates the real cost of failure is calendar, not cash: a delayed MPRE can gate bar admission timing.
Exam format
Format at a glance: 60 multiple-choice questions in 120 minutes — two minutes per question — administered on Pearson VUE computers at testing centers, three times per year. Arrive 30 minutes before your appointment; arriving more than 15 minutes late may forfeit it. Door to door, expect roughly 2½ to 3 hours.
The 50 scored questions produce a scaled score from 50 to 150. There is no penalty for guessing, so no question should be left blank. Candidates who miss their jurisdiction's line simply retake at a later administration. Some jurisdictions impose recency requirements on MPRE scores, so confirm the accepted score window with your bar admissions office before choosing a test date.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need the MPRE in my state?
Almost certainly. The MPRE is required for bar admission in all but two U.S. jurisdictions — Wisconsin and Puerto Rico — and Connecticut and New Jersey additionally accept successful completion of a law school professional responsibility course in lieu of a passing score. Every other jurisdiction requires a qualifying MPRE score, at a passing line it sets itself.
What score do I need to pass?
There is no single national passing score: results are scaled from 50 to 150 and each jurisdiction sets its own line, with most falling between 75 and 86. Check your bar admissions office's requirement — and if you might waive into other states later, consider aiming for the highest line among them, since one score can serve multiple jurisdictions.
When do law students usually take the MPRE?
Most sit during their second or third year of law school, commonly after taking the professional responsibility course — the material is freshest then, and passing early removes one gate from the bar admission path. With only three administrations per year and a hard registration deadline, planning the date around your bar timeline matters more than for most exams.
Are all 60 questions scored?
No — 50 are scored and 10 are unscored pretest questions being evaluated for future use. They are indistinguishable from scored items, so the only sound strategy is treating all 60 as real. There is no penalty for guessing, so answer everything.
Does the MPRE test my state's ethics rules?
No. It tests the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and the Model Code of Judicial Conduct — the national models — plus generally accepted law governing lawyers. Where your state's adopted rules deviate from the models, answer by the model rule: the right answer on the MPRE can differ from the right answer in your state's disciplinary code.
Sources
- 1.MPRE — NCBE Exams — National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) (accessed Aug 6, 2026)
Official sources
Every exam fact on this page traces to a primary document published by the body that administers the exam.
- MPRE — NCBE ExamsNational Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE)ncbex.org
- Preparing for the MPRE — NCBENational Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE)ncbex.org
- Registering for the MPRE — NCBENational Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE)ncbex.org
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