This article originally appeared in The Bar Examiner print edition, Summer 2026 (Vol. 95, No. 2), pp. 23–24.
The inaugural administration of the NextGen UBE is almost here, marking an important milestone in the future of attorney licensure. After years of research, development, testing, and collaboration with courts, bar admissions agencies, legal educators, and practicing attorneys, NCBE is ready to support the first administration of the new exam.
As exam day approaches, registrations continue to reflect the strong interest anticipated for the inaugural administration. More than 3,500 candidates are currently expected to take the exam across ten jurisdictions, representing a diverse group of examinees. Although the final examinee cohort will not be confirmed until after the administration, current enrollment numbers and population characteristics are broadly representative of a typical July administration across participating jurisdictions.
Behind the scenes, NCBE has spent months finalizing every aspect of the testing experience. Teams have completed comprehensive testing of the systems and processes that support candidates, jurisdictions, and exam administration—from registration and accommodations to exam delivery, scoring, and reporting. Those efforts have helped ensure that the technology, support services, and operational procedures are ready for a successful launch.
Accessibility has remained a central focus throughout NextGen UBE development and implementation. The testing platform includes a broad range of built-in accessibility features available to all examinees, as well as robust accommodation capabilities that enable many approved accommodations to be delivered directly within the digital testing experience. For candidates approved for accommodations beyond the platform’s native capabilities, individualized planning and coordination have ensured those needs are appropriately supported.
What We’ll Be Watching
Following the inaugural administration, NCBE will carefully analyze the results to understand how the new exam performed through its standard post-administration analyses. In addition to examining the psychometric quality of the exam, NCBE will analyze jurisdiction and candidate characteristics—including jurisdiction composition, repeat taker history, candidate demographics, and educational background—to better understand the inaugural testing population and provide context for the results. These analyses will inform ongoing research and support NCBE’s evaluation of the exam as it evolves over time.
The launch of the NextGen UBE represents more than the introduction of a new test. It reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that the licensing process continues to evolve alongside the profession it serves. Designed to assess the knowledge and skills new lawyers need on day one of practice, the NextGen exam is the result of years of study, collaboration, and careful preparation.
With the inaugural administration just ahead, NCBE looks forward to supporting candidates and jurisdictions as they make history together.
Population Areas of Focus
- Jurisdiction Composition: Changes in the relative size of participating jurisdictions can meaningfully affect overall population characteristics and outcomes.
- Prior Testing History: The proportion of the first-time and repeat examinees has historically been one of the strongest predictors of overall pass rates.
- Candidate Demographics: Demographic characteristics provide important context for understanding the composition of the inaugural NextGen testing population.
- Educational Background: Law school, graduation timing, and related educational characteristics help contextualize the academic profile of the cohort.
About the NextGen UBE
The NextGen UBE tests a broad range of foundational legal doctrine and lawyering skills in the context of the current practice of law. The skills and concepts tested were developed through a nationwide legal practice analysis and reflect the most important knowledge and skills for newly licensed lawyers in both litigation and transactional practice. NCBE is committed to ensuring a systematic, transparent, and collaborative implementation process, informed by input from and participation by stakeholders, and guided by best practices and the professional standards for high-stakes testing. For more information, visit ncbex.org/exams/nextgen.
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