The Bar Exam
Please read the filing deadline information and all instructions before proceeding to the online forms. Your goal should be to submit a complete application package, including ALL attachments.
Statutory Filing Deadline
See § 54.1-3925 of the Code of Virginia. If your application is not actually received in the Secretary's office by the filing deadline (May 10 for the July exam; December 15 for the February exam), it may be deemed to be timely filed only if it has been transmitted expense prepaid to the Office of the Secretary of the Board by Priority, Express, Registered or Certified mail via the United States Postal Service, or by a third party commercial carrier for Next-Day Delivery, and the official receipt therefor issued by the United States Postal Service or by such third party commercial carrier, which shall be exhibited on demand of the Secretary, shows such transmission or mailing to the Secretary's office on or before the prescribed deadline.
Priority, Express, Registered or Certified mail via the United States Postal Service or Next-Day Delivery by a third party commercial carrier are the ONLY methods of transmission or mailing authorized by the statute. Thus, an application sent by any other form of mail, such as First Class mail, CANNOT be accepted if it is received after the filing deadline, even if it is postmarked before.
Application forms should be filed no more than 90 days prior to the filing deadline, but must be filed by the statutory filing deadline in accordance with § 54.1-3925 of the Code of Virginia.
Receipt of Application
Due to confidentiality limitations, the Board will not confirm receipt of an application over the phone. To ensure we have received your application, send it in accordance with the Statute via a trackable method or include with your application forms a self-addressed stamped envelope or postcard, which we will return to you date-stamped with the date we received your application.
You will be notified by email of receipt and status of your bar exam application by the Board no later than January 30th for those applying for the February Bar Exam and June 30th for those applying for the July Bar Exam. At that time if you have any outstanding requirements, you will be given two (2) weeks to submit such documentation.
Bar Exam Instructions for Upcoming Bar Exam
(Posted after January 1 for the February exam and after June 1 for the July exam.)
Bar Exam Instructions, click here