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RECENT UPDATES FROM THE MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF LAW EXAMINERS

Update for December 16, 2025 – PLEASE TAKE CAREFUL NOTE that SBLE’s Electronic Bar Application system (“eBar”) will be unavailable from Friday, December 19, 2025, at 4:30pm until Monday, December 22, 2025, at approximately 9:00am, for deployment of a newly designed eBar system. SBLE’s new eBar system will feature an entirely revised user experience with paperless filing, and electronic payment capabilities. Applicants with active eBar accounts will receive a system-generated email on Monday, December 22, 2025, containing login information for the new portal. The system-generated email will be sent to the official email on file in each active eBar profile. As such, individuals with active eBar accounts should look for email from [email protected] containing their new eBar login information on Monday, including checking their spam and junk email filters.

Update for December 5, 2025: The State Board of Law Examiners has posted an amended Board Rule 5, which establishes the passing score for the NextGen UBE in Maryland. Amended Board Rule 5 will become effective on March 1, 2026 in conjunction with amendments to the Maryland Rules governing bar admission approved by the Supreme Court of Maryland on November 4, 2025, which will also become effective on March 1, 2026. Amended Board Rule 5 may be found HERE. The 225th Rules Report Order containing the amended bar admission rules may be found HERE.

Update for December 1, 2025: As of approximately 9:20am today, SBLE HAS REACHED THE CAP OF 400 SEATS SET BY THE SUPREME COURT OF MARYLAND (see Update for October 27, 2025, below). Completed February 2026 application materials (signed hard copy Notice of Intent, signed hard copy Character Questionnaire if not already on file; official undergraduate transcript showing bachelor’s degree or equivalent if not already on file) and check(s) or money order(s) for the appropriate fees) received today after the 400th Notice of Intent is processed will be marked “Received” in eBar, but will not be processed. Applicants whose February 2026 UBE materials are received but not processed will be notified by email of their options no later than December 2. 

Update for October 27, 2025: SBLE is aware that the current federal government shutdown has impacted the ability of the DC Committee on Admissions to open registration for the February 2026 Uniform Bar Examination in DC and that the DC Committee on Admissions has recommended that prospective DC applicants seek alternative test arrangements for February 2026. SBLE does not have sufficient physical space available to absorb DC’s expected exam population for February 2026.

Therefore, please take careful note that the Supreme Court of Maryland has entered an ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER limiting the total number of exam registrations for the February 2026 UBE in Maryland to 400, and providing a registration priority for applicants retaking the UBE in Maryland. 

The February 2026 UBE in Maryland filing period will be divided into two sections as follows: 

• Beginning on November 1, 2025, all individuals seeking to file for the February 2026 UBE in Maryland may log in to their eBar account and create their Maryland bar application and send or deliver their hard-copy materials and fees to SBLE’s office in Annapolis. 
• During the first 10 days of the February 2026 filing period (November 1, 2025 - November 10, 2025), SBLE will process, on a first-come-first- served basis, completed applications (Notices of Intent, exam fees, and any required Character Questionnaire updates) received from applicants who will be retaking a bar examination in Maryland (“Repeat Applicants in Maryland”).
• During the remainder of the February 2026 filing period (November 12, 2025 - December 1, 2025), SBLE will process, on a first-come-first- served basis, completed applications delivered to SBLE during the entire February 2026 filing period (November 1, 2025 - December 1, 2025) from all applicants without applying any preferences.

UPDATE FOR NOVEMBER 1, 2023 - The Supreme Court of Maryland entered an Administrative Order, today, adopting the NextGen Bar Exam currently being developed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. Details regarding the decision to adopt the NextGen Bar Exam as well as a link to the Administrative Order are available HERE.