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Attorney — License Requirements by State
Represents clients in legal matters. Requires a JD, passing the bar exam (NCBE) in the licensing state, and character and fitness review.
12 of 51 states populated with official data (retrieved 2026-08-20).
By The LicenseFig Editorial Team · independent editorial research project
How to get your Attorney license
- Check your state requirements. Open the requirements table for your state on this page — education hours, exam vendor, fees and retake rules.
- Complete pre-license education. Finish the required education hours (or approved equivalent) from an accepted provider.
- Pass the background check. Submit fingerprints and clear the required criminal background check where applicable.
- Register and pass the exam. Register with the exam vendor (PSI, Pearson VUE or Prometric), then pass the national and state portions.
- Pay the license fee. Submit the application and license fee to the state board to receive your license.
- Keep it active. Track renewal dates and continuing-education hours using the License Renewal Calculator.
How much does it cost to get your Attorney license?
Costs vary by state. Most charge a modest application or license fee — often between $0 and $120 — and a handful of states also require a small exam fee. A few occupations add pre-license education tuition. See the Fees column in the table below for your state, then compare costs across states with the Exam Cost Compare tool.
| State | Education | Exam | Pass % | Fees | Retake | Reciprocity | Official |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AK | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AZ | — | — | — | App $680 | — | Yes — UBE score transfer accepted (score 270, within 5 years); admission on motion available (3 of past 5 years) | Arizona Supreme Court — Committee on Examinations ↗ |
| AR | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CA | — | · $878 | — | App $900 · Lic $100 | — | No — CA does not accept UBE score transfer or offer reciprocity; attorney applicants sit the CA exam | State Bar of California ↗ |
| CO | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DE | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| FL | — | — | — | App $1000 | — | No — Florida offers no reciprocity with any jurisdiction | Florida Board of Bar Examiners ↗ |
| GA | — | · $96 | 76.3% | App $550 | — | No — GA does not accept transferred UBE/MBE scores; admission on motion available (5 of past 7 years) | Georgia Office of Bar Admissions ↗ |
| HI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ID | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| IL | — | — | — | App $1200 | — | Yes — UBE score transfer accepted (score 266, within 4 years); admission on motion available | Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar ↗ |
| IN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| IA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| KS | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| KY | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| LA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ME | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MI | — | — | — | App $400 | — | Yes — UBE score transfer accepted (score 268); admission without examination available | Michigan Board of Law Examiners ↗ |
| MN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MS | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MO | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NE | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NH | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NM | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NY | — | — | — | App $250 | — | Yes — UBE score transfer accepted (score 266, within 3 years); admission on motion available (5 of past 7 years) | New York State Board of Law Examiners ↗ |
| NC | — | — | — | App $850 | — | Yes — UBE score transfer accepted (score 270, within 3 years); admission on motion available (4 of past 6 years) | North Carolina Board of Law Examiners ↗ |
| ND | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| OH | — | — | — | App $452 | — | Yes — UBE score transfer accepted (score 270, within 5 years); admission without examination available | Supreme Court of Ohio — Office of Bar Admissions ↗ |
| OK | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| OR | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| PA | — | — | — | App $750 | — | Yes — UBE score transfer accepted (score 270, within 30 months); admission on motion available | Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners ↗ |
| RI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| TN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| TX | — | — | — | App $450 | — | Yes — UBE score transfer accepted (score 270); admission on motion available | Texas Board of Law Examiners ↗ |
| UT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| VT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| VA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WA | — | — | — | App $595 | — | Yes — UBE score transfer accepted (score 260); admission on motion available (1 of past 3 years) | Washington State Bar Association ↗ |
| WV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WY | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
● Data updated 2026-08-20Data retrieved 2026-08-20 from state boards, PSI, Pearson VUE and CMS. Requirements change — verify with your state board before enrolling or paying. Dash (—) = not published / pending verification.
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