Attorney License Reciprocity by State (2026)
Admission on motion and UBE score transfer
Attorneys transfer through two separate routes: admitting on motion based on years of active practice, or transferring a Uniform Bar Examination score. Neither is universal — about 37 jurisdictions allow admission on motion, and 41 jurisdictions accept a transferred UBE score.
- Covers:
- Attorneys already admitted in a U.S. jurisdiction.
- Governing body:
- National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) and each jurisdiction's bar
What to know before you rely on it
- Admission on motion requires a set period of active practice — commonly three, five or seven of the last several years — plus character and fitness review.
- UBE score transfer has its own minimum score and score-age limit in the receiving jurisdiction, and a transferred score does not by itself establish eligibility for motion.
- Some jurisdictions — including California, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Nevada and South Carolina — do not offer general admission on motion and require the state's own examination.
- Character and fitness review runs separately and can take several months on its own.
- Narrow pathways exist for in-house counsel and military spouses that are not full admission.
Verify this first: Compare both routes for your destination — a jurisdiction with no motion route may still accept a transferred score.
NCBE — Uniform Bar Examination ↗State-by-state reciprocity notes
12 of 51 states have a published reciprocity note in our dataset. For the remaining states, the note is not published — check both state boards before you move. Represents clients in legal matters. Requires a JD, passing the bar exam (NCBE) in the licensing state, and character and fitness review.
| State | Reciprocity note | Verify with |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 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 ↗ |
| California | No — CA does not accept UBE score transfer or offer reciprocity; attorney applicants sit the CA exam | State Bar of California ↗ |
| Florida | No — Florida offers no reciprocity with any jurisdiction | Florida Board of Bar Examiners ↗ |
| Georgia | No — GA does not accept transferred UBE/MBE scores; admission on motion available (5 of past 7 years) | Georgia Office of Bar Admissions ↗ |
| Illinois | Yes — UBE score transfer accepted (score 266, within 4 years); admission on motion available | Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar ↗ |
| Michigan | Yes — UBE score transfer accepted (score 268); admission without examination available | Michigan Board of Law Examiners ↗ |
| New York | 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 ↗ |
| North Carolina | 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 ↗ |
| Ohio | Yes — UBE score transfer accepted (score 270, within 5 years); admission without examination available | Supreme Court of Ohio — Office of Bar Admissions ↗ |
| Pennsylvania | Yes — UBE score transfer accepted (score 270, within 30 months); admission on motion available | Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners ↗ |
| Texas | Yes — UBE score transfer accepted (score 270); admission on motion available | Texas Board of Law Examiners ↗ |
| Washington | Yes — UBE score transfer accepted (score 260); admission on motion available (1 of past 3 years) | Washington State Bar Association ↗ |
| Alabama | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Alaska | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Arkansas | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Colorado | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Connecticut | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Delaware | check both state boards | board site pending |
| District of Columbia | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Hawaii | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Idaho | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Indiana | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Iowa | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Kansas | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Kentucky | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Louisiana | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Maine | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Maryland | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Massachusetts | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Minnesota | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Mississippi | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Missouri | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Montana | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Nebraska | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Nevada | check both state boards | board site pending |
| New Hampshire | check both state boards | board site pending |
| New Jersey | check both state boards | board site pending |
| New Mexico | check both state boards | board site pending |
| North Dakota | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Oklahoma | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Oregon | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Rhode Island | check both state boards | board site pending |
| South Carolina | check both state boards | board site pending |
| South Dakota | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Tennessee | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Utah | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Vermont | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Virginia | check both state boards | board site pending |
| West Virginia | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Wisconsin | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Wyoming | check both state boards | board site pending |
Frequently asked questions
How does a Attorney license transfer between states?
Attorneys transfer through two separate routes: admitting on motion based on years of active practice, or transferring a Uniform Bar Examination score. Neither is universal — about 37 jurisdictions allow admission on motion, and 41 jurisdictions accept a transferred UBE score.
Which states participate in Admission on motion and UBE score transfer?
Attorneys transfer through two separate routes: admitting on motion based on years of active practice, or transferring a Uniform Bar Examination score. Neither is universal — about 37 jurisdictions allow admission on motion, and 41 jurisdictions accept a transferred UBE score. Confirm the current position with National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) and each jurisdiction's bar.
Does Admission on motion and UBE score transfer mean I skip the exam entirely?
Not automatically. Admission on motion requires a set period of active practice — commonly three, five or seven of the last several years — plus character and fitness review. The only reliable answer for your situation comes from the destination board, so verify before you pay application fees.
Can I transfer my Attorney license to another state?
In our dataset, 12 states have a published reciprocity note (see the table). For every other state the rule is not published here — check both state boards before moving.
What does reciprocity mean for a license?
Reciprocity lets an already-licensed professional from one state qualify for a license in another state without repeating the full education and exam process. Some states have formal agreements or compacts; others require a state-specific exam or extra coursework even when they accept your license. Many states do not grant a license on reciprocity at all — they grant it by comity or endorsement, meaning you still file an application and meet their requirements.
Why do some states say "check both state boards"?
State reciprocity tables are not consistently published in machine-readable form. When a state has not published an official note in our verified sources, we point you to both boards rather than guess. That is the safest answer for a decision that can affect your eligibility to work.
Does holding a license in one state guarantee a license in another?
No. Every state sets its own licensing law. Even in states with reciprocity or a compact, you typically still file an application, pay a fee, pass a background check and sometimes pass a state-specific exam. Always confirm directly with the destination state board.
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Reciprocity rules and compact membership change frequently and are set by each state legislature and board. “Check both state boards” means the note is not published in our dataset — it is not a negative answer. Mechanism data retrieved 2026-09-13; always verify with both boards before relocating.