The practice of law is a privilege. Admission requires:
- Passing the bar exam (if applicable)
- Good moral character
- Mental and emotional stability
General eligibility also requires:
- U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency (or other lawful authorization to work/study in the U.S.)
- An ABA‑approved J.D. or LL.B.
- Good standing in all jurisdictions where licensed and no pending disciplinary matters
It is the applicant’s responsibility to confirm compliance with these requirements before submitting applications and the non-refundable fee.
Applicants must apply to the Arkansas State Board of Law Examiners by completing the applicable admission application, a character and fitness investigation application through the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE), and the required non‑refundable fee.
The Arkansas State Board of Law Examiners partners with NCBE to conduct character and fitness investigations. After completing the required admission application, applicants must log in to their NCBE account at http://www.ncbex.org/ to complete the NCBE Character and Fitness application. Applicants must fully comply with all NCBE requests for information. Failure to do so will delay processing and may delay certification of eligibility for admission to the Bar of Arkansas.
Arkansas administers the legacy Uniform Bar Examination (UBE), prepared by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE), each February and July. The examination is offered simultaneously at two locations: Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Little Rock, Arkansas.
The bar examination application serves both as an applicant’s notice of intent to sit for the Arkansas Bar Examination and—if a passing score is achieved—as the application for admission to the Bar of Arkansas.
To be eligible for admission by examination, applicants must not only meet the general admission requirements but also the following:
- A passing UBE score of at least 270 and
- A minimum MPRE scaled score of 85.
Rule XVI of the Rules Governing Admission to the Bar sets out the additional requirements and procedures for admission on motion. Applicants seeking admission on motion must demonstrate that they have been primarily engaged in the active practice of law in one or more states for three of the five years immediately preceding the date the application is filed with the Arkansas Board of Law Examiners. The burden is on the applicant to show that they meet the “active practice of law” requirement. Additional guidance can be found in Rule XVI(2) and Rule XVI(3).
Processing admission on motion applications can take several months, depending on the circumstances of the individual application. There is no expedited service, and the fee is non‑refundable. If it is determined that an applicant is not eligible for admission on motion, the applicant may sit for the next Arkansas Bar Examination at no cost, provided the application deadline for that exam has not passed and all other requirements are met.
Rule XVIII of the Rules Governing Admission to the Bar outlines the additional requirements and rules on Admission by Transfer of Uniform Bar Examination Score. To be eligible for admission by UBE score transfer, applicants must not only meet the general admission requirements but also the following:
- A score of at least 270 on a UBE exam administered within thirty six (36) months of the date of the application is filed with the Arkansas Board of Law Examiners and
- A minimum MPRE scaled score of 85.
Processing transfer of UBE score applications can take several months, depending on the circumstances of the individual application. There is no expedited service, and the fee is non‑refundable. If it is determined that an applicant is not eligible for admission by UBE score transfer, the applicant may sit for the next Arkansas Bar Examination at no cost, provided the application deadline for that exam has not passed and all other requirements are met.
Rule XVII of the Rules Governing Admission to the Bar outlines all requirements that must be met for an applicant to be admitted under this provision. It also outlines the duration of the admittance and notice of termination.
To be eligible for admission via Rule XVII, applicants must not only meet the general admission requirements but also the following:
- Be a dependent spouse of a service member of the United States Uniformed Services as defined by the Department of Defense, who is on full time, active duty pursuant to military orders in Arkansas, or a member of the National Guard or Reserve, based in a jurisdiction other than Arkansas, who is under a call to active service authorized by the President or Secretary of Defense, and the National Guard member is, or will be stationed in Arkansas due to military orders.
- Residing in Arkansas due to the spouse’s full time, active duty pursuant to military orders in Arkansas.
- Have not been previously denied admission to practice law in Arkansas.
- Agree to advise all clients, prior to providing representation of service, that the attorney is temporarily admitted under the military-spouse exception.