200+ Free DC Bar Practice Questions
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A plaintiff in D.C. Superior Court wants to add a new defendant after the statute of limitations has run. Under SCR-Civil 15(c) (mirroring FRCP 15(c)), the amendment will relate back to the original filing date if:
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Key Facts: DC Bar Exam
266/400
UBE Passing Score
DC Court of Appeals Committee on Admissions
50% / 30% / 20%
MBE / MEE / MPT Weighting
NCBE Uniform Bar Examination
200
MBE Multiple-Choice Questions
National Conference of Bar Examiners
5 years
Rule 46 Admission-Without-Exam Threshold
DC Court of Appeals Rule 46(c)(3)
Feb 2028
NextGen Bar Exam Adoption
DC Committee on Admissions / NCBE
100+
Practice Questions Here
OpenExamPrep question bank
The DC Bar Exam is the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) with a passing score of 266 out of 400. It combines the MBE (200 multiple-choice questions, 50% of the score), the MEE (six essays, 30%), and the MPT (two performance tasks, 20%), administered over two days. The MEE can test the 7 MBE subjects plus Business Associations, Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Trusts & Estates, and Secured Transactions. While UBE essays test general law, DC practice features distinctive local rules: pure contributory negligence (a complete bar to recovery), strongly tenant-protective landlord-tenant law (TOPA, rent control, the Javins warranty of habitability, no self-help eviction), Superior Court civil rules that mirror the FRCP, and equitable distribution in family law. DC's Rule 46 allows admission without examination after five years of bar membership elsewhere, and the District will adopt the NextGen exam in February 2028.
Sample DC Bar Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your DC Bar exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 200+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1The District of Columbia Bar Examination is which type of bar exam?
2What combined scaled score must an applicant achieve to pass the District of Columbia Bar Examination under the legacy UBE?
3Under D.C. Court of Appeals Rule 46, an attorney already admitted in another U.S. jurisdiction may be admitted to the D.C. Bar without taking the bar examination if the attorney has been a member in good standing of another bar for at least how long?
4A defendant moves to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction. The plaintiff, an Oregon resident, was served while voluntarily present in the forum state and personally handed the summons. Under Burnham v. Superior Court, the exercise of jurisdiction based on in-state personal service is:
5A federal court sitting in diversity must apply state substantive law but federal procedural law. This rule derives from:
6The Superior Court of the District of Columbia adopted civil procedure rules that are patterned on, and largely track, which body of rules?
7A pedestrian is struck while crossing against a red light by a driver who was speeding. A jury finds the pedestrian 10% at fault and the driver 90% at fault. Under the negligence rule applied in the District of Columbia, what does the pedestrian recover?
8Under the District of Columbia's Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), before an owner may sell a rental housing accommodation to a third party, the owner generally must first:
9An offeror mails a written offer to sell goods for $10,000. Before the offeree accepts, the offeror dies. Under common-law contract principles, what is the effect on the offer?
10A merchant buyer and a merchant seller exchange forms. The buyer's purchase order is silent on arbitration; the seller's acknowledgment adds a clause requiring arbitration of all disputes. Under UCC § 2-207, between merchants, the additional arbitration term:
About the DC Bar Exam
The District of Columbia Bar Examination is the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE), which the District adopted in 2016. It consists of the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE, 200 multiple-choice questions, 50%), the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE, six essays, 30%), and the Multistate Performance Test (MPT, two tasks, 20%), for a combined scaled score out of 400. A passing score is 266. DC also offers one of the most generous attorney-waiver rules in the country: under DC Court of Appeals Rule 46, lawyers admitted elsewhere for at least five years may be admitted without examination. The District will administer the NCBE's NextGen bar exam beginning in February 2028, with the legacy UBE phasing out after July 2027.
Questions
200 scored questions
Time Limit
2 days (Day 1: 6 MEE essays + 2 MPTs; Day 2: 200 MBE)
Passing Score
266/400 (UBE combined scaled score)
Exam Fee
$405 + $150 laptop software fee (Committee on Admissions, District of Columbia Court of Appeals)
DC Bar Exam Content Outline
MBE Core Subjects
The 200-question Multistate Bar Examination: Civil Procedure (Erie, personal & subject-matter jurisdiction, preclusion), Constitutional Law, Contracts (common law and UCC Article 2), Criminal Law & Procedure, Evidence (FRE), Real Property, and Torts. Weighted 50% of the UBE score.
MEE Essay Subjects
Six Multistate Essay Examination essays that may test the 7 MBE subjects plus Business Associations (Agency, Partnership, Corporations & LLCs), Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Trusts & Estates (Wills, Trusts, Decedents' Estates), and Secured Transactions (UCC Article 9). Weighted 30%.
MPT Performance Tasks
Two 90-minute Multistate Performance Tests assessing practical lawyering skills — fact analysis, legal reasoning, and drafting — using a closed-universe File and Library. No outside law is required. Weighted 20% of the UBE score.
DC Landlord-Tenant Law
The District's housing law is among the most tenant-protective in the nation: the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) right of first refusal, rent stabilization for pre-1976 buildings, the implied warranty of habitability (Javins v. First National Realty), a prohibition on self-help eviction, and extended notices to quit (e.g., 120 days for substantial rehabilitation).
DC Tort & Family Distinctions
DC retains pure contributory negligence — any fault by the plaintiff is a complete bar to recovery (with a narrow vulnerable-road-user exception). DC is an equitable-distribution jurisdiction for divorce and recognizes tenancy by the entirety, shielding marital property from a creditor of only one spouse.
DC Civil Procedure & Admission Rules
DC Superior Court Civil Rules mirror the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (same numbering). The DC Court of Appeals is the court of last resort. Rule 46 permits admission without examination after 5 years of bar membership elsewhere; UBE score transfer requires at least 266; the MPRE (minimum 75) is required.
How to Pass the DC Bar Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: 266/400 (UBE combined scaled score)
- Exam length: 200 questions
- Time limit: 2 days (Day 1: 6 MEE essays + 2 MPTs; Day 2: 200 MBE)
- Exam fee: $405 + $150 laptop software fee
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
DC Bar Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the passing score for the DC Bar Exam?
The District of Columbia requires a combined UBE scaled score of 266 out of 400 to pass. The score blends the MBE (50%), the MEE (30%), and the MPT (20%). Because DC is a UBE jurisdiction, a qualifying score is portable: it can be transferred to other UBE states, and DC accepts qualifying UBE scores earned elsewhere that meet its 266 minimum.
How is the DC Bar Exam structured?
The DC Bar Exam is the Uniform Bar Examination, administered over two days. Day 1 consists of six Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) essays and two Multistate Performance Tests (MPTs). Day 2 is the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE): 200 multiple-choice questions in two three-hour sessions of 100 questions each. The MBE is weighted 50%, the MEE 30%, and the MPT 20%.
Can I be admitted to the DC Bar without taking the exam?
Yes. The District of Columbia has one of the most generous attorney-waiver rules in the country. Under DC Court of Appeals Rule 46(c)(3), a lawyer who has been a member in good standing of the bar of a court of general jurisdiction in any U.S. state or territory for the five years immediately preceding the application may be admitted to the DC Bar without examination, on proof of good moral character. A former route based on transferring an MBE score was eliminated.
What subjects are tested on the DC Bar Exam?
The MBE tests seven subjects: Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law & Procedure, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts. The MEE can test those seven plus Business Associations, Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Trusts & Estates, and Secured Transactions (UCC Article 9). UBE essays test general American law rather than DC-specific statutes, though practitioners should know DC's distinctive local rules for practice.
What makes DC law distinctive for new lawyers?
Although the UBE tests general law, DC practice has notable local features: DC is one of only a handful of jurisdictions that follow pure contributory negligence, which completely bars a plaintiff who is even slightly at fault. DC has among the strongest tenant protections in the country (TOPA, rent control, the Javins implied warranty of habitability, and a ban on self-help eviction). DC Superior Court civil rules mirror the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and the District is governed by Congress's plenary District Clause authority with limited home rule.
Is DC adopting the NextGen bar exam?
Yes. The District of Columbia intends to administer the NCBE's NextGen bar exam beginning in February 2028. The legacy UBE will be administered for the last time in July 2027. Effective July 2026, DC began accepting transferred NextGen scores, setting a minimum NextGen score of 616 (while the legacy UBE minimum remains 266). Always confirm current requirements with the DC Committee on Admissions.