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200+ Free NC Bar Practice Questions

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: NC Bar Exam

270/400

Minimum Passing UBE Score

Board of Law Examiners of the State of North Carolina

200

MBE Questions (Day 2, 50%)

North Carolina Board of Law Examiners

6 MEE + 2 MPT

Written Components (Day 1)

NCBE / NC Board of Law Examiners

$850

First-Time Applicant Fee (2026)

North Carolina Board of Law Examiners

July 2028

Planned NextGen UBE Transition

North Carolina Board of Law Examiners

100+

Practice Questions Here

OpenExamPrep question bank

North Carolina is a UBE jurisdiction requiring a combined scaled score of 270/400. The MBE (200 multiple-choice questions, Day 2) is 50% of the score; the MEE (6 essays) is 30% and the MPT (2 tasks) is 20%, both on Day 1. Effective July 2026, the MEE dropped Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Trusts & Estates, and Secured Transactions. North Carolina is one of only a handful of pure contributory-negligence states — any plaintiff fault bars recovery, with the last clear chance doctrine as the key exception. Applicants must also complete the online North Carolina State-Specific Component and pass the MPRE (80+). North Carolina plans to adopt the NextGen UBE in July 2028.

Sample NC Bar Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your NC Bar exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 200+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A pedestrian crossed a street against a 'Don't Walk' signal and was struck by a speeding driver. A jury finds the driver was negligent and that the pedestrian was 5% at fault for crossing against the light. Under North Carolina law, what is the result?
A.The pedestrian is completely barred from recovering any damages
B.The pedestrian's recovery is reduced by 5%
C.The pedestrian recovers full damages because the driver was the predominant cause
D.The pedestrian recovers only if the driver was more than 50% at fault
Explanation: North Carolina is one of only a handful of jurisdictions that retains the doctrine of pure contributory negligence. Under this rule, a plaintiff who is even 1% at fault in causing the injury is completely barred from recovering any damages, regardless of how negligent the defendant was. This is far harsher than the comparative negligence systems used by most states.
2A pedestrian negligently walked into a roadway and froze in a position of peril. The defendant driver saw the pedestrian from 500 feet away with a clear view and ample time to brake or steer around but did nothing. Under North Carolina's last clear chance doctrine, which element must the plaintiff prove in addition to the defendant's failure to act?
A.That the defendant intended to strike the plaintiff
B.That the plaintiff was in a position of peril from which the plaintiff could not escape by the exercise of reasonable care
C.That the plaintiff was less than 50% at fault
D.That the defendant violated a motor-vehicle statute
Explanation: The last clear chance doctrine is North Carolina's principal escape from the harsh contributory negligence bar. The plaintiff must prove: (1) the plaintiff negligently placed himself in a position of peril from which he could not escape by reasonable care; (2) the defendant knew or should have discovered the peril; (3) the defendant had the time and means to avoid the harm; and (4) the defendant failed to use reasonable care to do so. Inability to escape the peril is essential.
3A homeowner's dog, with no prior history of aggression, bit a guest. The guest sues for strict liability. Under the traditional common-law approach tested on the MBE, what must the plaintiff generally show to hold the owner strictly liable for a domestic animal's bite?
A.Nothing beyond the bite itself, because dog owners are always strictly liable
B.That the dog was unleashed in violation of a local ordinance
C.That the owner knew or had reason to know of the animal's dangerous propensities
D.That the owner failed to warn the guest of the dog's presence
Explanation: For domestic animals, the common law imposes strict liability only when the owner knows or has reason to know of the animal's dangerous propensities abnormal to its class — the so-called 'one bite' rule. Without scienter of a dangerous propensity, the plaintiff must proceed on a negligence theory rather than strict liability.
4A bystander witnessed a negligent driver strike and seriously injure the bystander's spouse. The bystander, who was in the zone of danger, suffered severe emotional distress with physical symptoms. Under the majority MBE approach to negligent infliction of emotional distress (NIED) by a bystander, which factor is most important?
A.Whether the bystander was a licensed first responder
B.Whether the bystander suffered any economic loss
C.Whether the negligent driver intended to cause distress
D.Whether the bystander was within the zone of physical danger or, in many jurisdictions, closely related and present at the scene
Explanation: For bystander NIED, courts traditionally require the plaintiff to be within the zone of danger; many jurisdictions, following Dillon v. Legg, also allow recovery where the plaintiff is closely related to the victim, present at the scene, and personally observes the event. Physical manifestation of distress is also commonly required.
5A manufacturer sold a power tool with a design that made it prone to overheating and catching fire. A consumer was burned when the tool ignited during normal use. On a strict products liability design-defect claim under the MBE majority approach, which test is most commonly applied?
A.The risk-utility test, asking whether a reasonable alternative design would have reduced the risk at acceptable cost
B.Whether the manufacturer acted with malice
C.Whether the consumer read the instruction manual
D.Whether the product was sold below market value
Explanation: Under the Restatement (Third) of Torts, a design defect is generally established by the risk-utility test: the plaintiff must show a reasonable alternative design that would have reduced foreseeable risks of harm and that the omission rendered the product not reasonably safe. Some jurisdictions also use the consumer-expectations test. Malice is irrelevant to strict liability.
6A defendant grabbed a plate out of a restaurant patron's hands in an offensive manner, though the defendant never touched the patron's body. The patron sues for battery. Under the common-law rule applied on the MBE, can the patron recover for battery?
A.No, because the defendant never made contact with the patron's body
B.Yes, because contact with something closely connected to the plaintiff's person can satisfy the contact element of battery
C.No, because a plate is not capable of causing harm
D.Yes, but only if the patron suffered a physical injury
Explanation: Battery requires a harmful or offensive contact with the plaintiff's person, but contact with something closely connected to the plaintiff — such as an object the plaintiff is holding — is treated as contact with the person, as in Fisher v. Carrousel Motor Hotel. Offensive contact is actionable even without physical injury.
7A newspaper published a false statement that a private-figure plaintiff had been convicted of embezzlement. The statement concerned a matter of private concern. Under the constitutional defamation framework, what must this private-figure plaintiff prove regarding the defendant's fault?
A.Actual malice — knowledge of falsity or reckless disregard for the truth
B.Nothing, because falsity alone establishes liability
C.At least negligence as to the falsity of the statement
D.That the defendant intended to destroy the plaintiff's reputation
Explanation: Under Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc., a private-figure plaintiff suing on a matter of public concern must prove at least negligence as to falsity to recover actual damages. The First Amendment forbids imposing liability without fault. Public officials and public figures, by contrast, must prove actual malice under New York Times v. Sullivan.
8An employee, while driving the company van to make a delivery, negligently rear-ended another car. The injured driver sues the employer. Under which doctrine is the employer most likely vicariously liable?
A.Negligent hiring
B.Joint and several liability among strangers
C.Strict liability for ultrahazardous activity
D.Respondeat superior, because the employee was acting within the scope of employment
Explanation: Under respondeat superior, an employer is vicariously liable for torts committed by an employee acting within the scope of employment. Driving the company van to make a delivery is squarely within the scope of employment, so the employer is liable for the employee's negligence regardless of the employer's own fault.
9A state law prohibits all billboards within 500 feet of a public school, citing traffic safety and aesthetics. A billboard company challenges it as a violation of free speech. Because the law restricts speech without regard to its message, how should a court most likely classify it?
A.A content-neutral time, place, and manner restriction subject to intermediate scrutiny
B.A content-based restriction subject to strict scrutiny
C.A prior restraint that is presumptively unconstitutional per se
D.Commercial speech that receives no First Amendment protection
Explanation: A regulation that restricts speech without reference to its content is content-neutral and is analyzed as a time, place, and manner restriction under intermediate scrutiny: it must be narrowly tailored to serve a significant government interest and leave open ample alternative channels of communication. Traffic safety and aesthetics are recognized significant interests.
10Congress enacts a statute regulating the total amount of wheat a farmer may grow, including wheat grown and consumed entirely on the farmer's own land. A farmer challenges the law as exceeding Congress's commerce power. Under controlling precedent, is the regulation valid?
A.No, because purely local, non-commercial activity is beyond the commerce power
B.Yes, because Congress may regulate intrastate activity that, in the aggregate, substantially affects interstate commerce
C.No, because growing wheat is not economic activity
D.Yes, but only if the farmer sells the wheat across state lines
Explanation: Under Wickard v. Filburn, Congress may regulate even purely local, non-commercial activity if that class of activity, taken in the aggregate, substantially affects interstate commerce. Home-grown wheat, by reducing demand on the open market, has such an aggregate effect, so the regulation is a valid exercise of the commerce power.

About the NC Bar Exam

The North Carolina Bar Examination is the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE), administered by the Board of Law Examiners of the State of North Carolina since February 2019. Day 1 features the Multistate Essay Examination (6 essays) and the Multistate Performance Test (2 tasks); Day 2 is the 200-question Multistate Bar Examination (MBE). The MBE is weighted 50%, the MEE 30%, and the MPT 20%, and a combined scaled score of 270 out of 400 is required to pass. North Carolina also requires completion of the online State-Specific Component covering six areas of North Carolina law, and it remains a pure contributory-negligence jurisdiction.

Questions

200 scored questions

Time Limit

2 days (Day 1: 6 MEE essays + 2 MPTs; Day 2: 200 MBE)

Passing Score

270/400 (UBE scaled)

Exam Fee

$850 (first-time applicant) (Board of Law Examiners of the State of North Carolina)

NC Bar Exam Content Outline

50%

MBE Core Subjects

Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts (incl. UCC Article 2), Criminal Law & Procedure, Evidence (Federal Rules), Real Property, and Torts — 200 multiple-choice questions over two 3-hour sessions on Day 2

30%

MEE Essays

Six Multistate Essay Examination questions; from July 2026 the tested subjects are Business Associations, Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law & Procedure, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts (Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Trusts & Estates, and Secured Transactions removed)

20%

MPT Performance Tasks

Two 90-minute closed-universe tasks requiring a memo or brief drawn from supplied cases, statutes, and facts set in the fictional jurisdiction of Franklin

Study focus

Torts & NC Contributory Negligence

Negligence, intentional torts, strict liability, products liability, and defamation; North Carolina applies pure contributory negligence (any plaintiff fault bars recovery), mitigated by the last clear chance doctrine and the willful-or-wanton exception

Study focus

NC Business, Wills & Family Law

North Carolina Business Corporation Act (Ch. 55) and LLC Act (Ch. 57D), partnerships, intestate succession (Ch. 29) and holographic wills, the spousal elective share, equitable distribution, no-fault divorce, and best-interests child custody

Required

NC State-Specific Component

Mandatory online course from the NC Board of Law Examiners covering six subject areas of North Carolina law, each delivered by a one-hour video followed by quiz questions that must be answered correctly

How to Pass the NC Bar Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 270/400 (UBE scaled)
  • Exam length: 200 questions
  • Time limit: 2 days (Day 1: 6 MEE essays + 2 MPTs; Day 2: 200 MBE)
  • Exam fee: $850 (first-time applicant)

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

NC Bar Study Tips from Top Performers

1Foreground North Carolina's pure contributory negligence rule: any plaintiff fault bars recovery, so master the last clear chance doctrine's four elements and the willful-or-wanton exception that defeats the defense
2Because the MBE is 50% of your score, target 1,500+ practice MBE questions across all seven subjects and review every wrong answer; aim for about 1.8 minutes per question to build pacing
3For the MEE, remember the July 2026 subject change — Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Trusts & Estates, and Secured Transactions are no longer tested, so focus essay study on the remaining high-frequency subjects
4Study North Carolina estates distinctions: holographic wills under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 31-3.4, intestate shares under Chapter 29, and the spousal elective share — North Carolina is a separate-property, not community-property, state
5Learn North Carolina civil procedure distinctions such as the District vs. Superior Court divisions and the Rule 9(j) expert certification required in medical malpractice complaints
6Complete the online North Carolina State-Specific Component covering six areas of state law, and pass the MPRE (scaled score 80+) within the required window before licensure

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the passing score for the North Carolina Bar Exam?

North Carolina requires a combined Uniform Bar Examination scaled score of 270 out of 400 to pass, which corresponds to 135 on the 200-point MBE scale. The MBE is weighted 50%, the MEE 30%, and the MPT 20%. A strong MBE score can offset a weaker written score, since only the combined total must reach 270.

Is the North Carolina Bar Exam the UBE?

Yes. North Carolina adopted the Uniform Bar Examination effective with the February 2019 administration. The exam consists of the Multistate Bar Examination (200 MBE questions), the Multistate Essay Examination (6 MEE essays), and the Multistate Performance Test (2 MPT tasks), all prepared by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. A qualifying 270 score can be transferred to other UBE jurisdictions within three years.

How is the North Carolina Bar Exam structured?

The exam is given over two days, typically the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July. Day 1 consists of six 30-minute MEE essay questions and two 90-minute MPT tasks. Day 2 is the MBE: 200 multiple-choice questions split into a 100-question morning session and a 100-question afternoon session, six hours total.

What makes North Carolina law distinctive on the bar exam?

North Carolina is one of only a handful of pure contributory-negligence jurisdictions: a plaintiff who is even 1% at fault is completely barred from recovering, unlike the comparative-fault rules used by most states. The last clear chance doctrine and the willful-or-wanton exception are the principal escapes. North Carolina is also a separate-property state using equitable distribution, recognizes holographic wills, and requires a Rule 9(j) expert certification for medical malpractice complaints.

What is the North Carolina State-Specific Component?

Because the UBE does not test North Carolina law, all general and transfer applicants must complete the North Carolina State-Specific Component, an online course provided by the Board of Law Examiners. It covers six subject areas of North Carolina law, each presented in a one-hour video followed by quiz questions that must all be answered correctly before moving on. It is separate from the UBE score.

Is North Carolina switching to the NextGen Bar Exam?

North Carolina plans to administer the NextGen UBE beginning in July 2028, continuing the legacy UBE through the February 2028 exam. The Board of Law Examiners has announced a NextGen passing score of 620. Examinees sitting in 2026 and 2027 will take the current UBE, so study the MBE, MEE, and MPT format described here.