Cal Bar's press release for the July 2026 Cal Bar Exam results

Cal Bar’s press release for the July 2026 Cal Bar Exam results

October 31, 2026 by Steven Harris

The Cal Bar’s July 2026 Bar results press release appears below (https://www.calbar.ca.gov/index%2ephp/news/state-bar-announces-july-2026-bar-exam-results).

The press release indicates that this was the Cal Bar’s lowest general bar exam pass rate for a July exam in five years, and the mean scaled score on the MBE was the lowest in five years. This reflects a relatively similar decline nationally on the MBE as well.

State Bar Announces July 2026 Bar Exam Results

Fri, Oct 30, 2026

The State Bar announced today that 48.3 percent (3,838) of applicants who sat for the July 2026 two-day General Bar Exam (GBX) achieved a passing score and 49.4 percent (216) passed the one-day Attorneys’ Exam (AX). The 4,054 applicants who passed either exam will generally become eligible for licensure to practice law in California upon meeting all other admission requirements.

The July 2026 GBX’s 48.3 percent pass rate is lower than the July 2025 pass rate (54.8 percent) and is the lowest July pass rate over the last five years. For the AX, the July 2026 pass rate of 49.4 percent was higher than the July 2025 pass rate (43.4 percent). The number of applicants who took the AX in July 2026 (437) was higher than the previous five years.

“I extend my warmest congratulations to those who passed the July 2026 California Bar Exam,” said State Bar Executive Director Laura Enderton-Speed. “Your success is a testament to the dedication and persistence you brought to your studies and preparation. We honor this significant milestone with you and look forward to you joining the ranks of California attorneys.”

Of the 7,942 GBX applicants, 67.7 percent were first-time test takers and 32.3 percent were repeat test takers. The percentage of repeat test takers represents a notable increase from July 2025 when 26.1 percent were repeat applicants; still, July 2026 was more in line with proportions from the prior three years.

The July 2026 pass rate for first-time GBX applicants was 64.7 percent, 5 percentage points lower than in July 2025 (69.7 percent). The July 2026 pass rate for repeat GBX applicants was 14.1 percent. Although this reflects an increase compared with July 2025 (12.4 percent), it marks the second lowest pass rate for repeat test takers in the last five years.

Pass rates among repeat applicants varied by number of attempts: 19.3 percent for second-time test takers, 17.9 percent for third-time test takers, and 7.7 percent for those taking the exam a fourth time or more.

The July 2026 mean scaled Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) score in California was 1377 compared with the national mean score of 1407. This was the lowest California mean scaled score in five years. The national July 2026 mean score dropped to 1407, compared to its July 2025 score of 1424.

Pass rates in Florida, New York, and Texas also declined between July 2025 and July 2026.

The July 2026 GBX had 47 applicants eligible for scoring adjustments based on their performance in the November 2024 Special Session; 6 applicants passed the bar exam due to the scoring adjustment. The adjusted and unadjusted mean scaled MBE scores are the same when rounded, both at 1377. Without the adjustment, the GBX pass rate would have been 48.2 rather than 48.3.

Preliminary analyses show the first-time and repeat percent passing the GBX (rounded to the nearest tenth) by type as follows:

School Type	First-Time Unadjusted	First-Time Adjusted	Repeat Unadjusted	Repeat Adjusted
ABA Accredited – California	78.1%	78.1%	23.2%	23.4%
ABA Accredited – Out-of-State	70.6%	70.6%	17.2%	17.2%
California Accredited	31.1%	31.1%	7.4%	7.7%
California Unaccredited	41.7%	45.8%	7.1%	7.1%
Schools No Longer in Operation	47.4%	47.4%	6.3%	6.3%
Law Office Study Program*	—	—	—	—
Foreign Educated/JD Equivalent + One-Year U.S. Education	12.9%	12.9%	10.2%	10.2%
Four-Year Law Study Qualification	—	—	6.7%	6.7%
All Applicants	64.6%	64.7%	13.9%	14.1%

*Data displayed only for categories with 11 or more applicants who completed the exam.

Note: The statistics based on school type are preliminary. Law schools will be required to confirm the accuracy of the students allocated to their law school, and as a result, these statistics may change.

The two-day GBX is given twice a year, in February and July. In July 2026, the State Bar used the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ MBE for the multiple-choice section of the exam, along with the State Bar’s five essay questions and a performance test that is designed to assess an applicant’s ability to apply general legal knowledge to practical tasks.

The Attorneys’ Exam, which tests the same written section as the GBX (i.e., essays and performance test), is open to lawyers who have been admitted to the active practice of law in good standing for at least four years in another U.S. jurisdiction. A small number of applicants who took the Attorneys’ Exam were previously licensed in California but had resigned or been disbarred and are seeking a return to the profession.

The pass list will be posted on the State Bar’s website on Monday, November 2, at 8:00 a.m.

AboutSteven Harris

Steven’s bar exam prep approach has helped countless attorneys pass the California Bar Exam. With more than 20 years of tutoring experience, over 35,000 Essays and PTs graded, and his work as a Professor at multiple major universities, Steven has been there, seen it, and is ready to help you conquer the Bar. His Calweasel tutoring programs are customized to you, your schedule, and your life.

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