MPRE Dates 2026 and 2027

MPRE dates and registration status

NCBE has announced four MPRE administrations covering November 2026 and March, August, and November 2027. The November 2026 registration deadline passed on September 17, 2026, so candidates who did not register cannot join that sitting. March 2027 registration is open. The August and November 2027 dates and deadlines are posted, but registration for those administrations has not opened yet.

The $185 registration fee applies to 2026 and 2027 administrations. The accommodations dates are NCBE’s recommended submission dates, not the final deadline to request consideration. A candidate needing accommodations must submit by the administration’s registration deadline and receive a decision before beginning MPRE registration.

What a two-date administration means

An entry such as March 23 or 24 identifies the possible administration days. It does not mean every candidate may choose either date, and it is not a guarantee that every Pearson center is open on both days. Pearson assigns the appointment based on the candidate’s authorized registration and available center inventory. The exact date, time, and center appear in the Pearson appointment confirmation.

This distinction matters for travel and work planning. If you need to travel to a test center, do not book nonrefundable transportation on the assumption that the center will offer the first listed date. Complete the NCBE process, receive authorization, search Pearson inventory, then arrange travel around the confirmed appointment. If your preferred center is full, you may need another location or one of the other available days.

November 2026: registration closed

The last scheduled 2026 administration is November 12 or 13, with a September 17 registration deadline. New registration is closed. Candidates who already completed registration should use their Pearson confirmation for their exact appointment. Candidates who missed the deadline should choose a 2027 administration rather than assume they can register late or transfer an earlier enrollment.

If you already have an appointment, prepare for the confirmed time and location. Check the confirmation for any approved accommodations and arrive according to the test-center instructions. If you need to change centers, rescheduling is allowed only within the same administration, at least 48 hours before its first day, and costs $25. It cannot move a November 2026 registration into March 2027.

March 2027: first available 2027 option

The March administration is scheduled for March 23 or 24, 2027. Registration is open, and the deadline is January 21, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. Central Time. Registering requires the NCBE portion, Pearson authorization, an appointment, and payment by that deadline. Starting the NCBE application without a Pearson appointment and payment does not complete registration.

For a candidate who does not need accommodations, the main timing decision is how early to book after authorization. Early booking improves the chance of finding a convenient center and time. A candidate who needs accommodations should submit the request by November 19, 2026, NCBE’s recommended date, and wait for the determination before beginning exam registration. The formal deadline for the accommodation request is January 21, but a late request can reduce appointment choices.

March can work for an applicant whose jurisdiction accepts a score from that administration and whose study plan is ready by then. NCBE typically releases results within five weeks. If your bar application or jurisdiction requires proof by an earlier date, include score release and reporting time in your plan rather than treating exam day as the finish line.

August and November 2027: announced dates

The August administration is listed for August 18 or 19, 2027, with a June 17 registration deadline. The recommended accommodation request date is April 29. NCBE states that August registration will open later in 2026. Candidates can plan around the announced date and deadline, but cannot book an appointment for this administration until NCBE opens registration and authorizes the process.

The November administration is listed for November 4 or 5, 2027, with a September 21 registration deadline. The recommended accommodation request date is July 29. Registration also will open later in 2026. Do not treat the posted deadline as proof that registration has already opened. Once it opens, complete the steps and check Pearson availability.

The announced administration dates and registration deadlines are separate from registration openings and Pearson seat availability. Candidates can plan around the published dates and deadlines, then book after a registration window opens and NCBE authorizes the appointment process.

Plan around your admission timeline

Start with the jurisdiction where you seek admission. Record its MPRE minimum score, any time limit on the age of the score, the point by which the score must be received, and whether a course alternative applies. A date that works for one state can be too late or too early for another. For example, a candidate seeking admission in a jurisdiction with a strict score-age rule should avoid taking the MPRE so early that the result expires before certification.

Then count backward from the relevant admission event. Allow time to request accommodations, finish NCBE registration, receive Pearson authorization, book a seat, study, sit for the exam, wait up to five weeks for results, and report the score. The posted administration date is only one point in that sequence.

Suppose an applicant wants a March 2027 score and requires an accommodation. The recommended request date is November 19, 2026. She should submit the request by then, wait for NCBE’s determination, verify it, and then complete registration. She still has until January 21 to finish registration, but waiting until that deadline to begin the accommodation process would place her at greater risk of missing a convenient appointment.

For another example, a candidate whose preferred test center is a long drive away sees the August dates and June deadline. The candidate can plan to study through August and prepare for travel, but should not buy travel tickets until Pearson confirms the exact day and time after registration opens. That is an appointment constraint, not an unknown MPRE administration date.

If you miss a deadline

NCBE does not accept new registrations after an administration’s deadline. A candidate who misses January 21, 2027 cannot use an uncompleted March registration to secure the August administration. Choose a later administration, start a new NCBE registration when its window opens, and pay the applicable fee. Do not assume a registration automatically rolls forward.

If you registered but can no longer attend, use Pearson to cancel or reschedule at least 48 hours before the first day of the administration. Rescheduling within the same administration costs $25. Cancellation by the same cutoff may qualify for a partial refund. Neither action transfers your registration to a later sitting.