Maryland Bar Exam: The Ultimate Guide (2026)

Bar Exam Project wiki article. Maryland is in a dual-format year. Cross-linked to UBE and NextGen UBE resources.

One-line summary

Maryland is in a transition year. The February 2026 administration was the final legacy UBE (cut score 266 of 400). Beginning July 2026, Maryland administers the NextGen UBE (cut score 616 of 500-750). The MPRE 85 minimum applies to both formats.

At a glance (2026)

• Final legacy UBE: February 24-25, 2026 (final legacy UBE).
• First NextGen UBE: July 28-29, 2026 (first NextGen UBE).
• Cut score: 266 (legacy UBE Feb 2026) / 616 (NextGen UBE Jul 2026 onward).
• Weighting (legacy): MBE 50%, MEE 30%, MPT 20%.
• Weighting (NextGen): Standalone MC 49%, integrated sets 21%, performance tasks 30%.
• MPRE minimum: 85.
• Most recent reported pass rate: 73 percent overall, ~79 percent first-time (July 2025 legacy UBE).
• February 2026 deadlines: December 1, 2025 (early), December 20, 2025 (final).
• July 2026 deadline: May 1, 2026.
• Application fees: $750 first-time, $400 retake.
• Reciprocity / admission on motion: not reciprocity-limited under the practice-time path — under Maryland Rule 19-217 (Out-of-State Attorney Admission), with 5 of the last 10 years (legacy) OR UBE score transfer at 266.

The dual-format year

2026 is uniquely complex for Maryland candidates because the format changes mid-year. The choice of February vs July sitting now also implies a choice of legacy vs NextGen format. Practical implications:

• If you already sat in February 2026: you took the legacy UBE. Results report on the 400 scale. If you passed at 266+, you can transfer your score within 3 years to other UBE jurisdictions (some at 5 years).
• If you are sitting in July 2026 or later: you take NextGen UBE. Results report on the 500-750 scale. The cut is 616.
• If you are repeating after February 2026: your retake is on NextGen. Your prep needs to pivot to NextGen format, not just re-do legacy prep.

Legacy UBE (February 2026)

The February 2026 administration followed the standard NCBE UBE format: MEE morning of Day 1 (six 30-minute essays), MPT afternoon of Day 1 (two 90-minute performance tests), MBE Day 2 (200 multiple-choice questions). Subjects included MEE-only doctrinal areas (Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Secured Transactions, Trusts & Estates) that NextGen will drop.

NextGen UBE (July 2026 onward)

NextGen replaces the legacy three-section structure with three integrated question types over two testing days: standalone multiple-choice (49% of score), integrated multi-subject question sets (21%), and performance tasks (30%). Subjects: NextGen drops Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Secured Transactions, and Trusts & Estates. Adds explicit lawyering-skills items (negotiation, client counseling, legal research).

Cut scores (legacy 266 / NextGen 616)

Legacy: 266 on the 400 scale (Feb 2026 administration).
NextGen: 616 on the 500-750 scale (July 2026 onward). NCBE has calibrated the NextGen scale so that 616 represents roughly equivalent competence to legacy UBE 266 in adopting jurisdictions; Maryland chose the equivalent floor.

Fees and deadlines

SBLE fee schedule: $750 first-time, $400 retake. February 2026 deadline: December 1, 2025 (early), December 20, 2025 (final). July 2026 deadline: May 1, 2026.

Character & Fitness

Maryland Character & Fitness review is handled by SBLE concurrently with the bar application. Character & Fitness fee: included in application fee. Disclose everything in the questionnaire; failure to disclose is treated more harshly than underlying conduct.

The MPRE requirement (85 minimum)

Maryland requires a passing MPRE score of 85, on the NCBE 50-150 scale. Free MPRE practice: MBEmax MPRE.

Pass rates over time

Approximately 73 percent overall (July 2025 legacy UBE). Approximately 79 percent first-time (July 2025). NextGen pass rate data will not be available until after the July 2026 administration scoring is released.

Eligibility paths

J.D. from an ABA-approved law school is the standard path. The foreign-trained route is covered below.

Admission on motion

Under Maryland Rule 19-217 (Out-of-State Attorney Admission), an attorney admitted in another U.S. jurisdiction with 5 of the last 10 years (legacy) OR UBE score transfer at 266 may be admitted to the Maryland Bar without bar exam. Not reciprocity-limited under the practice-time path. The MPRE 85 requirement still applies. See the standalone Maryland Admission on Motion guide for full requirements.

Foreign-trained applicants

Maryland admits foreign-educated attorneys with either an LLM of at least 26 credit hours at an ABA-approved school, or a foreign legal education substantially equivalent to a U.S. JD with significant practice experience in the foreign bar.

Score portability (legacy and NextGen)

Legacy UBE 266 from Maryland: portable to any UBE jurisdiction at or below 266, within 3 years.
NextGen UBE 616 from Maryland: portable to any NextGen-adopting jurisdiction at or below 616, within 3 years. Some jurisdictions allow longer.
Inbound transfers to Maryland: Maryland accepts transferred scores from both legacy UBE jurisdictions (at 266) and NextGen-adopting jurisdictions (at 616), within 3 years.

How to prepare

For July 2026 NextGen sitting: 8-week, 50-hour-per-week study arc with NextGen-aligned commercial bar prep. Skip the four NextGen-removed subjects (Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Secured Transactions, Trusts & Estates) for doctrinal study. Add 10-15 timed performance tasks. Practice integrated question sets with NCBE-released NextGen samples. Free MBE practice (still useful for the doctrinal core that NextGen tests): MBEmax Free MBE Quiz; subject drills: MBEmax browse subjects.

For repeat takers

If you sat in February 2026 (legacy UBE) and missed 266, your retake is on NextGen UBE. Don’t simply re-do legacy prep. Diagnose your legacy gaps (MBE, MEE, MPT), then re-tool: standalone MC drills replace pure MBE practice, integrated sets test the same doctrinal core but in mixed format, and performance tasks scale up to 30% of the new score (vs. 20% MPT).

Maryland Bar Exam Cluster

Companion wiki articles in the Maryland cluster:

• Maryland Admission on Motion
• Maryland Bar Exam News & Format Changes

Sources

• State Board of Law Examiners of Maryland (SBLE) — https://www.mdcourts.gov/ble.
• About the NextGen UBE in Maryland — mdcourts.gov/ble/nextgenube.
• NCBE jurisdiction page for Maryland — ncbex.org/jurisdictions/MD.