Oregon Admission on Motion

Bar Exam Project wiki article. Part of the Oregon Bar Exam cluster.

Oregon permits experienced attorneys admitted in another U.S. jurisdiction to be admitted to the Oregon Bar without taking the bar exam, under Oregon Bar Rule 14.05 (Admission by Motion).

Summary

Under Oregon Bar Rule 14.05 (Admission by Motion), an attorney admitted in another U.S. jurisdiction with 5 of the past 7 years may be admitted to Oregon without bar exam. Fee: $2,300. MPRE 85+ and Character & Fitness clearance still apply. Reciprocity context: reciprocity-limited under Oregon Bar Rule 14.05.

Rule overview

Oregon Bar Rule 14.05 (Admission by Motion) permits admission to the Oregon Bar without bar exam for an attorney admitted to practice in the highest court of any U.S. state, with 5 of the past 7 years of qualifying practice, J.D. from an ABA-approved law school, MPRE 85+, good standing in every jurisdiction admitted, and Oregon Character & Fitness clearance.

Practice-time test

5 of the past 7 years. Count is from the application date, not lifetime practice. Inactive periods don’t count.

Qualifying practice

• Private practice as member, associate, or employee of any law firm.
• In-house corporate counsel.
• Government practice (federal, state, local) requiring bar admission.
• Judicial clerkships.
• Military legal services.
• Law teaching at an ABA-approved law school.

Reciprocity

Reciprocity-limited under oregon bar rule 14.05.

MPRE and Character & Fitness

MPRE 85+ (any U.S. jurisdiction). Free MPRE practice: MBEmax MPRE. Oregon Character & Fitness review is conducted by the Oregon State Bar concurrently with the bar application.

Fees and timeline

Application fee: $2,300. Plus per-jurisdiction Certificate of Good Standing fees ($25-$50 each). Processing typically 4-9 months.

Documentation

• Proof of J.D. from an ABA-approved law school.
• Bar admission certificates from every jurisdiction.
• Certificate of Good Standing from every current jurisdiction.
• MPRE score report.
• Detailed employment history.
• Character & Fitness questionnaire with full disclosure.

Common pitfalls

• Misreading the practice test (count is from application date, not lifetime).
• Disclosing thinly (non-disclosure is treated more harshly).
• Underestimating C&F timeline.

Alternative paths

If you don’t meet the practice test, sit for the Oregon Bar Exam under standard rules, or transfer a UBE/NextGen score within the score-life window.

Sources

• Oregon Bar Rule 14.05 (Admission by Motion).
• Oregon State Board of Bar Examiners — https://admissions.osbar.org/.