How Do You Get Admitted to the Iowa Bar?
Iowa admits lawyers through the Iowa Board of Law Examiners, which operates within the Iowa Judicial Branch's Office of Professional Regulation in Des Moines.
Admission by examination means the Uniform Bar Exam: the last legacy UBE is February 2027, the NextGen UBE follows in July 2027, and the legacy passing score is 260 for exams after July 1, 2026.
Applicants also need an MPRE scaled score of at least 80, and experienced lawyers can apply on motion or transfer a UBE score.
Verify before you rely on this
At a glance
The Iowa Board of Law Examiners, through the Iowa Judicial Branch's Office of Professional Regulation in Des Moines.
The Uniform Bar Exam; there is no Iowa-specific law component for UBE admission.
266 for legacy UBE exams on or before July 1, 2026, 260 for later legacy exams, and 610 on the NextGen UBE.
A scaled score of at least 80.
First administered in Iowa in July 2027; the last legacy UBE is February 2027.
Open to lawyers with 5 of the past 7 years of practice; $900 plus a character and fitness fee.
$800 for first-time takers (non-attorneys), plus a $122 laptop fee.
Ways to get admitted in Iowa
- Admission by examinationBy examination
Pass the Uniform Bar Exam with a score of 266 (exams on or before July 1, 2026) or 260 (exams after that date) — the NextGen UBE, first given in July 2027, has its own passing score of 610 — and score at least 80 on the MPRE.
- UBE / NextGen score transferScore transfer
Iowa accepts transferred scores of 266 or higher (legacy exams on or before July 1, 2026), 260 or higher (later legacy exams) or 610 or higher (NextGen), transferable within 2 years of the exam — up to 5 years for attorneys who practised at least 2 of the last 3 years.
- Admission on motionOn motion
Open to lawyers with 5 of the past 7 years of practice; the fee is $900 plus a character and fitness fee.
Who admits lawyers in Iowa?
The Iowa Board of Law Examiners handles bar admission in Iowa, operating through the Iowa Judicial Branch's Office of Professional Regulation in Des Moines.
The admission rules themselves sit in Iowa Court Rules chapter 31 — the chapter that sets the passing scores, the MPRE minimum and the score-transfer windows described below.
Which bar exam does Iowa give?
Iowa gives the Uniform Bar Exam, and there is no Iowa-specific law component for UBE admission.
The legacy passing score depends on the exam date: 266 for legacy UBE exams administered on or before July 1, 2026, and 260 for exams after that date — Iowa lowered its legacy UBE passing score from 266 to 260.
Iowa's last legacy UBE is the February 2027 exam; the NextGen UBE follows in July 2027.
“Applicants must achieve a combined, scaled score of 266 or above to pass the Legacy UBE administered on or before July 1, 2026, or a combined, scaled score of 260 or above to pass the Legacy UBE administered after July 1, 2026.”
Who is eligible to sit for the Iowa bar?
Iowa requires a J.D. from an ABA-approved law school.
Our research did not establish the full list of exam eligibility rules beyond that requirement, so check the Iowa Board of Law Examiners' current application instructions before you apply.
What MPRE score does Iowa require?
Iowa requires a scaled score of at least 80 on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE), which the NCBE administers.
The requirement comes from Iowa Court Rules chapter 31, the same chapter that sets the UBE passing scores and the score-transfer minimums.
“must earn a scaled score of at least 80 on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) administered by the NCBE.”
How does character and fitness work in Iowa?
The character and fitness detail our research establishes is a cost: Iowa's admission-on-motion application carries a $900 fee plus a separate character and fitness fee.
Our research did not establish how the Iowa Board of Law Examiners conducts its character and fitness review or how it weighs individual issues, so questions about a specific history belong with the board itself.
Can out-of-state lawyers waive into Iowa?
Yes, in two ways.
Admission on motion is open to lawyers with 5 of the past 7 years of practice; the fee is $900 plus a character and fitness fee.
Iowa also accepts transferred UBE and NextGen scores: 266 or higher for legacy exams on or before July 1, 2026, 260 or higher for later legacy exams, or 610 or higher on the NextGen UBE.
Any applicant can transfer a score within 2 years of the exam, and attorneys who practised at least 2 of the last 3 years can transfer a score up to 5 years old.
The transfer application fee is $900.
Iowa bar pass rates, fees and results timing
The Iowa bar exam application fee is $800 for first-time takers (non-attorneys), plus a $122 laptop fee.
Filing deadlines are November 1 for the February exam and April 1 for the July exam.
Our research did not establish current pass rates or a results release date — check with the Iowa Board of Law Examiners for both.
When does Iowa switch to the NextGen bar exam?
Iowa's last legacy UBE is the February 2027 exam.
The state will first administer the NextGen UBE in July 2027, with a minimum passing score of 610.
What This Page Does, and Doesn’t, Cover
This page summarizes the Iowa court rules, board and bar pages and other sources listed below, as read for this state-by-state bar admission rules series, current as of October 2026.
It is not a substitute for the instructions the Iowa Board of Law Examiners publishes.
For the rest of the picture in Iowa, see CLE requirements in Iowa.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Iowa a UBE state?
Yes.
Iowa gives the Uniform Bar Exam and accepts transferred UBE scores.
The passing score on Iowa's own legacy UBE is 266 for exams administered on or before July 1, 2026 and 260 for exams after that date, and transferred scores must meet minimums of 266, 260 or 610 depending on which exam produced them.
Iowa's first NextGen UBE is July 2027.
How long is a UBE score valid for transfer to Iowa?
Any applicant can transfer a UBE score to Iowa within 2 years of the exam.
Attorneys who can show they regularly practised law for at least 2 of the last 3 years can transfer a score up to 5 years after the exam was taken.
The transfer application fee is $900.
Does Iowa require the MPRE?
Yes.
Iowa requires a scaled score of at least 80 on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE), which the NCBE administers.
The requirement sits in Iowa Court Rules chapter 31, the same chapter that sets the UBE passing scores and the score-transfer minimums.
How much does the Iowa bar exam cost?
The bar exam application fee is $800 for first-time takers (non-attorneys), plus a $122 laptop fee.
Admission on motion costs $900 plus a character and fitness fee, and a transferred-score application is also $900.
Filing deadlines are November 1 for the February exam and April 1 for the July exam.
Can you be admitted to the Iowa bar without taking the exam?
Yes, through two routes.
Admission on motion is open to lawyers with 5 of the past 7 years of practice; the fee is $900 plus a character and fitness fee.
Iowa also accepts transferred UBE or NextGen scores at minimums of 266, 260 or 610 depending on which exam produced the score.
More Iowa Resources
Sources
- NCBE: Iowa jurisdiction page (retrieved 2026-10-02)
- Iowa Court Rules ch. 31 (Iowa Legislature) (retrieved 2026-10-02)
- NCBE Iowa chart 7: fees and deadlines (retrieved 2026-10-02)
- NCBE Iowa chart 14: admission on motion (retrieved 2026-10-02)
Sourced from the documents listed above.
Verified October 2026.
This is career information, not legal advice.
Confirm current rules with the Iowa Board of Law Examiners.