California
Common questions
Can a lawyer be admitted in California without taking the bar exam (admission on motion)?
Not available. No admission on motion; no UBE transfer. Attorney applicants from other states: register as attorney applicant, moral character determination, MPRE, child-support certification, certificate of admission/good standing, and take California Bar Exam. If licensed and active in good standing 4 years immediately before first day of exam, may take the shorter Attorneys' Examination (written essays and performance tests only).
Does California accept a transferred Uniform Bar Exam score?
No. Does not accept transferred UBE scores.
What are the pro hac vice requirements and fee in California state courts?
Local counsel: Yes: an active State Bar licensee must be associated as attorney of record (VERBATIM: 'an active licensee of the State Bar is associated as attorney of record'). Fee: $600 State Bar application fee (2026 schedule, Rule 9.40(e)) plus court fees
Admission on motion
- Requirements
- No admission on motion; no UBE transfer. Attorney applicants from other states: register as attorney applicant, moral character determination, MPRE, child-support certification, certificate of admission/good standing, and take California Bar Exam. If licensed and active in good standing 4 years immediately before first day of exam, may take the shorter Attorneys' Examination (written essays and performance tests only).
- Years of practice
- Not applicable: no admission on motion
- Reciprocity
- California does not recognize other states' bar exam scores; no reciprocity.
- Reciprocity states
- None: stated in the source documents (stated in source)
- Fee
- Not applicable: no admission on motion
- Rule
- NOT FOUND (State Bar admissions page; rules of State Bar Admissions)
- UBE score transfer
- No. Does not accept transferred UBE scores.
- UBE minimum
- Not applicable: this state does not accept transferred UBE scores
- UBE score window
- Not applicable: this state does not accept transferred UBE scores
- Other routes
- Registered in-house counsel (Cal. Rules of Court 9.46); Multijurisdictional Practice Program; Foreign Legal Consultants; Out-of-state arbitration counsel (rule 9.43); pro hac vice. Military spouse/emeritus not retrieved.
- Foreign attorneys
- Foreign attorneys may practice on a limited basis through special admissions programs, including Foreign Legal Consultants
- Military spouse
- Registered Servicemember Spouse Attorney program available under Multijurisdictional Practice Program
1 not found in the pulled documents
- MPRE
- Not in the pulled documents
State-court pro hac vice
- Rule
- Cal. Rules of Court, rule 9.40
- Local counsel
- Yes: an active State Bar licensee must be associated as attorney of record (VERBATIM: 'an active licensee of the State Bar is associated as attorney of record').
- Limits
- Not a California resident; not regularly employed or engaged in substantial business/professional activities in CA; 'Repeated appearances by any person under this rule is a cause for denial' absent special circumstances (ICWA representation is special). Numeric cap not stated in rule 9.40 as retrieved.
- Fee
- $600 State Bar application fee (2026 schedule, Rule 9.40(e)) plus court fees
- Procedure
- Verified application filed with court, served on all parties and on State Bar at San Francisco office; copy of application and hearing notice and fee submitted to State Bar via Admissions Applicant Portal (Pro Hac Vice application); court discretion; certificate/good standing statements in verified application.
Language from the source documents
9 quoted passages
On motion
To be admitted to the practice of law in California, you must register as an attorney applicant, receive a positive moral character determination, and pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination as well as the California Bar Examination .calbar.ca.gov
UBE transfer
Please note that the State Bar does not offer reciprocity or accept bar exam scores from another jurisdiction.calbar.ca.gov
Other routes
Registered Servicemember Attorney or Registered Servicemember Spouse Attorney Registered Legal Aid Attorney Registered In-House Counselcalbar.ca.gov
Local counsel
An active licensee of the State Bar must be associated as attorney of record for the case.calbar.ca.gov
phv_limits
Absent special circumstances, repeated appearances by any person under this rule is a cause for denial of an application.courts.ca.gov
Foreign attorneys
Special admissions programs for out-of-state and foreign attorneys to practice law on a limited basis in Californiacalbar.ca.gov
Military spouse
Registered Servicemember Attorney or Registered Servicemember Spouse Attorneycalbar.ca.gov