North Carolina
Common questions
Can a lawyer be admitted in North Carolina without taking the bar exam (admission on motion)?
Reciprocal states only. 4 of past 6 yrs active and substantial practice as principal livelihood (min 48 months) in reciprocal jurisdiction (VERBATIM: 'at least four out of the six years immediately preceding the filing'); pre-licensure employment does not count; MPRE passed (80); fee $2,000; no ABA JD required per NCBE; no residency requirement mentioned
Does North Carolina accept a transferred Uniform Bar Exam score?
Accepts transfer: 270 (NextGen 620) or Board's current passing score; within 3 years of sitting; MPRE required; effective May 1, 2028 transfer applicants must complete NC State-Specific Component on Decedents' Estates and Trusts within 12 months; no concurrent application
What are the pro hac vice requirements and fee in North Carolina state courts?
Local counsel: Yes: NC State Bar member as responsible NC attorney (G.S. 84-4.1(5)); must register online within 30 days of court approval Fee: $225 submitted with registration (per State Bar form, paid to clerk/agency); NC Utilities Commission, Industrial Commission, OAH, appellate courts also covered
Admission on motion
- Requirements
- 4 of past 6 yrs active and substantial practice as principal livelihood (min 48 months) in reciprocal jurisdiction (VERBATIM: 'at least four out of the six years immediately preceding the filing'); pre-licensure employment does not count; MPRE passed (80); fee $2,000; no ABA JD required per NCBE; no residency requirement mentioned
- Years of practice
- at least four out of the past six years; a minimum of 48 months
- Reciprocity
- Applicant must be licensed in an approved (reciprocal) jurisdiction
- Fee
- $2,000
- Rule
- 27 NCAC 03 .0502 (comity); .0503 military spouse
- UBE score transfer
- Accepts transfer: 270 (NextGen 620) or Board's current passing score; within 3 years of sitting; MPRE required; effective May 1, 2028 transfer applicants must complete NC State-Specific Component on Decedents' Estates and Trusts within 12 months; no concurrent application
- UBE minimum
- 270
- UBE score window
- 3 years
- MPRE
- 80
- Other routes
- Military spouse comity (.0503): servicemember fee $1,500, spouse no fee; license elsewhere + relocation on military orders; MPRE required
- Foreign attorneys
- Yes - eligible for admission by examination; additional requirement: Admission in another US jurisdiction
- Military spouse
- Yes - Military Spouse Comity applicant available, no fee required per Rule .0503(4)
1 not found in the pulled documents
- Reciprocity states
- Not in the pulled documents
State-court pro hac vice
- Rule
- N.C. Gen. Stat. 84-4.1; 27 NCAC 1H .0100
- Local counsel
- Yes: NC State Bar member as responsible NC attorney (G.S. 84-4.1(5)); must register online within 30 days of court approval
- Fee
- $225 submitted with registration (per State Bar form, paid to clerk/agency); NC Utilities Commission, Industrial Commission, OAH, appellate courts also covered
- Procedure
- Motion to tribunal; after order, NC sponsoring attorney uploads order via member portal and pays fee; out-of-state attorney verifies by email; not applicable to federal courts
1 not found in the pulled documents
- Limits
- Not in the pulled documents
Language from the source documents
12 quoted passages
On motion
have been engaged in the active and substantial practice of law pursuant to your license to practice law as your principal means of livelihood in a reciprocal jurisdiction for at least four out of the past six years; a minimum of 48 months.ncble.org
UBE transfer
Accepts Legacy UBE ScoreYes Minimum Legacy UBE Score270 Accepts NextGen UBE ScoreYes Minimum NextGen UBE Score620 Date First Acceptance NextGen UBE ScoreJuly 2026 Maximum Score Age3 yearsncbex.org
Other routes
"general applicants," "comity applicants, "military spouse comity applicants," or "transfer applicants."ncble.org
Pro hac vice rule
must complete and file this registration statement as required by 27 N.C.A.C. 1H, Section .0100, within thirty (30 ) days of the entry of the court’s order granting admission to the out of state attorney.ncbar.gov
Local counsel
Registration must be filed online by the member of the North Carolina State Bar who agrees to be listed as the responsible North Carolina attorney, pursuant to G.S. 84-4.1(5), in a motion for pro hac vice admission filed by an attorney who is licensed in another jurisdiction.ncbar.gov
Pro hac vice fee
Payment: Submit a fee in the amount of $225.00 to one of the following: (i) for judicial proceedings, the presiding clerk of court or (ii) for administrative proceedings, the presiding administrative agency.ncbar.gov
On-motion fee
Pay to the Board with each application, a fee of two thousand dollars ($2,000), no part of which may be refunded toncble.org
On-motion fee
Pay to the Board with each application, a fee of two thousand dollars ($2,000)ncble.org
Foreign attorneys
If graduates of foreign law schools are eligible for admission by examination, what additional requirements pertain? Admission in another US jurisdictionncbex.org
Military spouse
If you are applying as a Military Spouse Comity applicant, no fee is required per Rule .0503(4).ncble.org