The KY Bar is the Kentucky Bar Examination, taken in person in Frankfort and run by the Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions. Candidates need a UBE score of 266 to be admitted and must have passed the MPRE first. This page lists our free practice sets by subject, three worked questions, a study plan and answers to common questions.
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions (MBE) | 200 multiple-choice questions (175 scored)[1] | ncbex.org · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Number of questions (Written (MEE + MPT)) | 6 MEE essays + 2 MPT tasks[2] | Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Time limit (MPT) | 90 minutes per MPT task[3] | Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Passing score | 266 UBE (400-point scale)[2] | Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Exam fee | $875 (non-attorney) / $1,200 (attorney), regular filing[4] | Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Retake fee | $325 reapplication after a failed exam[4] | Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Retake policy | Maximum 5 attempts (counting UBE attempts anywhere since Feb 2021)[3] | Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Validity | Transferred UBE score of 266+ accepted within 5 years[2] | Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Delivery | In person, two days, at the Administrative Office of the Courts, Frankfort, KY[5] | Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Eligibility | Must pass the MPRE (scaled score 80+) before sitting[7] | Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Next exam date (February 2027) | February 23–24, 2027[6] | ncbex.org · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Late registration deadline | Late: Nov 10 (Feb) / Mar 10 (July), $1,125–$1,450; extended late: Dec 10 (Feb) / May 10 (July), $1,375–$1,700[4] | Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Registration deadline | October 1 (February exam); February 1 (July exam), postmark[4] | Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Testing window | Twice a year: last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July[3] | Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions · Oct 21, 2026 |
According to Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions, “The MBE consists of 200 multiple-choice questions: 175 scored questions and 25 unscored pretest questions.”[1]
The Kentucky Bar Examination is the licensing test for people seeking admission to practise law in Kentucky. It is given in person over two days at the Administrative Office of the Courts in Frankfort, on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July. The February sitting runs February 23–24, 2027.
The exam is the Uniform Bar Examination. The MBE has 200 multiple-choice questions, of which 175 are scored. The written portion has 6 MEE essays and 2 MPT tasks, and each MPT task is 90 minutes. Kentucky's passing UBE score is 266 on the 400-point scale. A transferred UBE score of 266 or higher is accepted within 5 years of the date of application.
Before sitting, you must have passed the MPRE with a scaled score of 80 or higher. Regular filing for the February exam closes October 1 (postmark), with fees of $875 for non-attorneys and $1,200 for attorneys. Late and extended late filing cost more. A reapplication after a failed exam costs $325, and Kentucky allows a maximum of 5 attempts, counting UBE attempts in any jurisdiction since February 2021.
Fees, deadlines and rules can change, so confirm them with the Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions before you apply.
Prepare for the KY Bar - Kentucky Bar Exam exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: What is the doctrine of sovereign immunity?
Answer: A. The principle that the government cannot be sued without its consent
Explanation:
The correct answer is that the government cannot be sued without its consent. Sovereign immunity protects the state from lawsuits unless it has waived that protection or agreed to be sued.
The option giving complete immunity to all government employees is wrong because the doctrine concerns the government itself, and individual officials can often still be held responsible in some settings. The option limiting it to foreign governments is wrong because the doctrine applies to domestic governments too. The option tying it to wartime is wrong because it does not depend on wartime.
Rule to remember: the default is immunity from suit, and the question to ask is whether consent or waiver exists.
Question: A landowner in Kentucky fails to warn a social guest about a hidden defect in the porch stairs that the owner knew about. The guest is injured. What duty analysis applies?
Answer: A. A licensee is owed a warning of known hidden dangers, so the owner may be liable
Explanation:
The correct answer treats the social guest as a licensee. A landowner owes a licensee a warning about known dangers that the guest is unlikely to notice, so an owner who knew about a hidden defect in the porch stairs and said nothing may be liable.
Calling social guests trespassers is wrong because they entered with permission. Calling them invitees owed a duty of reasonable inspection is wrong because that higher duty belongs to people invited for the owner's business purposes. Saying no duty exists on residential property is wrong because homeowners must still warn of dangers they know about.
Rule to remember: classify the visitor first, then apply the duty that goes with that status. For a licensee, the duty is to warn of known hidden dangers.
Question: A tenant vacates a leased apartment with eight months left on the lease. In jurisdictions following the modern rule, what must the landlord do before recovering the full remaining rent?
Answer: A. Make reasonable efforts to mitigate by reletting the premises
Explanation:
The correct answer is that the landlord must make reasonable efforts to mitigate by reletting the premises. Under the modern rule a lease is treated like a contract, and a party harmed by a breach cannot simply let losses grow when they could be reduced. With eight months left, the landlord must try to find a new tenant before claiming the full remaining rent.
Suing at once for anticipatory repudiation is wrong because it skips the duty to mitigate. Accepting the surrender and terminating the lease is wrong because it ends the tenant's rent obligation instead of preserving the claim. A forcible detainer notice is wrong because it is a tool for regaining possession, not for recovering the rent due.
Rule to remember: under the modern rule, the landlord mitigates first and recovers the shortfall.
Start with the official material. Read the Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions pages on filing, eligibility and retakes so you know your deadlines, then check the NCBE pages on the MBE and written portions so you know what each part asks of you.
Next, use the practice sets to find weak areas. Take a quick pass through each subject, such as Civil Procedure, Evidence and Contracts and UCC, and write down which topics you miss. Spend your next sessions on those, including Property Law, Torts and Negligence and Professional Responsibility. After every wrong answer, read the explanation and restate the rule in your own words.
Add timed practice as test day gets closer. Mix subjects on the main practice test so you get used to switching topics, and write out essay and MPT answers by hand or on a keyboard under a clock. Our questions are written by us for practice and are not real exam questions, so treat them as a way to find gaps, not as a prediction of what will appear.
Kentucky's passing UBE score is 266 on the 400-point scale. A UBE score of 266 or higher earned in another jurisdiction can be transferred to Kentucky for admission if the application is made within 5 years of the score date. Check the Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions for current rules.
The Kentucky Bar Examination is given twice a year, on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July. The February sitting is February 23–24, 2027. It is held in person at the Administrative Office of the Courts in Frankfort.
Regular filing is $875 for non-attorneys and $1,200 for attorneys. Late filing costs $1,125 to $1,450, and extended late filing costs $1,375 to $1,700. A reapplication after a failed exam is $325. Confirm current fees with the Office of Bar Admissions before you file.
Regular filing for the February exam closes October 1, based on postmark. Late filing closes November 10 and extended late filing closes December 10. For the July exam, the dates are February 1, March 10 and May 10. Later filing costs more, so file on time if you can.
Yes. Kentucky requires you to have passed the MPRE before you sit for the bar examination, with a scaled score of 80 or higher. Check the Office of Bar Admissions for how and when your score must be reported.
Kentucky allows a maximum of 5 attempts. These include UBE attempts taken in Kentucky or any other jurisdiction in February 2021 or later. Each reapplication after a failed exam costs $325. Read the Board's retake rule before planning another attempt.
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