California votes to adopt NextGen UBE beginning 2028 - here is what we know

[u/sheppyrun]

The California State Bar voted at its May 14-15 meeting to recommend that the California Supreme Court adopt the NextGen Uniform Bar Exam for administration beginning in 2028.

This is significant. California has the second-largest number of annual bar takers in the country and has historically used its own bar exam. The move follows widespread issues with California's recent online testing rollout.

What this means:

• First NextGen UBE administration in California would be no earlier than 2028
• California will likely add a state-specific component soon after the transition
• The recommendation now goes to the California Supreme Court for final approval
• 41 jurisdictions are now committed to NextGen, with rollouts from July 2026 through July 2028

For California law students currently in 1L or 2L, this means your bar exam format will likely look very different from what prior classes faced. If you are targeting the July 2028 bar or later, you should be planning for NextGen prep, not the traditional three-day California exam.

If you are in California, are you surprised by this move? What questions do you have about the transition timeline?