If you’re preparing for the bar exam, you’ve probably heard that everything is changing in July 2026. The old Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) is being replaced by the Next Gen Bar Exam (NextGen UBE) — and the question every law student is asking right now is:
“What do the sample questions actually look like?”
This guide breaks down every question type on the NextGen Bar Exam, shares real examples, and tells you exactly where to find official practice material. Whether you’re a 1L planning ahead or a 3L sitting for the exam in 2026, this is your starting point.
What Is the Next Gen Bar Exam?
The NextGen Uniform Bar Exam is a brand-new version of the bar exam developed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE). It launches in July 2026, bringing a skills-based approach to assessing new lawyers.
The exam will reduce the total length from 12 hours to nine hours, divided into three sessions of three hours each, administered over a day and a half.
The biggest shift? NextGen will test fewer subjects but assess a broader range of practical legal skills than the current UBE.
The 3 Question Types on the Next Gen Bar Exam
The NextGen Bar Exam features three broad categories of question types: Multiple-Choice Questions, Integrated Question Sets, and Performance Tasks.
Here’s what each one looks like:
1. Multiple-Choice Questions (About 40% of the Exam)
Roughly 40% of exam time goes to standalone multiple-choice questions with between four and six answer options and one or more correct answers. Initially, many of these will closely resemble Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) questions to ensure scoring stability between the current and NextGen exams.
What makes them different from old MBE questions?
- Some questions may have more than one correct answer
- Some are framed from a lawyer’s perspective — you’re asked what advice to give, not just what the law says
- Future versions will include a wider variety of question styles
Real Sample Question Example (from NCBE):
“You are a criminal defense lawyer representing a client charged with fentanyl possession. The police found the fentanyl in the guest bedroom of the client’s uncle’s house when responding to a noise complaint…”
This scenario-based format is very intentional — it mirrors real legal practice.
2. Integrated Question Sets (About 25% of the Exam)
Just under a quarter of the exam time is devoted to integrated question sets. Each set is based on a common fact scenario and may include legal resources such as excerpts of statutes or judicial opinions, and supplemental documents like a police report or deposition excerpt. Sets include a mixture of multiple-choice and short-answer questions.
Some integrated sets focus on drafting or editing a legal document, while others center on client counseling or dispute resolution.
What this means for you: You’ll need to read a packet of materials — like a real lawyer would — and then answer a series of connected questions based on that same scenario. It’s not just about memorizing rules anymore.
3. Performance Tasks (About 33% of the Exam)
Approximately a third of exam time goes to three performance tasks. These tasks require examinees to demonstrate their ability to use fundamental lawyering skills in realistic situations, completing tasks that a beginning lawyer should be able to accomplish.
These tasks may feature areas of law with accompanying legal resources not included in the foundational concepts — such as Trusts and Estates, Intellectual Property, or Administrative Law. One longer performance task includes multiple-choice and short constructed response questions focused on research skills, followed by a longer writing assignment.
Think of these as extended real-world legal assignments — memos, client letters, research tasks.
What Subjects Are Tested?
The NextGen Bar Exam tests specific core subjects: Civil Procedure, Contract Law, Evidence, Torts, Business Associations, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Real Property, and Family Law (beginning July 2028).
It also tests 7 foundational lawyering skills:
Legal Research, Legal Writing, Issue Spotting and Analysis, Investigation and Evaluation, Client Counseling and Advising, Negotiation and Dispute Resolution, and Client Relationship and Management.
Where to Find Official Next Gen Bar Exam Sample Questions
The NCBE has released real sample questions you can practice with right now. Here’s where to go:
- NCBE Official Sample Questions: ncbex.org/exams/nextgen/sample-questions/multiple-choice
- NCBE NextGen Exam Page: ncbex.org/exams/nextgen
The released sample questions have already been pilot tested by over 2,500 law students, bar examinees, and newly licensed attorneys from across the US, with results analyzed both psychometrically and by members of the NextGen drafting teams.
That means these aren’t just guesses — they’re the real thing.
How Is the NextGen Exam Structured on Exam Day?
The exam spans nine hours over two days — six hours on Day 1 and three hours on Day 2 — rather than the 12 hours currently reserved for the UBE. Day 1 includes two three-hour question sets with a lunch break in between, and Day 2 features one three-hour question set.
Each of the three exam sessions will consist of approximately 40 multiple-choice questions, one performance task, and two integrated question sets.
Which States Are Adopting the NextGen Bar Exam?
The NextGen UBE will first be administered in a limited number of jurisdictions in July 2026.
All states will have to adopt the NextGen Bar Exam or choose another path to licensure by July 2028. Jurisdictions may continue offering the current UBE until February 2028, after which it will be phased out.
Notable exception: California and Nevada have announced they will not adopt the NextGen Bar Exam. California is implementing a new state-specific bar exam beginning in 2025.
Tips to Practice with Next Gen Sample Questions
Here’s a quick action plan to get started:
1. Start with official NCBE sample questions. Don’t use outdated MBE prep books as your only resource — the format has changed significantly.
2. Practice reading documents under time pressure. Integrated question sets require you to process legal materials quickly. Build that skill early.
3. Work on legal writing weekly. Performance tasks are long-form writing assignments. The more you write, the better you’ll get.
4. Focus on skills, not just memorization. The NextGen exam is designed to test how you think like a lawyer — not just how much law you’ve memorized.
5. Know your state’s timeline. Check whether your state is adopting NextGen in 2026, 2027, or 2028 — and prep accordingly.
Final Thoughts
The Next Gen Bar Exam sample questions reveal something important: this exam rewards students who can think, research, and write — not just memorize. That’s actually good news if you’ve been putting in real work in law school.
The official NCBE sample questions are available now. Start there, understand the format, and build your prep strategy around what the exam actually tests.
we’ll keep updating it as NCBE releases more sample material ahead of the July 2026 launch.
Have questions about the NextGen Bar Exam? Drop them in the comments — we read every one.
Meet Deepkant, he has been writing content since 2020. Over the years he has worked across more than ten websites — mostly covering job updates, career guidance, and government schemes — which gave him a solid grip on how to break down complicated topics for everyday readers.
At NextExamNews, he writes guides, exam updates, and result-related articles covering major US exams. He tries to keep every article easy to read and straight to the point.
On the personal side, he is currently learning performance marketing and AI and finding ways to bring both into his content creation.