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Clerk Handbooks
Supreme Court Rules



Section/Rule:
8.03

Subject:
Rule 8 - Rules Governing the Missouri Bar and the Judiciary - Admission to the Bar
Publication / Adopted Date:
February 1, 1972

Topic:
Requirements for Admission to the Bar
Revised / Effective Date:
September 1, 2023

8.03 Requirements for Admission to the Bar

(a) Every applicant for admission to the bar of this state shall meet the following requirements: (b) An applicant seeking readmission to the bar because of disbarment by this Court is not required to meet the requirement set out in Rule 8.03(a)(6).

(c) Applicants for admission by examination must satisfy all requirements for admission to the bar of this state within one year after the date of written notification to the applicant of passing the bar examination or the applicant’s examination scores shall be void. Applicants who transfer an examination score earned on the Uniform Bar Examination taken in another jurisdiction must satisfy all requirements for admission to the bar of this state within one year after the date of written notification to the applicant of acceptance of the transferred examination score. The board may extend the time period specified in this Rule 8.03(c) for good cause shown.

(d) The board shall certify to this Court those applicants qualified for admission under this Rule 8. The applicants so certified shall be granted a license to practice law upon taking and subscribing the oath or affirmation prescribed by Rule 8.15.

(Adopted February 1, 1972, effective September 1, 1972; Amended June 27, 1980, effective August 1, 1980; Amended April 5, 1988, effective May 1, 1988; Amended October 18, 1988, effective November 1, 1988; Amended June 22, 1989, effective August 1, 1989; Amended October 16, 1995, effective March 1, 1996; Amended May 14, 1999, effective January 1, 2000; Amended September 3, 2003, effective October 1, 2003; Amended December 18, 2007, effective January 1, 2008; Amended January 26, 2009, effective July 1, 2009; Amended April 8, 2010, effective July 1, 2010; Amended August 16, 2011, effective September 1, 2011; Amended September 5, 2018, effective January 1, 2019).

Regulations of the Board of Law Examiners

1. Payment of any fee shall be by good funds, cashier's check, certified check or in any manner as the Court deems acceptable. Any insufficiency of payment or rejection of funds or credit shall be considered to be a prima facie basis to reject an application.

2. Application forms may be obtained on the Internet at www.mble.org.

3. If an application is not substantially complete, as determined by the board, the application may be rejected for filing.

4. All applications shall be fully and completely answered without reservation or exception. Complete candor and fully articulated responses to all inquiries are a condition precedent to board approval and recommendation.
5. Applicants for admission by examination who are successful on the examination but who have not satisfied all other requirements for admission on the date that examination results are released will be notified in writing that they have passed the examination. The examination scores of such applicants will be released to them but their name will not be posted on the Internet or otherwise released to the public until all requirements for admission have been satisfied. The board shall not release the examination results of an applicant where there is reasonable concern that the scores are invalid for any reason until such time as the validity of the scores are confirmed.

(Adopted September 3, 2003, effective October 1, 2003. Amended December 31, 2007, effective January 1, 2008; Amended January 26, 2009, effective July 1, 2009; Amended April 8, 2010, effective July 1, 2010; Amended August 16, 2011, effective September 1, 2011; Amended February 11, 2015, effective July 1, 2015; January 31, 2023, effective September 1, 2023.)