First Adopted: February 01, 1972
Most Recently Effective: January 01, 2026
Rule 8 | Rules Governing The Missouri Bar and the Judiciary | Admission to the Bar
8.03 | Requirements for Admission to the Bar
(a) Every applicant for admission to the bar of this state shall meet the following requirements:
(1) Comply with all provisions set out in this Rule 8;
(2) File all application forms prescribed by the board and pay all prescribed fees;
(3) Either:
(B) Satisfy the requirements for admission as set out in Rule 8.09, Rule 8.10, Rule 8.105, or Rule 8.106;
(4)
Be a citizen or national of the United States, an immigrant alien
lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States, or an
alien otherwise authorized to work lawfully in the United States;
(5) Satisfy the legal education requirements set out in Rule 8.07, Rule 8.09, Rule 8.10, Rule 8.105, or Rule 8.106; and
(6) Receive the approval of the board as to eligibility for admission and character and fitness as set out in Rule 8.11.
(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 NextGen UBE or the Legacy UBE 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.
(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; amended November 5, 2025, effective January 1, 2026.)
Regulations of the Board of Law Examiners
1. Payment of any fee shall be by good funds, cashier's check,
certified check, or any manner 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 names 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; amended January 31, 2023, effective September 1, 2023; amended November 5, 2025, effective January 1, 2026.)