Maine Bar Reciprocity

Maine’s Admission on Motion: Years of Practice and Qualifying Practice

Requirement	Maine
Admission on Motion	Yes
Practice Requirement	3 of the past 5 years
Admission on Motion Fee	$1,000 + C&F fee
Is the MPRE required?	Yes, minimum score of 80

Note: Admission requirements vary by state. Review each state’s page for additional eligibility requirements and conditions.

What Work May Qualify as Practice in Maine?

Law teaching
Government agency
Military
In-house corporate
Judicial court of record

I’m Licensed in Maine: Where Can I Apply for Admission on Motion?

Attorneys licensed in Maine may qualify to apply for admission on motion in:

AL, AK, AZ, CO, CT, DC, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY

Can Attorneys From Other States Apply for Admission on Motion in Maine?

Yes. Attorneys licensed in any U.S. state may apply for Maine admission on motion. It is not limited to attorneys from reciprocal jurisdictions.

Other Maine Admission on Motion Requirements

Must I have graduated from an ABA-approved law school? Yes
Is Maine admission on motion based on reciprocity? No
Are attorneys admitted by diploma privilege eligible? Yes
Must I be in good standing? Yes
Is character and fitness review required? Yes
Can I have recently failed the Maine bar examination? No, applicants who failed the Maine bar examination within the past 5 years are not eligible.
Is Maine-specific CLE required? Yes, applicants must complete 15 hours of approved Maine practice and procedure CLE.
For admission on motion, a qualifying MPRE score generally must have been earned within 15 years before applying. An older passing score may qualify if the applicant was previously admitted in a U.S. jurisdiction that required an MPRE score equal to or higher than Maine’s requirement at the time of admission.

Maine UBE Score Transfer Requirements

Maine accepts qualifying Legacy UBE and NextGen UBE scores earned in other jurisdictions. This pathway is separate from the 3-of-5-year admission-on-motion pathway.

Requirement	Maine
UBE Score Transfer	Yes
Minimum Legacy UBE Score	270
Maximum UBE Score Age	3 years
NextGen UBE	First accepted for transfer in July 2026; Maine first administers the NextGen UBE in July 2028
Minimum NextGen Score	620

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer my UBE score to Maine?

Yes. Maine accepts qualifying Legacy UBE scores of at least 270 and NextGen UBE scores of at least 620. A transferred score cannot be more than 3 years old.

Can I waive into the Maine Bar?

Yes. Qualified attorneys may be admitted to the Maine Bar without taking the bar examination if they have practiced law for at least 3 of the past 5 years and meet Maine’s other admission requirements.

Does Maine require reciprocity for admission on motion?

No. Maine does not limit admission on motion to attorneys from reciprocal jurisdictions. Attorneys licensed in any U.S. state may apply if they meet Maine’s other admission requirements.