Montana Bar Reciprocity

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

Requirement	Montana
Admission on Motion	Yes
Practice Requirement	5 of the past 7 years
Admission on Motion Fee	$2,500 + 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 Montana?

Law teaching
Government agency
Military
In-house corporate
Judicial court of record
Montana requires at least 1,000 hours of qualifying legal practice during each of the 5 years used to satisfy the practice requirement.

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

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

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

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

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

Other Montana Admission on Motion Requirements

Must I have graduated from an ABA-approved law school? Yes
Is Montana admission on motion based on reciprocity? No
Are attorneys admitted by diploma privilege eligible? No
Must I be in good standing? Yes
Is character and fitness review required? Yes

Montana UBE Score Transfer Requirements

Montana accepts qualifying Legacy UBE and NextGen UBE scores earned in other jurisdictions. This pathway is separate from the 5-of-7-year admission-on-motion pathway.

Requirement	Montana
UBE Score Transfer	Yes
Minimum Legacy UBE Score	266
Maximum UBE Score Age	3 years
NextGen UBE	First accepted for transfer in July 2026; Montana first administers the NextGen UBE in February 2028
Minimum NextGen Score	TBA

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer my UBE score to Montana?

Yes. Montana accepts qualifying Legacy UBE scores of at least 266 earned within the past 3 years. Montana began accepting transferred NextGen UBE scores in July 2026, but its minimum NextGen transfer score is still TBA.

Can I waive into the Montana Bar?

Yes. Qualified attorneys may be admitted to the Montana Bar without taking the bar examination if they have practiced law for at least 5 of the past 7 years and meet Montana’s other admission requirements.

Does Montana require reciprocity for admission on motion?

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