Re-Examination Application

Use the Application for Re-Examination if you have taken the Uniform Bar Examination in Tennessee within the last 3 years.

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Re-Examination Application

Announcements & Deadlines

OCTOBER 2, 2026

Amendments to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 7

ALL ANNOUNCEMENTS
OCT 05
  • BAR EXAM
  • FIRST TIME BAR EXAM
  • GENERAL
  • RE-EXAMINATION

Applications Open (February 2027 Exam)

DEC 01
  • BAR EXAM
  • FIRST TIME BAR EXAM
  • RE-EXAMINATION

Final Deadline (February 2027 Exam)

FEB 01
  • BAR EXAM
  • FIRST TIME BAR EXAM
  • RE-EXAMINATION

Deadline to Withdraw from Exam with Refund

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Qualifications & Requirements

Use the Application for Re-Examination if you have taken the Uniform Bar Examination in Tennessee within the last 3 years.

Do not use the Application for Re-Examination if:

  • You are applying for admission by examination for the first time; 
  • You previously applied for admission by examination in Tennessee less than 2 years ago but have not taken the examination in Tennessee; instead, use the Application for First-Time Applicants.
  • You previously took the examination in Tennessee but your application expired pursuant to Rule 7, § 3.04(a)(8);
  • You previously applied for the examination in Tennessee as a first-time application but did not sit for the exam; or
  • You previously applied for the examination in Tennessee more than 3 years ago.

In these scenarios, use the Application for First-Time Applicants instead.  Note if you last applied for examination in Tennessee more than 3 years ago, a new NCBE application is also required. In the NCBE application, you must include all previous examination application dates, including prior applications in Tennessee.

rules

Rules Governing Admission

Admission by Examination is governed byTennessee Supreme Court Rule 7 and Board Policies.

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Key Dates

Applications for Admission by Re-Examination are accepted only during the following periods:

Applications Open Final Deadline
February 2027 Exam October 1, 2026 December 1, 2026
July 2027 Exam March 1, 2027 May 1, 2027

** If a deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday or State of Tennessee holiday, the deadline is the following Monday or business day.

For the Final Deadline

The Final Deadline is May 1 (for the July exam) and December 1 (for the February exam). To meet the Final Deadline, you must complete the following steps on or before the Final Deadline date.

Determine Whether Your NCBE Application is Still Valid

If your prior NCBE application is more than 2 years old, you must update and finalize a new NCBE application before beginning your Tennessee application.

An NCBE application remains valid for four consecutive exam administrations. For example, an application submitted for the July 2026 exam is valid for the following exams: July 2026, February 2027, July 2027, and February 2028. After February 2028, you must submit a new NCBE application. This applies regardless of whether you actually sat for any or all exams during that two‑year period.

If Your NCBE Application is Expired, Complete the NCBE Character & Fitness Application

Login to your NCBE account and complete the online NCBE character and fitness application for background investigation. Provide all required documents to the NCBE in the format and by the process required. When you have completed the NCBE application form online, save the application and any attachments you may have already uploaded to NCBE as a .pdf file, which you will need for your Tennessee application.

Note:

  • If you uploaded any amendments or attachments to the NCBE after you uploaded the .pdf of your application in Synergy, you must upload a copy of the amendment and attachments to your Tennessee Application in Synergy.
  • You are responsible for managing your NCBE dashboard; the TN BLE does not have access to your NCBE account and does not provide notice regarding steps needed to complete the NCBE application prior to the Final Deadline.
NCBE Login

Submit the Tennessee Application and Pay Fee

    1. Login to your Synergy account.
    2. From the dashboard select “Application for Re-Exam.”
      • You will have a chance to review your answers before you submit and finalize the application.
      • Be sure to read and answer each question fully, Failure to provide complete information may result in denial of your application.
    3. Select your interview location
      • As part of the Tennessee Application, you will be asked to select the county in which you wish to appear for your in-person interview.
    4. Pay the application fee. (View Fee Schedule here) 
    • If you are paying by credit card: Select the online payment option.  You will be routed to a third-party provider to pay the application fee.
      • A credit card service fee is collected from the vendor in a separate credit card transaction at the same time as the filing fee is paid.
    • If you are paying by check or money order: Skip the online payment. Send a check or money order for the filing fee payable to the TN Board of Law Examiners to 511 Union Street, Suite 525, Nashville, TN 37219. Your full name and NCBE number must be included on the check or money order. Please do not mail cash.
    • Note: the fee payment must be completed and successful on or before the Final Deadline. Be sure your payment for the full amount is processed by using a payment method you know will support the payment of the filing fee and convenience fee.
    • If you pay the Tennessee application fee by credit card, you will be directed to a third-party processer. Note that the Board does not receive notice of an unsuccessful transaction until the next business day.  If your online fee payment is unsuccessful as of the deadline, you will not be eligible to take the exam.
    • Please see Board Policy P-3.03(a)(2) regarding online payments that are not successful at the Application Deadline and remain unpaid.
Synergy Login

Upload Required Documents

Upload the following required documents:

  1. NCBE character and fitness application, completed no sooner than 6 months prior to the date of the examination, saved as a .pdf document and uploaded to the Synergy application.
  2. Current resume in .pdf format only
  3. Current color photo, similar to a photo submitted with a passport application, in .jpg format only.
  4. Unexpired Government-issued “Real” Photo ID in .pdf or .jpg format.  Acceptable forms of photo ID: Driver’s license “Real” ID, Passport, or Military ID.
  5. Acknowledgment of receipt of the General Instruction Manual for the current exam.

Upload Proof of U.S. Citizenship or Status as Qualified Alien

Applicants for a license and admission to practice law in Tennessee must be a United States citizen or a qualified alien as defined in Tenn. Code Ann. § 4-58-102(3). You are required to provide proof of U.S. citizenship or status as a qualified alien by uploading one or more of the following documents to “Applicant Additional Information” in your Synergy application:

Proof of U.S. citizenship- provide one of the following documents:

  • U.S. Passport;
  • A certified copy of birth certificate;
  • Copy of certificate of naturalization (Form N-550 or N-570); or
  • Certificate of citizenship (N-560 or N-561) or naturalization certificate number

Proof of status as a qualified alien- provide at least one but preferably two of the following unexpired documents (unless noted otherwise):

  • Alien Number (A-number)/USCIS Number, a receipt number on an I-797 Notice of
    Action form, or a SEVIS ID number;
  • Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) – Form I-551 which can include Form N-
    400 – Application for Naturalization; Form I-75 – Petition to Remove Conditions on
    Residence or Form I-829 – Petition by Investor to Remove Condition on Permanent Resident Status showing extension of otherwise expired Green Card;
  • Form I-797 Notice of Action, including Forms I-797 A-F;
  • Foreign Passport with Temporary I-551 – Machine Readable Immigrant Visa that has been endorsed and has not expired;
  • Foreign Passport with Temporary I-551 – Permanent Resident Stamp;
  • Form I-94 – Arrival/Departure Record in either electronic or paper format and including the CBP Global Entry From I-94 and the paper form in Form I-797A;
  • Form I-327 – Permit to Re-Enter Travel Document;
  • Form I-571 – Refugee Travel Document;
  • Form I-766 – Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and, if expired, documentation showing that the validity period was automatically extended by DHS; or the EAD and Form I797 receipt notice for an EAD renewal that includes language extending the validity period of the EAD;
  • An unexpired Foreign Passport with an immigration stamp that has not expired;
  • Form I-20 – Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status for Academic and Language Students or for Vocational Students that has not expired;
  • Form DS-2019 – Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status; and/or
  • Form I-385 – Alien Booking Record that includes a parole stamp endorsed by a Customs and Border Protection or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer or a parole notation.

Note that Forms I-220A, Form I-220B, and Form I-862 are not identity documents and are not evidence of having an immigration status.

Testing Accommodations (if applicable)

If you plan to request testing accommodations, you must complete the Request for Non-Standard Testing Accommodations or the Request for Courtesy Accommodations in Synergy and provide all required documents by the Final Deadline. See below for complete requirements.

 

 

 

Other Documents May Be Required

If applicable, additional documentation must be submitted by the Final Deadline, including foreign or non-ABA legal education, licensure in another jurisdiction, and other special filing requirements. See below for complete requirements.

Reminders & Notices

NCBE and TN BLE are separate entities. The NCBE conducts background investigations for the TBLE. Submitting documents only to the TBLE or only to the NCBE will not meet the filing requirements and will not constitute a complete application. You MUST submit your NCBE Application to the NCBE and upload a .pdf of your complete NCBE Application to your Tennessee Application.

For the Final Deadline

Other Required Documents

If applicable, additional documentation must be submitted by the Final Deadline, including testing accommodations, foreign or non-ABA legal education, licensure in another jurisdiction, and other special filing requirements. See below for complete requirements.

Other Required Documents

Other Documents that, if required, must be submitted by the Final Deadline:

If you are seeking testing accommodations and previously met the Application Deadline for the Request for Non-Standard Testing or Courtesy Accommodations, you must have all required NST Forms uploaded to or received by the Board on or before the Final Deadline. For complete instructions, go to the Non-Standard Testing Accommodations page. Some Requests for Accommodations require professional assessment, including administration of evaluative testing that may be subject to expiration.

  • If you did not graduate from an accredited undergraduate school or have a foreign undergraduate degree and earned a J.D. from a law school accredited by an Approved Accreditor or a Tennessee-approved law school, you must submit a petition for waiver of the undergraduate accreditation requirement. (See Rule 7 § 2.01(c) and Policy P-2.01). You must include evidence that your undergraduate education is substantially equivalent to an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited school
  • If you received your legal education in a foreign country and did not receive a J.D. from a law school accredited by an Approved Accreditor or a Tennessee-approved law school, see Foreign-Educated Applicants. 
  • If you received a J.D.  from a law school that is not accredited by an Approved Accreditor or a Tennessee-approved law school, see Law Schools Not Accredited by Approved Accreditor, below.
  • If you received your legal education at a law school that was not accredited by an Approved Accreditor at the time of your graduation (other than Tennessee law schools approved by the TN BLE), you may be eligible for admission in Tennessee by examination if: 
    • You were awarded a J.D. Degree from a law school approved by an authority similar to the TN BLE in the jurisdiction where the law school is located;
    • Your legal education was based on in-person attendance or a hybrid program that complies with Rule 7 § 2.02; and
    • You passed the bar examination in the state in which your law school is located. 
  • You must provide the following by the Final Deadline:
    • Proof of bar examination passage in state in which the law school is located- in the form of a score report or letter from the appropriate authority in the jurisdiction in which you were educated certifying that you were successful on the examination;
    • Information sufficient for the Board to determine that your law school was approved in the state in which it is located by an authority similar to the TN BLE; and
    • Documentation that the curriculum offered is equivalent to a three-year course of study that is substantially equivalent to the legal education provided by approved law schools located in Tennessee. Distance, on-line, or other instruction that is not in-person will be accepted as part of the curriculum at a law school approved by an Approved Accreditor or a Tennessee-approved law school only to the extent permitted under Definition 8 and Standards 306, 311, and 511 of the Standards and Rules of Procedure for Approval of Law Schools promulgated by the Council of the ABA Sect9ion of Legal Admissions to the Bar, or up to 100% of the curriculum for law schools approved by the Approved Accreditor to offer distance-learning programs that are fully remote.

If you received your legal education outside the United States and do not have a J.D. from a law school accredited by an Approved Accreditor or a Tennessee-approved law school, you have additional requirements that must be submitted by the Final Deadline. See the Foreign Education page.

If you are or have been licensed in another U.S. Jurisdiction, you must also provide the following by the Final Deadline:

  • Certification of Admission to the highest court of each state in which you are or were admitted (required to be uploaded to Synergy every two years, unless a change in status, in .pdf file format only); and
  • Certification from the Disciplinary Authority of each state in which you are or were licensed and admitted attesting to your current standing and your disciplinary history (required to be uploaded to Synergy every two years, unless a change in status, in .pdf file format only).
  •  Note that certification may take the form of one certificate or two, but must show the date of admission to the highest court and certify the applicant’s current standing (disciplinary and administrative, with disciplinary history) with the bar of each state in which the applicant is licensed.
  • The required certificates must be dated within the 6 months immediately preceding the application and be from the highest court of each state in which you are or have been licensed, include the date that you were admitted to the highest court of the jurisdiction, and from the disciplinary authority certifying the current standing of your license in the jurisdiction (good, inactive, suspended, etc.) and your disciplinary history.
  • A certificate from the state bar association is not sufficient unless the State Bar is the agency charged with maintaining the official admission and disciplinary records.
  • If you become licensed in another jurisdiction while your Tennessee application is pending, you must amend your application and provide certification of admission to the highest court and good standing.
  • If you are licensed to practice law in a foreign (non-U.S.) jurisdiction, regardless of whether you were educated outside the U.S., you must also provide the following by the Final Deadline:
    • Certified copy of the record or license of the court which admitted you to practice, and
    • Three letters from attorneys in each country in which you are licensed who can verify that you are licensed and attest to your practice in that country (see Rule 7 § 7.02), provided: 
      • The letter must relate to your work with the recommender in the practice of law and,
      • If the letter is from a relative, the relationship must be disclosed in the letter. (Note that letters from an Applicant’s parents, grandparents, siblings or spouse who are practicing attorneys are not permitted). 
    • Documents not in English must include a translation to English by a certified translator and be  provided with the original document.
    • Letters must be updated every 2 years
  • If you have been unsuccessful 5 or more times on the former Tennessee Bar Exam or the Uniform Bar Exam in any jurisdiction, you must also submit a petition and supporting documentation; see Board Policy P-4.05 for information.
  • The petition must be submitted in writing, under oath.  See Rule 7 § 13.02.
  • You must also submit your UBE Score Report; contact the NCBE to have the report transferred to Tennessee.

Reminders & Notices

NOTICE OF DEFICIENCY: You will not receive notice of deficiency until the Tennessee application filing fee is paid.  If you submit an application, pay the fee, and upload the completed NCBE application on or before April 1 (for the July exam) or November 1 (for the February exam), you will be notified at least once prior to the Final Deadline if a required document is missing or if a document has been submitted in the incorrect format. 

After Successful Examination

Completion of the Tennessee Law Course

The Tennessee Law Course is a mandatory online course on Tennessee-specific law that takes approximately 7.5 hours. The TLC must be completed prior to approval for licensing and admission.

Tennessee Law Course

MPRE

  • You must have an MPRE score of 82 or higher to be eligible for admission.
  • The MPRE score must have been earned within 2 years of successful completion of the bar exam in Tennessee.
  •  Scores must be sent directly from the NCBE. If you did not choose Tennessee as a jurisdiction to receive your score when you sat for the MPRE please visit NCBE Score Services for instructions on transferring your score.
  • For more information on MPRE Scores, please see Rule 7  § 4.07(d) and Policy P-4.07.

Character & Fitness

  • The Board will determine whether you meet the character and fitness standard of Rule 7 § 6.01. To assist the Board in this determination, applicants must appear for an in-person interview with a member of the District Investigatory Committee. 
  • Applicants who are licensed and in good standing in at least one other U.S. jurisdiction are not generally required to be interviewed; however, the Board may require an interview. 
  •  Interviews are typically conducted in March, August and September. The TN BLE does not schedule interviews; you will be contacted by the interviewer directly.
  •  Interviews are generally required to be conducted in person. However, in cases of extreme hardship, you may submit a written request via email for an interview by video conference.  You must get agreement from the interviewer to conduct the interview by video conference before you submit the request to the Board. The request must include an explanation as to why you cannot appear in person at the interview. Travel requirements or expense alone do not constitute an extreme hardship.
  • The interview requirement cannot be waived. Applicants who are not currently licensed, active, and in good standing in at least one jurisdiction will not be eligible for licensing until the interview has been completed. For more information see Board Policies and Procedure P-6.02.
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Supervised Practice

Recent law school graduates who have applied for admission in Tennessee may register to practice under supervision pursuant to Rule 7 §10.04.

Learn More
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Practice Pending Admission

Applicants who are licensed and in good standing in another U.S. jurisdiction who apply for admission in Tennessee may register to practice pending admission under Rule 7 § 10.07

Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions

If you last applied more than three years ago, you must submit a First-Time Examination Application, as well as a new NCBE application. In your NCBE application, you must provide all previous examination application dates, including prior applications in Tennessee, in response to the NCBE application question regarding “Prior Applications” and the related question in the Tennessee application, as well.

If you previously applied as a First Time applicant but did not sit for the examination, you should submit a First Time Examination Application. If an Undergraduate Transcript and/or finalized Law Degree Verification form was provided for the original application less than 3 years ago, those items do not need to be resubmitted. If your NCBE application is more than 2 years old, you must submit a new NCBE application and request a new investigation.

The TN BLE discourages the use of school email accounts (student@school.edu)  in Synergy as many schools disable these accounts after graduation. All correspondence from the BLE, including exam instructions and results, is sent via email to the account you registered in Synergy. If your email is deactivated you will not receive this timely and important information.

Yes. You may pay online through a third‑party processor. If the payment fails as of the deadline, your application is not considered filed. You may also pay by check or money order (no cash).

Applications are accepted only during posted application periods for the February and July exams. If a deadline falls on a weekend or state holiday, it moves to the next business day.

First‑Time Application: Choose this if you have never taken the Tennessee Bar Exam, even if you previously applied but did not sit for the exam.

Re‑Exam Application: Choose this if you took the Tennessee Bar Exam within the last 3 years.

If it has been more than 3 years since your last application, it has expired and you must apply as a first‑time applicant.

All documents must be in .pdf format (except your color photo, which must be uploaded in .jpg format). Other formats such as .doc, .heic, and .exe do not upload correctly and are not accepted by the Board.