What is the Minimum MBE Score I Need to Pass?

What is the Minimum MBE Score I Need to Pass?

In this post, we discuss what a minimum MBE score is (and why there truly is no “minimum MBE score” that you need to pass in most states!). We also tell you how to calculate what raw score will lead to a passing MBE score.

Updated: May 24, 2023

What is the Minimum MBE Score I Need to Pass?

In the chart above, we list the “passing MBE scores” by state. So you can see what MBE score you should aim for if you want to pass the bar exam.

A few things to note about Minimum MBE Scores:

• Most jurisdictions do not have a minimum passing MBE score. So long as you receive an overall passing score on your exam, you will pass. For example, Washington D.C. requires a total score of 266 to pass the bar exam. It doesn’t matter how you get to that score of 266. You can get a 133 on the MBE portion and a 133 on the written portion. Or you can get a 120 on the MBE and a 146 on the written portion. So, when we say that a “passing MBE score” is 133, you can actually score lower than that and still pass. (There are exceptions—Palau and South Dakota have specific requirements, but most states do not.)
• The scores listed in the chart are “converted scores.” This means that if you are in D.C., you do not need a raw score of 133 on the MBE to pass. You can score lower. As long as your “converted score” is 133, you will pass. If you are wondering how to calculate your raw vs. converted MBE score, please see this post.

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