MINNESOTA COURT RULES
PROFESSIONAL RULES
Rules for Admission to the Bar
Rule 12.Fees
A.General.
Applicants shall pay application fees and Legacy UBE laptop fees electronically through the Online Bar Application portal. All other fees required under these Rules shall be paid by personal check or money order made payable to the Board. The applicable fee is determined as of the date of filing of a complete application under Rule 4.
B.Fee for Examination, Not Previously Admitted.
An applicant who meets the following criteria shall submit a fee of $800:
(1) Applying to take the Minnesota examination for the first time; and
(2) Not admitted to practice in another jurisdiction; and
(3) Filing on or before the timely filing deadline (October 1 for the February examination, or March 1 for the July examination).
An applicant meeting the criteria in (1) and (2) above, who files after the timely filing deadline but before the late filing deadline (November 1 for the February examination, or April 1 for the July examination) shall submit a fee of $1100. Applications will not be accepted after the late filing deadline.
C.Fee for Examination, Prior Admission.
An applicant who meets the following criteria shall submit a fee of $1150:
(1) Licensed to practice in another jurisdiction more than six months prior to the date of the applicant's Minnesota application; and
(2) Filing on or before the timely filing deadline (October 1 for the February examination, or March 1 for the July examination).
An applicant meeting the criteria in (1) above, who files after the timely filing deadline but before the late filing deadline (November 1 for the February examination, or April 1 for the July examination) shall submit a fee of $1450. Applications will not be accepted after the late filing deadline.
D.Fee for Examination for Recently Admitted Applicants.
An applicant applying to take the Uniform Bar Examination in Minnesota who has been licensed to practice in another jurisdiction fewer than six months prior to the date of the applicant's Minnesota application shall submit the fee for examination required by paragraph B of this Rule.
E.Repeat Examinations.
An applicant who was unsuccessful on the most recent administration of the Uniform Bar Examination in Minnesota and is filing on or before November 1 for the February examination, or on or before May 1 for the July examination, shall submit a fee of $800 and comply with Rule 4I. Repeat applicants who did not sit for the most recent administration of the Uniform Bar Examination in Minnesota and do not apply by the timely filing deadline shall submit a fee of $1100. Applications will not be accepted after the late filing deadline.
F.Fee for Admission Without Examination.
An applicant for admission without examination pursuant to Rule 7 (Admission Without Examination) or Rule 10 (Admission by House Counsel License) shall submit a fee of $1250. An applicant for admission pursuant to Rule 9 (Admission by Temporary House Counsel License) shall submit a fee of $700.
G.Fee for Temporary License for Legal Services Program or Government Practice.
A fee in the amount of $100 must accompany an application for Temporary License pursuant to Rule 8. Payment of an additional fee, as required by Rule 12B, will qualify applicants under Rule 6. Payment of an additional fee, as required by Rule 12C, will qualify applicants under Rule 7A, 7B, or 7C.
H.Transfer of Rule 8 Application to Rule 6 or Rule 7 Application.
Applicants applying under Rule 6, 7, or 10 following Rule 8 shall submit an application and fees as required by Rule 12. Applicants may contact the Board office to determine if they qualify to submit an abbreviated application.
I.Refunds of Fees.
(1) Bar Examination Applications. An applicant who submits a written request to withdraw a bar examination application 15 or more days before the examination for which the applicant applied shall receive a refund in the amount of:
(a) $150, if the fee paid was in an amount specified by either Rule 12B or Rule 12E; or
(b) $300, if the fee paid was in an amount specified by Rule 12C.
(2) An applicant who is declared ineligible under Rule 7A, 9, or 10 and who submits a written request for refund within 30 days of notice of ineligibility shall receive a refund in the amount of $300.
(3) No other requests for refund will be granted by the Board.
J.Carry-over of Fees.
(1) Applicants Ineligible Under Rules 7A, 9, and 10. The fee of an applicant declared ineligible under Rule 7A, 9, or 10 shall, upon the applicant's written request, be applied to:
(a) An examination held within the succeeding 15 months; or
(b) An application made under Rule 8 or 9. The written request must be received by the Board within 30 days of notice of the denial. No other carry-over of fees, other than those provided for in the following paragraph, shall be granted.
(2) Emergencies. An applicant who notifies the Board prior to the examination that the applicant is unable to take the examination due to a medical emergency, death in the family, or similar exceptional circumstances, may request carry-over of the application fee to the next examination. The carry-over request must be made in writing, received in the Board office no later than 14 days following the examination, and be accompanied by written documentation of the emergency. A fee in the following amounts must accompany the application for the next examination:
(a) $50 if the applicant notified the Board on or before the Wednesday preceding the examination;
(b) $200 if the applicant notified the Board between the Thursday preceding the examination and 8:00 A.M. the morning of the first day of the examination; or
(c) the full application fee if the examination has already begun when notification is received.
K.Fees for Advisory Opinions.
An application filed for the purpose of receiving an advisory opinion from the Board must be accompanied by a fee in the amount of $100.
L.Fee for Re-issuance of House Counsel License.
An applicant for re-issuance of a house counsel license under Rule 10G shall submit a fee of $275.
M.Other Fees.
The Board may require an applicant to bear the expense of obtaining reports or other information necessary for the Board's investigation. The Board may require applicants to pay a reasonable application processing fee. The Board may charge reasonable fees for collection and publication of any information permitted to be released. For matters not covered in these Rules, the director may set reasonable fees which reflect the administrative costs associated with the service.
(Amended effective January 1, 2003; renumbered and amended effective September 1, 2004; amended effective July 1, 2007; amended effective January 1, 2008; amended effective September 1, 2011; amended effective September 1, 2019; amended effective April 1, 2020; amended effective September 1, 2026.)