What’s Actually on the California Bar Exam — and How It’s Scored
The California Bar Exam isn’t about perfection; it’s about passing. With so much potential material, your first job is to understand what’s actually tested and how much each part of the exam is worth.
Across two demanding days, the exam measures three core skills: writing, legal analysis, and rule recall. Half of your total score comes from the Multiple-Choice (MBE) section, and the other half comes from the Written section — five essays and one Performance Test.
Even though California includes several state-specific subjects, nearly 70 percent of the entire exam focuses on the seven national MBE subjects, tested twice: once in multiple choice and again in essay form. The remaining points come from the Performance Test and a few California-specific essays, one of which is almost always Professional Responsibility.
Understanding this structure is the foundation for every later step toward a passing score.
The Structure of the California Bar Exam
The California Bar Exam spans two days and combines written analysis with objective reasoning.
- Written Portion (50 percent of total): five one-hour essays and one ninety-minute Performance Test.
- Multiple-Choice Portion (MBE – 50 percent): 200 questions, 175 scored.
Scores from both halves are scaled to 2,000 points. A total of 1,390 passes.
The Essay Section
The written day begins with five one-hour essays, each worth 100 raw points. Together they represent 35.7 percent of the total exam score.
Essays test rule recall, issue spotting, and analytical clarity under time pressure.
Subjects tested
- MBE Subjects: Contracts, Torts, Real Property, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Civil Procedure.
- California-Specific Subjects: Community Property, Wills and Trusts, Remedies, Professional Responsibility, Corporations, Agency, Partnership.
Typical distribution
- Two or three essays draw from MBE subjects.
- Two or three come from California-specific subjects.
- One essay almost always includes Professional Responsibility.
Essays are graded for content accuracy, organization, and adherence to the IRAC method — not for writing style.
The Performance Test (PT)
The Performance Test is not an essay. It’s a structure and compliance exercise that tests whether you can follow directions, organize material, and analyze efficiently under time pressure.
You receive three components: a File of facts, a Library of cases and statutes, and an Assignment Memo telling you exactly what to produce — usually a memorandum, brief, or letter.
The PT is worth 200 raw points (≈ 14.3 percent of your total score) — the same as two essays.
Performance Tests are graded for:
- accuracy in following assignment instructions,
- logical organization,
- correct use of provided law and facts, and
- clarity of analysis within the time allowed.
It rewards precision and completion, not creativity.
The MBE (Multiple-Choice Section)
The MBE accounts for half of the exam score (700 points). It contains 200 questions covering seven national subjects equally: Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts and Sales, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts.
Each subject contributes approximately twenty-five scored questions. The MBE tests rule mastery and legal reasoning under time constraints. Each question is worth about half a percent of your total score, but together they make up fifty percent of the exam.
Where the Points Come From
Although California lists more than a dozen testable subjects, the scoring distribution shows that the seven MBE subjects dominate the exam.
- The MBE section (50 percent) tests only those seven subjects.
- Two or three essays (about 14 to 21 percent of total points) also come from the same topics.
- The Performance Test (≈ 14 percent) measures skills, not doctrine.
- The remaining 15 to 20 percent comes from California-specific essays, with Professional Responsibility appearing almost every exam.
When added together, roughly 65 to 71 percent of the total exam score depends on the MBE doctrines.
In other words, the core federal and common-law subjects — Contracts, Torts, Real Property, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, and Civil Procedure — carry the most weight across both days.
Why This Matters
The California Bar Exam is broad, but its point density is concentrated. Understanding that distribution gives you the map for everything that follows in this series.
- Written (essays + PT) = 50 percent of your score.
- MBE = the other 50 percent.
- MBE subjects dominate both halves.
- Professional Responsibility is nearly guaranteed.
- California-specific topics rotate among Community Property, Wills and Trusts, Corporations, Agency, Partnership, and Remedies.
The exam rewards coverage of what is tested most often, not memorization of everything possible.
Quick Facts & Percentages
- Essays = five one-hour questions worth 100 points each.
- Performance Test = one ninety-minute task worth 200 points (14.3 percent overall).
- Written portion = 700 points (50 percent).
- MBE portion = 700 points (50 percent).
- Passing score = 1,390 out of 2,000 scaled.
- Approximate subject influence: MBE subjects 65–71 percent of total; Performance Test 14 percent; California subjects 15–20 percent.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the exam scored?
Written 50 percent + MBE 50 percent, scaled to 2,000 points. Passing = 1,390.
How much is each essay worth?
About 7 percent of the total exam score.
How much is the Performance Test worth?
Roughly 14 percent — equal to two essays.
Does California test more than the UBE?
Yes. California adds state-specific subjects such as Community Property, Remedies, Corporations, Agency, and Partnership.
