New Hampshire
Common questions
Can a lawyer be admitted in New Hampshire without taking the bar exam (admission on motion)?
Reciprocal states only. 5 of past 7 yrs active practice (single or multiple reciprocal jurisdictions); MPRE completed before filing (NCBE: 79); fee $1,225; Maine/Vermont applicants need 15 hrs NH practice CLE
Does New Hampshire accept a transferred Uniform Bar Exam score?
Accepts UBE transfer: min 270 (legacy; NextGen 620 per NCBE); score within 3 yrs, or 3-5 yrs old with 2+ yrs active practice; MPRE before filing; petition, Form C, NCBE transcript; fee $725
What are the pro hac vice requirements and fee in New Hampshire state courts?
Local counsel: Requires association with In-State Attorney present at oral argument Fee: NOT FOUND (federal D.N.H. LR 83.2(b): $100, local counsel required, not state court)
Admission on motion
- Requirements
- 5 of past 7 yrs active practice (single or multiple reciprocal jurisdictions); MPRE completed before filing (NCBE: 79); fee $1,225; Maine/Vermont applicants need 15 hrs NH practice CLE
- Years of practice
- have been primarily engaged in the active practice of law for five of the past seven years
- Reciprocity
- Applicant must show home jurisdiction offers comparable admission without exam to NH lawyers; NH list includes MS, MO, MT, NE; Nevada listed as non-reciprocal
- Reciprocity states
- Reciprocal: ALABAMA, ALASKA, ARIZONA, ARKANSAS, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, GEORGIA, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE*, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSISSIPPI, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEW JERSEY, NEW MEXICO, NEW YORK, NORTH CAROLINA, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, OKLAHOMA, OREGON, PENNSYLVANIA, SOUTH DAKOTA, TENNESSEE, TEXAS, UNITED STATE VIRGIN ISLANDS, UTAH, VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, WYOMING; Non-reciprocal: CALIFORNIA, DELAWARE, FLORIDA, HAWAII, LOUISIANA, NEVADA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA, VERMONT**
- Fee
- $2,500.00
- Rule
- N.H. Sup. Ct. R. 42(XI)
- UBE score transfer
- Accepts UBE transfer: min 270 (legacy; NextGen 620 per NCBE); score within 3 yrs, or 3-5 yrs old with 2+ yrs active practice; MPRE before filing; petition, Form C, NCBE transcript; fee $725
- UBE minimum
- 270
- UBE score window
- within three years immediately preceding filing; or more than three years but less than five years prior to filing with two years active practice
- MPRE
- 79
- Other routes
- Spouses of active military personnel assigned to New Hampshire may seek waiver of duration requirements for admission by motion and transferred UBE
- Foreign attorneys
- Foreign Law Graduate Eligibility: Yes
- Military spouse
- Spouses of active military personnel assigned to New Hampshire may seek waiver of strict compliance with duration of practice requirements for admission by motion and by transferred UBE score
State-court pro hac vice
- Rule
- Not confirmed; likely N.H. Sup. Ct. R. 33 (supreme court), Superior Court Civil Rule 19, Circuit Court Probate Rule 19 (pages returned 403)
- Local counsel
- Requires association with In-State Attorney present at oral argument
- Fee
- NOT FOUND (federal D.N.H. LR 83.2(b): $100, local counsel required, not state court)
2 not found in the pulled documents
- Limits
- Not in the pulled documents
- Procedure
- Not in the pulled documents
Language from the source documents
11 quoted passages
On motion
have been admitted by bar exam in another jurisdiction, have been primarily engaged in the active practice of law for five of the past seven years, and have either:courts.nh.gov
On-motion rule
The requirements for admission on motion without examination are set forth in Supreme Court Rule 42(XI)courts.nh.gov
UBE transfer
Accepts Legacy UBE Score -->Yes Minimum Legacy UBE Score 270 Accepts NextGen UBE Score -->Yes Minimum NextGen UBE Score 620 Date First Acceptance NextGen UBE Score July 2026 Maximum Score Age 3 years/5 yearsncbex.org
Other routes
Spouses of active military personnel assigned to New Hampshire may seek waiver of strict compliance with the duration of practice requirements of the rules governing admission by motion without examination and admission by transferred UBE score.courts.nh.gov
Local counsel
which may be granted if a member of the Bar of this State [(the “In-State Attorney”)] is associated with him or her and present at oral argument.courts.nh.gov
On-motion fee
The fee for filing a motion for admission without examination is $2,500.00, which must be made payable to the State of New Hampshire.courts.nh.gov
Years of practice
have been primarily engaged in the active practice of law for five of the past seven yearscourts.nh.gov
Reciprocity states
ALABAMA ALASKA ARIZONA ARKANSAS COLORADO CONNECTICUT DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA GEORGIA IDAHO ILLINOIS INDIANA IOWA KANSAS KENTUCKY MAINE* MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS MICHIGAN MINNESOTA MISSISSIPPI MISSOURI MONTANA NEBRASKA NEW JERSEY NEW MEXICO NEW YORKcourts.nh.gov
UBE minimum score
Applicants who have earned a UBE scaled score of 270 or better on a scale of 400 in an administration of a UBE exam from another jurisdiction are eligible to apply under this rule.courts.nh.gov
UBE score window
which occurred within three years immediately preceding the date on which the motion for admission by transferred UBE score is filed; or if the score was earned in an administration of the UBE which occurred more than three years, but less than five years prior to the date of filingcourts.nh.gov