Washington
Common questions
Can a lawyer be admitted in Washington without taking the bar exam (admission on motion)?
Admission on motion available. Admission and current good standing in another US jurisdiction plus active legal experience for at least 1 of the 3 years immediately preceding filing; no bar exam required
Does Washington accept a transferred Uniform Bar Exam score?
Legacy UBE min 260, NextGen min 610, max score age 40 months (NCBE, secondary)
What are the pro hac vice requirements and fee in Washington state courts?
Local counsel: Must appear in association with an active Washington lawyer member who shall be lawyer of record, responsible for conduct, and present unless excused Fee: Active WSBA license fee plus client protection fund assessment, per lawyer per case (APR 8(b)); $475 for the 2027 license year (derived from the fee page); 2.5% fee on card payment
Admission on motion
- Requirements
- Admission and current good standing in another US jurisdiction plus active legal experience for at least 1 of the 3 years immediately preceding filing; no bar exam required
- Years of practice
- active legal experience for at least one of the three years immediately preceding the filing of the application
- Fee
- $970 + NCBE Investigation Fee
- Rule
- Washington APR 3(c)(1)
- UBE score transfer
- Legacy UBE min 260, NextGen min 610, max score age 40 months (NCBE, secondary)
- UBE minimum
- 260 (legacy UBE)
- UBE score window
- for up to 40 months after the date of the administration of the UBE in which the score was earned
- MPRE
- 85; qualifying MPRE score must be acquired no more than three years before or no later than 40 months after the date of the administration of the UBE in which the applicant achieves a passing score
- Other routes
- House counsel may apply for limited license to practice as in-house counsel in Washington
- Foreign attorneys
- Yes - Foreign Law Graduate Eligibility
- Military spouse
- Yes - Military Spouse Admission by Motion under APR 3(c)(2); spouse of active duty service member stationed in Washington not required to sit for bar examination
2 not found in the pulled documents
- Reciprocity
- Not in the pulled documents
- Reciprocity states
- Not in the pulled documents
State-court pro hac vice
- Rule
- Washington APR 8(b)
- Local counsel
- Must appear in association with an active Washington lawyer member who shall be lawyer of record, responsible for conduct, and present unless excused
- Limits
- WSBA members (any status) not eligible; no residency restriction mentioned
- Fee
- Active WSBA license fee plus client protection fund assessment, per lawyer per case (APR 8(b)); $475 for the 2027 license year (derived from the fee page); 2.5% fee on card payment
- Procedure
- Online WSBA application with PDF of motion; associated WSBA attorney files motion with court; no new fee on appeal to higher court
Language from the source documents
13 quoted passages
On motion
present satisfactory proof of admission and current good standing in that jurisdiction , together with proof of active legal experience for at least one of the three years immediately preceding the filing of the application.wsba.org
On-motion rule
Applications for admission by motion under Washington Supreme Court Admission and Practice Rule (APR) 3(c)(1) may be filed online at anytime.wsba.org
UBE transfer
You can take the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) in any state and transfer a qualifying score to Washington to use in the admission process, for up to 40 months after the date of the administration of the UBE in which the score was earned. Washington's qualifying score for the legacy UBE is 260.wsba.org
Other routes
Exception for House Counsel. A lawyer admitted to the practice of law in any jurisdiction may apply to the Bar for a limited license to practice law as in-house counsel in this statecourts.wa.gov
Pro hac vice rule
Please read Admission and Practice Rule 8(b) before applying for pro hac vice admission.wsba.org
Local counsel
in association with an active lawyer member of the Bar, who shall be the lawyer of record therein, responsible for the conduct thereof, and present at proceedings unless excused by the court or tribunal.courts.wa.gov
Years of practice
together with proof of active legal experience for at least one of the three years immediately preceding the filing of the application.wsba.org
UBE score window
for up to 40 months after the date of the administration of the UBE in which the score was earned.wsba.org
MPRE
The qualifying Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) score must be acquired no more than three years before or no later than 40 months after the date of the administration of the UBE in which the applicant achieves a passing score (APR 4(d)(2)).wsba.org
Military spouse
A lawyer admitted to practice law in another state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia who is the spouse of an active duty service member of the United States Uniformed Services, who is or will be stationed in Washingtonwsba.org
Pro hac vice fee
A nonrefundable fee equal to the active status license fee for a WSBA member plus the client protection fund assessment paid to the WSBA.wsba.org