Applying by Motion
Applicants much click on each section and check the certification at the bottom of each section.
Applicants for Admission by Motion must meet the following criteria:
- hold a juris doctor degree from an ABA accredited law school;
- demonstrate fitness and character to practice law;
- pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) with a 75 or higher or pass an approved law school course on ethics with a “C-” or better;
- have practiced for five of the last seven years in another jurisdiction;
- have previously passed a bar examination in another jurisdiction;
- be admitted in a jurisdiction that would extend a reciprocal license by motion to New Jersey lawyers; and
- complete a course on New Jersey ethics and professionalism as a condition precedent to admission.
Applicants may request a pre-application determination of prior work history by completing the form "Request for Pre-approval of Practice Form" found on your user Home Page. Application fees are non-refundable.
Starting the application
1. The online motion application, available on your User Home Page.
2. The on-line Character Questionnaire (also referred to as character statement or character and fitness form) must be submitted on-line. When you submit the character questionnaire, you will be given the option of paying by credit card. If you do not select to pay by credit card at that time, you cannot go back later and pay via credit card.
Do not send a paper copy of your Character and Fitness Questionnaire.
Until you press "Submit" from the User Home Page, your application will not be submitted to the Board of Bar Examiners. Please confirm that you have submitted your application by checking Application Information on your User Home Page. Application Status should be "Submitted."
After you submit the Character Questionnaire and payment, an Upload button will appear on the lower right hand side of your User Home Page. This button is used to upload documents directly to your User account with the Board of Bar Examiners.
Your application will not be reviewed until your Character questionnaire is submitted and payment is received. ALL other documents are considered supplemental. However, your application WILL NOT be acknowledged until the one page Authorization and Release form is uploaded. It is strongly recommended that you upload items as soon as possible.
3. The application fee;
4. A one page Authorization and Release form, which must be signed, notarized and uploaded from your User Home Page.
Payments. Payments can be made via credit card when the character questionnaire is submitted OR with a money order or certified check or cashier’s check. If paying via "paper," you must attach payment to the Non-credit Card Payments form, which is available on the User Home Page. Payments are non-refundable.
NOTES
UNACCEPTABLE forms of payment include: Personal checks and Travelers’ checks. We cannot accept any foreign instruments including bank checks, American Express, Discover, personal checks, money orders, cash, or other instruments, even if drawn against a US financial institution. If an application is submitted with the incorrect amount or an incorrect method of payment, the application will not be considered submitted until appropriate payment is received.
NOTES
You are required to amend your Certified Statement within 30 days of any change to the information provided. This requirement remains in effect until you are admitted or withdraw, or until you are abandoned. To amend your application, go to your User Home Page and select "Amend Application." Click on Character & Fitness Questionnaire under Forms & Progress, edit as needed, and click on “Submit Addendum” on the User Home Page.