Illinois is one of the more straightforward states to qualify in, and one of the more interesting to practise in. It uses the Uniform Bar Examination, accepts scores transferred from other jurisdictions, and admits experienced out of state lawyers on motion. It has also already announced both its transition to the next generation bar examination and the passing score it will apply, which puts current students in a position to plan properly rather than guess. This 2026 guide covers the whole route.
The route in outline
Admission in Illinois is administered by the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar under the rules of the Supreme Court of Illinois. The sequence is:
- Earn a Juris Doctor from a law school approved by the American Bar Association
- Pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination with a scaled score of at least 80
- Pass the bar examination, or transfer a qualifying score from another jurisdiction
- Satisfy the character and fitness requirements
- Be admitted and sworn in, then register with the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission
- Complete the requirements that apply specifically to newly admitted attorneys under the Supreme Court rules
Two of those steps have Illinois specific detail that decides timing, so take them in turn.
The examination, and the number that changes in 2028
Illinois currently administers the legacy Uniform Bar Examination, and the minimum passing score is 266 out of 400. The MPRE requirement is a scaled score of 80 or more, which is at the higher end of the range used across American jurisdictions, so do not assume a score that passed elsewhere will pass here.
Illinois has announced that it intends to administer the NextGen bar examination from February 2028, and the Supreme Court has set the NextGen passing score at 620. That figure applies to scores transferred under the transfer rule as well as to examinations sat in Illinois.
The practical consequence depends on when you graduate:
| If you sit | Exam format | Passing score |
|---|---|---|
| Before the announced transition | Legacy UBE | 266 out of 400 |
| From the announced transition | NextGen | 620 |
| Either, transferred from elsewhere | Depends on the score's format | The Illinois minimum for that format |
If you are a current student, confirm which format applies to your graduation year with the Illinois Board of Admissions before you buy preparation materials, because the two examinations test differently and the courses are not interchangeable. Confirm the last scheduled legacy administration directly with the Board rather than relying on secondary sources, since transition dates have moved in several states.
Transferring a score into Illinois
Admission by transferred Uniform Bar Examination score is governed by Illinois Supreme Court Rule 704A. In substance it allows a lawyer who sat the UBE in another jurisdiction to seek admission in Illinois using that score, provided it meets the Illinois minimum, that the MPRE requirement is met with a scaled score of at least 80, and that the character and fitness requirements are satisfied.
One point of accuracy matters here. Illinois accepts a transferred UBE score under Rule 704A, which is not the same as accepting a transferred Multistate Bar Examination score on its own. The National Conference of Bar Examiners records Illinois as not accepting transferred MBE scores. If you sat a non uniform state examination that included the MBE, transferring into Illinois is generally not available and you would look instead at admission on motion or at sitting the examination.
Admission on motion for experienced lawyers
Illinois provides for admission on motion, which allows a lawyer already admitted in another jurisdiction to be admitted without sitting the examination. The practice requirement recorded by the National Conference of Bar Examiners is three years of practice within the past five years.
That is a comparatively generous window. Pennsylvania asks for five of the preceding seven years, and California and Florida do not offer admission on motion at all, which is why our guides to becoming a lawyer in California and becoming a lawyer in Florida read very differently from this one. If you are choosing between American markets and mobility matters to you, Illinois is one of the easier states to move into mid career.
Character and fitness, and the step people forget
Character and fitness is a substantive investigation, not a formality, and it runs on its own timetable. Start it as early as the Board permits, because delays here are the most common reason an otherwise qualified applicant is not sworn in on schedule. Disclose everything the questionnaire asks for. Non disclosure is treated far more seriously than the underlying matter in almost every case.
After admission, Illinois imposes requirements specifically on newly admitted attorneys under the Supreme Court rules on continuing legal education, alongside annual registration with the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission. Budget for both in your first year. New admittees frequently miss the first year requirements because they assume continuing education begins later.
The two Illinois specific numbers worth memorising are 266 and 80. A UBE score that passes in a state with a lower cut score will not necessarily carry you into Illinois, and an MPRE score of 75 that satisfied another jurisdiction will not satisfy this one.
What the Illinois market looks like once you are admitted
Under the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2025, Illinois had about 33,590 lawyer jobs at a median annual wage of roughly USD 160,800, against a national median of about USD 159,670. Paralegals in Illinois numbered about 14,130 at a median of roughly USD 63,670, close to the national paralegal median of about USD 62,890.
The striking feature is concentration. The Chicago metropolitan area alone accounted for about 28,320 lawyer jobs at a median of roughly USD 165,660, and about 11,590 paralegal jobs at a median near USD 70,550. That is the overwhelming majority of the state's legal employment in a single metropolitan area, and it pays a premium over the statewide figure for both roles.
What follows for a career plan is blunt. Illinois admission is, in practical terms, mostly a Chicago admission. Downstate practice exists and is a genuinely good life for many lawyers, particularly in state government in Springfield, in county offices, and in agricultural, energy, and municipal work, but the volume of openings sits in the north east corner of the state. Our guide to legal jobs in Chicago covers that market in detail.
Where Illinois lawyers come from
The state has an unusually deep supply of law schools. The University of Chicago Law School and Northwestern Pritzker School of Law are national institutions. The University of Illinois College of Law sits in Urbana-Champaign. In Chicago itself, Chicago-Kent College of Law at Illinois Institute of Technology, Loyola University Chicago School of Law, DePaul University College of Law, and UIC School of Law, which became part of the University of Illinois Chicago in 2019 after previously being the John Marshall Law School, all feed the market. Southern Illinois University School of Law serves the southern part of the state.
That supply keeps entry level hiring competitive, particularly for large firm and federal roles. If you are aiming at the top of the Chicago market, our guide to getting into BigLaw sets out how that recruiting process actually works.
Frequently asked questions
What score do I need to pass the Illinois bar exam?
Illinois currently requires a minimum Uniform Bar Examination score of 266 out of 400. It has announced a NextGen passing score of 620 for when it moves to that examination, which it intends to administer from February 2028.
What MPRE score does Illinois require?
A scaled score of at least 80, which is at the higher end of the range used across American jurisdictions. A score that satisfied a lower threshold elsewhere will not necessarily satisfy Illinois.
Can I transfer my UBE score to Illinois?
Yes, under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 704A, provided the score meets the Illinois minimum and you satisfy the MPRE and character and fitness requirements. Illinois does not accept transferred Multistate Bar Examination scores on their own.
Does Illinois admit lawyers from other states without an exam?
Yes. Illinois provides for admission on motion, with a practice requirement recorded as three years of practice within the past five years. That is more accessible than several comparable states, and considerably more so than California or Florida, which do not offer it.
Do I need to attend an Illinois law school?
No. The requirement is a Juris Doctor from a law school approved by the American Bar Association, wherever it is located. Illinois has a large domestic supply of graduates, which makes entry level hiring competitive but does not restrict eligibility.
What do lawyers earn in Illinois?
The BLS put the Illinois median at about USD 160,800 for May 2025 across roughly 33,590 lawyer jobs, close to the national median. The Chicago metropolitan area pays more, at about USD 165,660, and accounts for the large majority of the state's legal employment.
The bottom line
Illinois is a good state to qualify in and an easier one to move into than most. Memorise the two numbers, 266 for the current examination and 80 for the MPRE, start character and fitness early, and confirm with the Board which examination format applies to your graduation year, because February 2028 is close enough to matter for students now in their first year. Then plan your job search around the fact that Illinois practice is overwhelmingly Chicago practice.
Ready to look ahead? Compare other states in becoming a lawyer in New York and becoming a lawyer in Texas, see the pay picture in attorney salary by practice area, and browse current roles on our US legal jobs board.
This article is a general 2026 guide, not legal or career advice. Bar admission rules, passing scores, transition dates, and continuing education requirements change, and only the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar and the Supreme Court of Illinois state the current position. Wage figures are Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates for May 2025. Always verify admission requirements with the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar (ilbaradmissions.org), examination details with the NCBE (ncbex.org), and pay data with the BLS (bls.gov).