Office of Bar Admissions
The Office of Bar Admissions of the Supreme Court of South Carolina is responsible for processing applications for admission to practice law in South Carolina. This includes regular admission under Rule 402 of the South Carolina Appellate Court Rules, limited certificates to practice law and pro hac vice applications. The Office assists the Board of Law Examiners in conducting the South Carolina Bar Examination and the Committee on Character and Fitness in processing applications for admission. The Office processes applications for licensing as a foreign legal consultant. Additionally, the Office provides certificates of good standing for those licensed to practice law in South Carolina and processes trial experiences and death penalty certifications. For additional information on each of those areas, please click a link on the menu bar which appears above.
Announcements
Results of the February 2018 Uniform Bar Examination and Swearing-In Ceremony
The results of the February 2018 Uniform Bar Examination administered in South Carolina were posted on this page at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 20, 2018. Additionally, a letter notifying each bar applicant of the results will be mailed on Friday, April 20, 2018. Telephonic requests for information about these results will not be accepted until 9:00 a.m. on Monday, April 23, 2018.
The swearing-in ceremony for applicants who have passed the examination and have completed all other requirements for admission will be held at the Koger Center in Columbia, South Carolina, on Tuesday, May 22, 2018, beginning at 2:30 p.m. Applicants who are eligible to be sworn in during this ceremony will receive detailed instructions regarding this ceremony in the letter notifying them of the results of the bar examination.
You must have Adobe Reader installed to view the results. A free download is available at http://get.adobe.com/reader.
Important Update to ExamSoft’s testing application: Examplify v1.4.0
ExamSoft released an update to the testing application Examplify. To ensure the optimal testing experience, it is critical that you verify that you are using our most recent version of Examplify v1.4.0
To verify the version currently installed on your device, please see these directions:
Windows Users
Mac Users
If you are NOT currently using Examplify v1.4.0, please open the application on your desktop and update when prompted.
You can also manually download installers at the following sites:
Windows Users
Mac Users
We strongly suggest that you take and upload another mock exam to ensure your laptop is compatible with Examplify and
that you are familiar with the new testing application and its features. Here’s how.
Announcement Concerning Computer-Based Testing for February 2018 Uniform Bar Examination
Applicants interested in using laptops to complete their answers to the written components of the February 2018 South Carolina Uniform Bar Examination must complete and return the attached "Request to Participate" form by Monday, January 8, 2018.
Announcement Concerning Course of Study (COS) on South Carolina Law
Examinees who pass the July 2017 Bar Examination and wish to be sworn-in at the November 2017 admission ceremony must complete the Course of Study (COS) on South Carolina Law no later than October 15, 2017. Failure to complete the COS by this deadline will significantly delay your admission. (Please remember that your successful completion of the COS is good for three (3) years. Consequently, if you did not take the July 2017 examination or are not successful on the examination, completion of the COS may be used to satisfy the COS requirement for admission for subsequent applications filed within three (3) years of the date of your completion of the COS). FAQs and COS Instructions may be accessed on the South Carolina Bar's website at the following link: https://www.scbar.org/shop-cle/cos/course-study-faqs/.
Revised Website for the Office of Bar Admissions
The Website for the Office of Bar Admissions of the Supreme Court of South Carolina has been revised completely. This revised website provides detailed information about various areas of responsibility assigned to the Office of Bar Admissions, including links to applicable court rules and forms. Among other things, these areas include the admission of persons to practice law in South Carolina (including limited certificates of admission), pro hac vice admissions, licensing of foreign legal consultants, and the issuance of certificates of good standing.
Rule Amendments Regarding the Uniform Bar Examination
Beginning in February 2017, South Carolina will use the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) prepared by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. To implement this change, the Court has filed an order amending Rule 402 of the South Carolina Appellate Court Rules.
As indicated by the amended rule, a UBE score of 266 or higher will be required for admission in South Carolina. Further, applications seeking admission based on an existing UBE score from another jurisdiction will not be accepted until May 1, 2017.
In place of the Bridge the Gap Program which is currently required for admission, the amended rule requires applicants to successfully complete a Course of Study on South Carolina Law. This Course of Study will be an on-line course that can be completed in less than 8 hours. The South Carolina Board of Law Examiners is currently developing this Course of Study, and it is anticipated that this Course of Study will be available by January 1, 2017, at the latest.
Persons desiring to take the bar examination in South Carolina should carefully review the amended rule to determine the filing deadlines and other requirements.
As indicated by the order, these amendments have no impact on the July 2016 South Carolina Bar Examination. Instead, the version of Rule 402 prior to these amendments continues to govern all aspects of admission based on South Carolina Bar Examinations conducted prior to February 2017