Founded in 1927 by the legislature, The State Bar of California is an administrative arm of the California Supreme Court. Protection of the public is the highest priority of the State Bar. All lawyers practicing in California must be licensees.

Find information for consumers from the State Bar of California. Find out how to file a complaint against an attorney, how to find the right attorney and how to get a reimbursement if a lawyer stole your money.

NOTE: Due to technical limitations, this search cannot handle extended characters. Example: for Nuñez, please search Nunez. For more search options, including the ability to search for certified specialists or other practice characteristics, try Advanced Search.You can also search for Provisionally Licensed Lawyers.. Notice of License Status Changes Dashboard

The State Bar of California’s mission is to protect the public and includes the primary functions of licensing, regulation and discipline of attorneys; the advancement of the ethical and competent practice of law; and support of efforts for greater access to, and inclusion in, the legal system.

The Contact Center is closed on State Bar holidays. To speak with a representative, please call 800-843-9053 if you are in California. If you are calling from out-of-state, please call 415-538-2000.

The next California bar exam is scheduled for February 25–26, 2025. The bar exam application is now available in the Applicant Portal. The State Bar will administer this exam remotely and in person. Applicants will be asked to select their preferred method for taking this exam, between remote and in person. How to apply:

Working as an administrative arm of the California Supreme Court, the State Bar oversees all activities required for admitting attorneys to the practice of law in the nation's most populous state. California offers more pathways to licensure than any other state.

With the change in the renewal cycle, you will not be able to pay fees in December and order a 2025 bar card to use in January. The State Bar is working to create a temporary bar card you can download and print until you can pay 2025 licensing fees in February.

If you are a law student or attorney applicant, you must register with the State Bar in the Applicant Portal.

Find out more about what education is required when applying to the State Bar; Testing California Bar Examination. About 16,000 take the California Bar Examination, one of the State Bar's primary requirements to become a licensed attorney. Since July 2017, the exam has been given over two days. First-Year Law Students' Exam