Test Accommodations for
the NYS Bar Examination
In accordance with the
Americans with Disabilities Act (as amended), it is the policy of
the New York State Board of Law Examiners to provide accommodations
in testing conditions to applicants with disabilities who are
qualified candidates for the bar examination to the extent
such accommodations are timely requested, reasonable, not unduly
burdensome, consistent with the nature and purpose of the
examination and necessitated by the applicant's disability.
Each applicant's request for test accommodations is evaluated on a
case-by-case basis. Applicants should carefully read
Board Rule
6000.4 and the Board’s Test Accommodations Handbook which covers the
requirements and procedures for requesting test accommodations and
the Board’s review processes.
HOW TO REQUEST TEST ACCOMMODATIONS ON THE NEW YORK STATE BAR
EXAMINATION
1. Download or request a paper copy of the Board’s Test
Accommodations Handbook and carefully read and follow its instructions.
2. NEW Prepare the appropriate application for test accommodations
(either the Application for Test Accommodations or the Re-Applicant
Application for Test Accommodations) and gather all required
supporting documentation. This is a paper application which cannot
be submitted online. The forms can be found in the Handbook.
In addition, the Board now offers fillable Adobe .pdf versions of
both applications (see above links).
3. Submit your completed application or re-application together with all required
supporting documentation to the Board. All applicants are encouraged
to submit their applications as soon as they know that they will be
requesting accommodations – up to six months in advance of the
examination. To be timely, applications must be RECEIVED in the
Board’s office by (or before) the general application deadline.
Please note this is NOT a "postmarked by" deadline. If the
general application deadline falls on a holiday or weekend, the
application must be received by the last business day preceding the
deadline. The Board's office is not open on weekends or holidays and
does not receive mail on these days. The following deadlines apply:
| Exam |
Received by |
|
February |
November 30 |
|
July |
April 30 |
An applicant who received an unsuccessful score on the immediately
preceding administration of the examination must file the
application or re-applicant application for
test accommodations by the later of (1) the deadline indicated above
or (2) the 14th day following the date of the Board's release of the
examination results. If the deadline falls on a holiday or weekend,
the application must be received by the last business day preceding
the deadline.
Applications and supporting documentation that are incomplete or
received after the deadline will not be considered.
4. Send your completed application together with all required
documentation to:
New York State Board of Law Examiners
Office of Test Accommodations
Corporate Plaza – Building 3
254 Washington Avenue Extension
Albany, NY 12203
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Applicants for test accommodations must also meet the eligibility
requirements for the bar examination. These include: timely applying
for the bar examination, paying the appropriate fee and meeting all
legal education requirements including submission of all required
proofs such as your Certificate of Attendance, Handwriting Sample,
etc. Questions concerning these other eligibility requirements
should be addressed to the Board’s main office, and not to the Test
Accommodations Office. Please note that in completing your general
bar examination application, you must indicate that you are
requesting test accommodations.
