2027 AccessLex California Bar Exam Application Fee Sweepstakes – FAQs

The 2027 AccessLex California Bar Exam Application Fee Sweepstakes is a random drawing sponsored by AccessLex Institute to help selected eligible entrants cover the California Bar Exam application and laptop fees for either the February 2027 or July 2027 California Bar Exam. Through this opportunity, AccessLex is proud to advance its nonprofit mission of expanding access, affordability, and success in legal education and helping aspiring attorneys move forward on the path to the legal profession. No purchase or payment is necessary to enter or win.

You may enter the Sweepstakes if you meet all eligibility requirements in the Official Rules. In general, the Sweepstakes is for legal U.S. residents living in the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico who meet the applicable minimum age requirement, plan to sit for the California Bar Exam for the first time in February or July 2027, are not admitted to practice law in California or any other jurisdiction, and have received or will receive a J.D. or LL.M. degree from a California law school before taking the applicable exam.

Graduates from California law schools are eligible for this Sweepstakes.

No. You do not have to be a current student at the time you enter. You must be a non-attorney J.D. or LL.M. graduate from a California law school by the time you sit for the February 2027 or July 2027 California Bar Exam, as applicable. For example, otherwise eligible graduates who receive their J.D. or LL.M. degree in or around December 2026 or May 2027 may be eligible. Similarly, graduates from prior years who have not yet taken the California Bar Exam and are not licensed in any other jurisdiction may enter.

No. The Sweepstakes is for people who are planning and eligible to sit for the California Bar Exam for the first time in February or July 2027.

No. To be eligible, you must not be admitted to practice law in California or any other jurisdiction at the time you enter, and you must not become admitted to practice law in California or any other jurisdiction before sitting for the applicable February 2027 or July 2027 California Bar Exam.

There are two Entry Periods. For the February 2027 California Bar Exam, entries are accepted from 12:00 am PT on July 31, 2026 through 11:59 pm PT on September 3, 2026. For the July 2027 California Bar Exam, entries are accepted from 12:00 am PT on October 1, 2026 through 11:59 pm PT on February 1, 2027.

No. Entries from the first Entry Period do not carry over to the second Entry Period. If you are eligible for the July 2027 California Bar Exam drawing, you must submit a new entry during the second Entry Period.

You may submit one entry per person per Entry Period. Attempts to enter more than allowed, including by using multiple names, email addresses, identities, or other methods, may result in disqualification.

To enter, complete and submit the official online entry form during the correct Entry Period for the California Bar Exam you plan to take. You will need to provide required information such as your name, email address, phone number, law school, degree information, graduation date, and bar exam information. You must complete all required fields for your entry to be eligible.

No. The entry form may ask optional demographic and bar preparation questions. Your answers to those questions will not affect your eligibility for, or chances of winning, the Sweepstakes.

Potential winners are selected at random by an independent third party from eligible entries received during the applicable Entry Period. Your odds of winning depend on the total number of eligible entries received for that drawing.

Potential winners will be contacted by AccessLex Institute using the contact information provided on the entry form. Make sure your email address and phone number are accurate when you enter and monitor your email after the drawing. A potential winner is not confirmed as a winner until eligibility has been verified and the verification process is complete.

Potential winners will be notified no later than October 1, 2026 for the February 2027 California Bar Exam and no later than March 1, 2027 for the July 2027 California Bar Exam.

No. The prize only covers eligible application and laptop fees. It has no effect on your California Bar Exam score or final outcome, which are determined independently by the State Bar of California.

There are 150 total prizes. Thirty-eight (38) prizes are available for winners selected for the February 2027 California Bar Exam, and 112 prizes are available for winners selected for the July 2027 California Bar Exam.

Each prize is a credit that may be applied to the California Bar Exam application and laptop fees for the applicable February 2027 or July 2027 California Bar Exam. The approximate retail value of each prize is $1,031.

The prize does not cover late fees, fees for exams other than the February 2027 or July 2027 California Bar Exam, non-registration fee benefits, the California attorney’s exam, the California First-Year Law Students’ Examination (commonly known as the “baby bar”), or any other California exam or fee. Winners are responsible for any expenses, taxes, or costs that are not expressly covered by the prize.

Yes. Winning the Sweepstakes does not constitute an application for the California Bar Exam. If you win, you must still complete the California Bar Exam application and provide all required information through the State Bar of California’s Admissions Applicant Portal and meet all State Bar requirements for the applicable exam.

You must use the prize by the timely filing deadline for the applicable exam. For the February 2027 California Bar Exam, the credit expires at 11:59 pm PT on November 2, 2026. For the July 2027 California Bar Exam, the credit expires at 11:59 pm PT on April 1, 2027. If the credit expires, the prize is forfeited and will not be replaced.

No. The prize cannot be assigned, transferred, substituted by the winner, or redeemed for cash.

No. The prize may be used only for the applicable February 2027 or July 2027 California Bar Exam.

If you apply for the February 2027 or July 2027 California Bar Exam and later withdraw, the credit will be void. The credit will not be returned, and you will forfeit the prize.

If you are a winner and your credit does not automatically apply during your application process, please email [email protected] for assistance.

If you have questions about the 2027 AccessLex California Bar Exam Application Fee Sweepstakes, email [email protected]. For more information about AccessLex Institute, visit AccessLex.org.