The Florida Board of Bar Examiners will permit applicants to take the essay portion of the Florida Bar Examination using laptops under certain conditions. Those who apply to register and qualify will use a software program provided by a vendor approved by the board that prevents an applicant from accessing any other file in the laptop aside from the word processing function provided by the software. To use a laptop during the examination, applicants must:
- Have a laptop that meets the system requirements as indicated by the board's vendor.
- Access the Internet following the examination to upload the essay answers prior to the 10:00 p.m. cut-off on Tuesday evening.
- Have experience working with the laptop and the software before administration of the examination, and be prepared to continue with the examination by hand writing your answers in the event of a malfunction with the laptop or software, or in the event of a power failure.
- Submit your completed Section D or Re-Examination/Conversion Application, photo, proof of being fingerprinted, exam fees, and $125.00 (non-refundable and non-transferable fee) by the deadlines outlined below. Late fees associated with the filing of the Section D or Re-Examination/Conversion Application apply. All filing requirements must be met and all fees paid by the laptop deadline ( received by January 15 or June 15).
- Access your user account and download and install the software onto your laptop by February 1 for the February examination or July 1 for the July examination. The software will be available for downloading from the vendor's website in advance of the examination.
- Provide a valid e-mail address that you will have access to until the administration of the examination. It is recommended that you use your personal e-mail address and not an e-mail address associated with your employer or school.
Laptop Deadlines
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Examination Date
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Apply With The Board and Submit Laptop Fee By
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Register & Qualify
Computer
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February
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January 15 (received by)
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January 2 through February 1
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|
July
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June 15 (received by)
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June 1 through July 1
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Applicants who apply for the laptop program, but who do not have the software pre-installed and do not register by the registration deadline listed above will not be allowed to use their laptop and will be required to hand write the essay portion of the examination. Applicants will be required to access the Internet following the examination to upload their answers. There will be no opportunity to review your answers in printed form.
By agreeing to the terms and conditions set forth above, you acknowledge that the Florida Board of Bar Examiners does not warrant or guarantee the software program, and that you will be experienced with both the laptop and the software you will be using prior to taking the bar examination. By your election to participate in this program, you also agree to continue the examination by writing in the event there is a hardware or software malfunction, or in the event of a power failure.