Rule 706 Filing Deadlines and Fees of Registrants and Applicants
Article VII: Attorney Admission and Discipline | PART A. ADMISSION TO THE BAR
Rule Text
(a) Character and Fitness Registration. Character and fitness registration applications filed with applications to take the bar examination shall be accompanied by a registration fee of $550.
(b) Applications to Take the Bar Examination. The fees and deadlines for filing applications to take the February bar examination are as follows: (1) $650 for applications submitted on or before the regular filing deadline of September 15 preceding the examination; (2) $925 for applications submitted after September 15 but on or before the late filing deadline of November 1; and (3) $1325 for applications submitted after November 1 but on or before the final late filing deadline of November 30. The fees and deadlines for filing applications to take the July bar examination are as follows: (1) $650 for applications submitted on or before the regular filing deadline of February 15 preceding the examination; (2) $925 for applications submitted after February 15 but on or before the late filing deadline of April 1; and (3) $1325 for applications submitted after April 1 but on or before the final late filing deadline of April 30.
(c) Applications for Reexamination. The fees and deadlines for filing applications for reexamination at a February bar examination are as follows: (1) $650 for applications submitted on or before the regular reexamination filing deadline of November 1; (2) $1125 for applications submitted after November 1 but on or before the final late filing deadline of November 30. The fee and deadline for filing applications for reexamination at a July bar examination are $650 for applications submitted on or before April 30.
(d) Late Applications. The Board of Admissions to the Bar shall not consider requests for late filing of applications after the final bar examination filing deadlines set forth in the preceding subparagraphs (b) and (c).
(e) Applications for Admission on Motion under Rule 705. Each applicant for admission to the bar on motion under Rule 705 shall pay a total fee of $1500, comprising a fee of $150 upon submission of an applicant’s Preliminary Questionnaire on the form prescribed by the Board of Admissions to the Bar for preliminary evaluation of whether an applicant is qualified to apply for admission under Rule 705 and a fee of $1350 due upon submission of an application for admission under Rule 705. An applicant whose Preliminary Questionnaire does not establish that the applicant is qualified to apply for admission under Rule 705 shall submit a new Preliminary Questionnaire upon reapplication for admission under Rule 705 and pay an additional $150 fee.
(f) Applications for Admission by Transferred Uniform Bar Examination Score Under Rule 704A. Each applicant for admission to the bar by transferred UBE score under Rule 704A shall pay a fee of $1500.
(g) Application for Limited Admission as House Counsel. Each applicant for limited admission to the bar as house counsel under Rule 716 shall pay a fee of $1500. For applications submitted more than 90 days after the commencement of employment as house counsel in Illinois, after submitting the application, the applicant must petition to the Supreme Court for waiver of the 90-day period specified in Rule 716(l). If said petition is granted, the following late fees shall apply, in addition to the $1500 application fee, unless the Court imposes a lesser late fee for good cause shown:
(1) For applications submitted between 91 days and one year after the commencement of employment as house counsel in Illinois, the applicant shall pay an additional $1500 late fee.
(2) For applications submitted more than one year after the commencement of employment as house counsel in Illinois, the late fee shall be an additional $1500 as specified in the preceding subparagraph (g)(1) for the first year, plus an additional $500 for each additional year or part thereof.
(h) Application for Limited Admission as a Lawyer for Legal Service Programs. Each applicant for limited admission to the bar as a lawyer for legal service programs under Rule 717 shall pay a fee of $100.
(i) Recertification Fee. Each applicant for Character and Fitness recertification shall pay a fee of $450.
(j) Miscellaneous Fees. Each applicant shall pay a fee of $25 per request for the following documents and/or services:
(1) For applicants who are unsuccessful in passing a particular administration of the bar examination, provision of a copy of the applicant’s essay answers for that administration of the bar examination and a set of sample passing answers;
(2) Provision to the applicant of a copy of the applicant’s application for admission to the bar under any of these Rules or any documents associated with that application;
(3) Transferring an applicant’s score on the Multistate Bar Examination or Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination to another jurisdiction; or
(4) Provision of a letter to another jurisdiction or other third party, stating that an applicant has passed a particular administration of the bar examination in Illinois.
(k) Payment of Fees. All fees are nonrefundable and shall be paid in advance by credit or debit card, certified check, cashier’s check, or money order payable to the Board of Admissions to the Bar. Payments by credit card shall be subject to a convenience fee commensurate with the fees charged to the Board for the processing of such credit card payments. Fees of an applicant who does not appear for an examination shall not be transferred to a succeeding examination.
(l) Fees to be Held by Treasurer. All fees paid to the Board of Admissions to the Bar shall be held by the Board treasurer, subject to the order of the Court.
Amended January 30, 1975, effective March 1, 1975; amended October 1, 1982, effective October 1, 1982; amended June 12, 1992, effective July 1, 1992; amended July 1, 1998, effective immediately; amended July 6, 2000, effective August 1, 2000; amended December 6, 2001, effective immediately; amended February 11, 2004, effective July 1, 2004; amended October 1, 2010, effective January 1, 2011; amended January 10, 2012, effective immediately; amended Nov. 26, 2013, effective Jan. 1, 2014; amended February 10, 2014, effective immediately; amended May 26, 2016, effective July 1, 2016; amended June 22, 2017, eff. July 1, 2017; amended June 8, 2018, eff. Jan. 1, 2019; amended Dec. 22, 2022, eff. Jan. 1, 2023; amended Jan. 26, 2023, eff. immediately; amended May 29, 2025, eff. immediately; amended June 6, 2025, eff. Jan. 1, 2026; corrected Sept. 24, 2025, eff. Jan. 1, 2026.