The Supreme Court said 13,441 applicants are eligible to take the 2026 Bar examinations on 6, 9 and 13 September.

Examinees will take the digital examinations at 15 local testing centers nationwide, including seven in the National Capital Region, three in Luzon, three in the Visayas and two in Mindanao.

Associate Justice Samuel H. Gaerlan is chairperson of the 2026 Bar examinations.

This year’s examinations will continue the digitalized and regionalized format first introduced during the 2020-2021 Bar examinations and later codified under Rule 138 of the Rules of Court, as amended by A.M. No. 24-10-05-SC dated 12 August 2025.

Examinees will use their laptops and a secure testing application at designated local testing centers across the country.

The examinations will consist of 20 essay-type questions across all subjects, with one question for each number.

On the first day, examinees will take Political and Public International Law in the morning and Commercial and Taxation Laws in the afternoon.

The second day will cover Civil Law and Land Titles and Deeds in the morning, followed by Labor Law and Social Legislation in the afternoon.

On the third day, examinees will take Criminal Law in the morning and Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics, with Practical Exercises in the afternoon. The Supreme Court lists the latter as “Practical Exercises,” not “political exercises.”

Answers will be graded from zero to 100 percent, with each question worth 5 percent.

An examinee must obtain a general average of at least 75 percent across all subjects to pass the 2026 Bar examinations, unless the Supreme Court en banc sets a different passing rate.

The examinations cover six core subjects over three days.