Effective with administration of the July 2017 California Bar Examination the format of the examination will be constructed as follows: General Bar Examination. Your complete guide to California Bar Exam prep.The SmartBarPrep California PT Frequency Analysis (hereinafter "Study. Guide") is designed to assist you in studying for the California Performance Test. The California bar examination is given twice each year. The exam is given over two days and consists of the following parts: Five one-hour Essay Questions. California Bar Registration. If you intend to practice law in the state of California, you must register with the California State Bar. The first step in the California Bar application process is to register with the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State of California. Look at the questions from the past three years and see what's commonly tested and what won't likely come up because it's been tested recently.