The bar exam is offered twice a year in most jurisdictions, in July and in February. You must register with the State Bar in the Applicant Portal.Law students must register within 90 days of beginning the study of law. To get reciprocity in a new state, attorneys must typically apply for admission to the bar of that state. Before you can apply to take the California Bar Exam, you must first register as a law student with the State Bar's Office of Admissions. This page will feature common steps and state-specific bar exam checklists for your convenience. The State Bar of California. The California State Bar has two offices in the Golden State. No information is available for this page. You still have some other requirements to fulfill, but your foreign license is a shortcut in the application process.