Complete the Registration Application: Once you have created an account, fill out and submit the registration application. I'm curious if anyone has taken both California and New York in the same year?Is it worth it to do so when the information is fresh in your head? California does not offer bar reciprocity. If you want to practice in California you must pass the California bar and be admitted there. The best way to get NY admission (without having to take the NY bar exam) is to first waive in to DC from CA, and then you can waive in to NY from DC. The first step in the California Bar application process is to register with the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State of California. New York State permits admission on motion, without examination, for applicants who have practiced for five of the preceding seven years. This page will feature common steps and state-specific bar exam checklists for your convenience. A New York lawyer would have to take the California bar exam to practice independently in California.