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. Many aspiring lawyers wonder if they can take the California Bar Exam without actually going to law school.The short answer is yes, they can. You can have a JD without attending law school physically. Yes. California is one of four U.S. states that will allow you to sit for a bar exam without a law degree. California is one of four states which permit aspiring lawyers to take the bar exam without attending law school and obtain their license to practice law. Can You Take the California Bar Exam Without Going to Law School? Complete the required pre-legal education. Lincoln is registered with the State Bar of California as a registered, unaccredited fixed-facility law school. Three are through the California Bar: Registering for the Bar, Completing the Moral Character Application, and Applying for the Bar.