The Office of Admissions seeks public comment on two options for proposed fee increases.
Deadline: May 15, 2023, 11:59 p.m.
Comments should be submitted using the online Public Comment Form. The online form allows you to input your comments directly and can also be used to upload your comment letter and/or other attachments.
Fees assessed to support various State Bar admissions functions are supposed to fully cover the cost of providing those services; currently, fees charged do not generate enough revenue to cover expenses. As a result, the admissions budget is experiencing a structural deficit. In 2023, $7 million in deficit spending was budgeted. At the end of 2023, Admissions Fund reserves are projected to total $4 million, an amount insufficient to fully cover the future costs of admission operations. Absent a combination of both fee increases and cost reductions, severe cutbacks in admissions services will be required.
Some admissions fees have not increased in decades. Fees for the two largest areas of operational activity and expense—the California Bar Exam and the moral character determination process —have not increased since 2016. While fees have not increased, costs have; routine staff salary increases, inflation, and the COVID-19 pandemic collectively have resulted in significant increases in the cost of doing business over time.
Your comments are being sought on two different options for fee increases. Both options include higher increases for applicants who are already licensed attorneys in order to reduce the fee increase impact on students and nonattorney applicants. The options and your preliminary feedback will be shared with the State Bar Board of Trustees in May, with final action on admissions fees targeted for July 2023.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the proposed options for admissions fee increases for law study and exams, attorney special admissions, and law school regulation.
The increases would help the Office of Admissions work to cover the expenses along with cost reduction strategies. As noted above, Option 2 will likely require significant cuts in operational expenses.
Board of Trustees
May 15, 2023, 11:59 p.m.