North Carolina Administrative Code

SECTION .0600 - MORAL CHARACTER AND GENERAL FITNESS 27 ncac 03 .0601 Burden of Proof Every applicant shall have the burden of proving that the applicant possesses the qualifications of character and general fitness requisite for an attorney and counselor-at-law, is possessed of g…

27 ncac 03 .0602 Permanent Record All information furnished to the Board by an applicant shall be deemed material, and all such information shall be and become a permanent record of the Board. History Note: Authority G.S. 84-21; 84-24; Eff. February 1, 2025.

27 ncac 03 .0603 Failure to Disclose No one shall be licensed to practice law in this State: (1) who fails to disclose fully to the Board, whether requested to do so or not, the facts relating to any disciplinary proceedings or charges as to the applicant's professional conduct, …

27 ncac 03 .0604 Bar Candidate Committee Every General Applicant and UBE Transfer Applicant not licensed in another jurisdiction shall appear before a bar candidate committee, appointed by the Board Chair, in the judicial district in which the applicant resides, or in such other …

27 ncac 03 .0605 Denial; Re-Application No new application or petition for reconsideration of a previous application from an applicant who has either been denied permission to take the bar examination or has been denied a license to practice law on the grounds set forth in Sectio…

SECTION .0700 - EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS 27 ncac 03 .0701 General Education Each applicant must have satisfactorily completed the academic work required for admission to a law school approved by the Council of the North Carolina State Bar. History Note: Authority G.S. 84-21; 84-2…

27 ncac 03 .0702 Legal Education Every applicant applying for admission to practice law in the State of North Carolina, before being granted a license to practice law, shall prove to the satisfaction of the Board that said applicant has graduated from a law school approved by the…

SECTION .0800 - PROTEST 27 ncac 03 .0801 Nature of Protest Any person may protest the application of any applicant to be admitted to the practice of law. History Note: Authority G.S. 84-21; 84-24; Eff. February 1, 2025.

27 ncac 03 .0802 Format A protest shall be made in writing, signed by the person making the protest, and bearing the person's home and business address, and shall be filed with the Executive Director: (1) if a general applicant, before the date the applicant is scheduled to be ex…

27 ncac 03 .0803 Notification; Right to Withdraw The Executive Director shall notify immediately the applicant of the protest and of the charges therein made; and the applicant thereupon may file with the Executive Director a written withdrawal as a candidate for admission. Histo…

27 ncac 03 .0804 Hearing In case the applicant does not withdraw as a candidate for admission to the practice of law, the person or persons making the protest and the applicant in question shall appear before a Panel or the Board at a time and place designated by the Board Chair.…

27 ncac 03 .0805 Refusal to License Nothing herein contained shall prevent the Board on its own motion from refusing to issue a license to practice law until the Board has been fully satisfied as to the moral character and general fitness of the applicant as provided by Section .…

SECTION .0900 - EXAMINATIONS 27 ncac 03 .0901 BAR Examination Two bar examinations shall be held each year for general applicants. History Note: Authority G.S. 84-21; 84-24; Eff. February 1, 2025; Amendments Approved by the Supreme Court: December 10, 2025.

27 ncac 03 .0902 Dates The bar examinations shall be held in North Carolina in the months of February and July on the dates prescribed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. History Note: Authority G.S. 84-21; 84-24; Eff. February 1, 2025; Amendments Approved by the Supreme…

27 ncac 03 .0903 Subject Matter The examination shall be the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) prepared by the National Conference of Bar Examiners . Applicants may be tested on any subject matter listed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners as areas of law to be tested on the …

27 ncac 03 .0904 Grading and scoring Grading of the bar examination shall be anonymous. The Board shall grade the UBE in accordance with grading procedures and standards set by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. History Note: Authority G.S. 84-21; 84-24; Eff. February 1, 2…

27 ncac 03 .0905 Passing Score The Board shall determine the passing UBE score for admission in North Carolina. The UBE passing score shall only be increased on one year's public notice. History Note: Authority G.S. 84-21; 84-24; Eff. February 1, 2025.

SECTION .1000 – REVIEW OF WRITTEN BAR EXAMINATION 27 ncac 03 .1001 Review After release of the results of the bar examination, a general applicant who has failed the examination may, in the Board's offices, review the applicant's examination in accordance with the policies and pr…

27 ncac 03 .1002 Multistate Bar Examination History Note: Authority G.S. 84-21; 84-24; Eff. February 1, 2025; Repealed Eff. January 1, 2026.

27 ncac 03 .1003 Release of Scores (a) The Board will not release bar examination scores to the public. (b) The Board will inform each applicant in writing of the applicant's score on the bar examination. Scores will be shared with the applicant's law school only with the applica…

27 ncac 03 .1004 Board Representative The Executive Director serves as the Board's representative for purposes of any review of the written bar examination by an unsuccessful applicant. The Executive Director is not authorized to discuss any specific questions and answers on the …

27 ncac 03 .1005 REGRADING Examination answers will not be regraded. History Note: Authority G.S. 84-21; 84-24; Eff. February 1, 2025; Amendments Approved by the Supreme Court: December 10, 2025.

SECTION .1100 – reserved for future codification

SECTION .1200 - BOARD HEARINGS 27 ncac 03 .1201 Nature of Hearings Any applicant may be required to appear before the Board or a hearing Panel at a hearing to answer inquiry about any matter under these rules. In the event a hearing for an applicant for admission by examination i…

27 ncac 03 .1202 Notice of Hearing The Board Chair will schedule the hearings before the Board or Panel, and such hearings will be scheduled by the issuance of a notice of hearing mailed to the applicant or the applicant's attorney within a reasonable time before the date of the …

27 NCAC 03 .1203 Conduct of Hearings (a) All hearings shall be heard by the Board except that the Board Chair may designate two or more members or Emeritus Members (as recommended by the Board and approved by the State Bar Council) to serve as a Panel to conduct the hearings. (b)…

27 ncac 03 .1204 Continuances Continuances will be granted to a party only in compelling circumstances, especially when one such disposition has been previously requested by and granted to that party. Motions for continuances should be made to the Executive Director and will be g…

27 ncac 03 .1205 Subpoenas (a) The Board Chair, or the Board Chair's designee, shall have the power to subpoena, to summon and examine witnesses under oath, and to compel their attendance and the production of books, papers and other documents and writings deemed by it to be nece…

27 ncac 03 .1206 Evidence That May Be Received By the Board (a) In addition to live testimony, a deposition may be used in evidence when taken in compliance with the N.C. Rules of Civil Procedure, G.S. 1A-1. (b) A Panel or the Board may consider sworn affidavits as evidence in a …

27 ncac 03 .1207 Reopening of a Case After a final decision has been reached by the Board on any matter, a party may petition the Board to reopen or reconsider a case. Petitions will not be granted except when petitioner can show that the reasons for reopening or reconsidering th…

SECTION .1300 – LICENSES 27 Ncac 03 .1301 Issuance Upon compliance with the rules of the Board, and all orders of the Board, the Executive Director, upon order of the Board, shall issue a license to practice law in North Carolina to each applicant as may be designated by the Boar…

SECTION .1400 - JUDICIAL REVIEW 27 ncac 03 .1401 Appeals An applicant may appeal from an adverse ruling or determination by the Board as to the applicant's eligibility for admission to practice law in North Carolina. Such appeal shall lie to the Superior Court of Wake County. His…

27 ncac 03 .1402 Notice of Appeal Notice of Appeal shall be provided, in writing, within 20 days after notice of such ruling or determination. This Notice shall contain written exceptions to the ruling or determination and shall be filed with the Superior Court for Wake County, N…

27 ncac 03 .1403 Record to be Filed Within 60 days after receipt of the notice of appeal, and after the applicant has paid the cost of preparing the record, the Executive Director shall prepare, certify, and file with the Clerk of the Superior Court of Wake County the record of t…

27 ncac 03 .1404 Proceedings on Review in Wake County Superior Court The appeal shall be heard by the presiding judge or resident judge, without a jury, who may hear oral arguments and receive written briefs, but no evidence not offered at the hearing shall be taken, except that …

27 ncac 03 .1405 Further Appeal Any party to the review proceeding, including the Board, may appeal to the Supreme Court from the decision of the Superior Court. No appeal bond shall be required of the Board. History Note: Authority G.S. 84-21; 84-24; Eff. February 1, 2025.

CHAPTER 01 - GENERAL 30 NCAC 01 .0101 SCOPE The rules in this Title implement the authority granted to the State Ethics Commission ("Commission") pursuant to Chapter 138A, State Government Ethics Act, and Chapter 120C, Lobbying, of the North Carolina General Statutes. History Not…

30 NCAC 01 .0102 LOCATION AND CONTACT INFORMATION The State Ethics Commission is located at 424 N. Blount St., Raleigh, NC 27601-1010. The mailing address is 1324 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1324. The Commission's telephone number is (919) 715-2071. The Commission's e-…

30 NCAC 01 .0103 OFFICE HOURS The State Ethics Commission office shall be staffed from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Commission follows the State Government Holiday Schedule. Any change of office hours will be published on the Commission's website. History…

30 NCAC 01 .0104 CALCULATION OF TIME PERIODS In computing any period of time prescribed or allowed by the rules in this Title, or by any applicable statute, G.S. 1A-1, Rule 6, applies, including all subsequent editions and amendments. History Note: Authority G.S. 138A-10(a)(2); 1…

30 NCAC 01 .0105 PUBLIC RECORD REQUESTS (a) There is no charge for copies of public records of 20 pages or less. For more than 20 pages, the fee is ten cents ($.10) per page. (b) For information contained on a compact disc ("CD"), the charge is two dollars ($2.00) per compact dis…

CHAPTER 05 - STATEMENTS OF ECONOMIC INTEREST SUBCHAPTER 05A - FILING 30 NCAC 05A .0101 MANDATORY USE OF COMMISSION FORMS The Commission's most current forms shall be used to file all Statements of Economic Interest ("SEI"). History Note: Authority G.S. 138A-10(a)(2); 138A-10(a)(4…

30 NCAC 05A .0102 SIGNATURE VERIFIES INFORMATION IS TRUE An individual's signature on a Statement of Economic Interest constitutes that person's verification that all information contained in the Statement of Economic Interest and any documents incorporated by reference are true …

30 NCAC 05A .0103 ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE Signers of electronic documents may use any form of electronic signature permissible under G.S. 66-312(9), except that it shall not be a sound. History Note: Authority G.S. 66-312(9); 138A-10(a)(2); 138A-10(a)(4); 138A-10(a)(10); 138A-22; Ef…

30 NCAC 05A .0104 GENERAL SUBMISSION LOCATIONS AND METHODS (a) Statements of Economic Interest shall be filed using one of the following methods: (1) Electronically via the Commission's website. (2) United States mail addressed to: State Ethics Commission, 1324 Mail Service Cente…

30 NCAC 05A .0105 INCOMPLETE FORMS Incomplete Statements of Economic Interests shall not be considered timely filed for the purpose of G.S. 138A-22. History Note: Authority G.S. 138A-10(a)(2); 138A-10(a)(4); 138A-10(a)(10); 138A-22; 138A-24(c); Eff. January 1, 2011.

30 NCAC 05A .0106 PROOF OF SUBMISSION A person may obtain proof of submission of a filing to the Commission by: (1) Any means acceptable pursuant to G.S. 1A-1, Rules of Civil Procedure; (2) Requesting that the Commission return a file stamped copy and supplying a postage prepaid …

30 NCAC 05A .0107 RECEIPT DATE For the purpose of determining compliance with filing deadlines, the postmarked date on a Statement of Economic Interest filed by U.S. Mail shall be used. For electronic filing and commercial or hand-delivery, the receipt date is the actual date rec…

Subchapter 05B - CONTENTS 30 NCAC 05B .0101 DEFINITION OF IMMEDIATE FAMILY A child of a covered person who is 18 years of age or older and who temporarily resides away from home is "residing in the covered person's household" for each year in which the child is claimed as a depen…

30 NCAC 05B .0102 REPORTABLE STOCK HOLDING THRESHOLD IS PER COMPANY The ten thousand dollar ($10,000) threshold that triggers reporting of stocks is per company and not the cumulative value of stocks held in multiple companies. History Note: Authority G.S. 138A-10(a)(2); 138A-10(…