Overview
The prueba de evaluación de aptitud profesional para el ejercicio de la abogacía is Spain's national bar exam. You must pass it, after a specialised training course, to obtain the professional title of lawyer (abogado). It is called by the Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Courts together with the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. The exam is single and identical across Spain, and the 2026 call has no limit on places. This page follows the 2026 call (Orden PJC/298/2026, published in the BOE on 31 March 2026). Later calls may change the details.
Who can apply
You can sit the exam if you:
hold a Spanish law degree (licenciatura or grado en Derecho) or an equivalent university degree that meets the requirements of the regulation. Foreign degrees must be validated or recognised in Spain. You need the degree before you start the specialised training course.
have passed the accredited training courses in the competences needed to practise as a lawyer, or the training for access to both the legal and court-representative (procurador) professions with the supervised external practice period. You need this by the exam date.
are of age and not disqualified from practising law, as of the exam date.
Exam pattern
The 2026 exam is a written multiple-choice test of theoretical and practical content, lasting three hours in total. It is taken online, at the same time for all candidates, on the UNED's AVEX virtual exam platform from any device with a webcam. It starts at 9:00 peninsular time in a single call, and late arrivals are excluded except in justified cases.
| Part | Questions | Time | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common part (A) | 50, plus 6 reserve questions | 2 hours | Subjects common to the practice of law |
| Specific part (B) | 25, plus 2 reserve questions | 1 hour | The legal specialism you chose at registration |
Every question has four answers and only one is correct. You choose one of four specialisms when you register: civil and commercial law, criminal law, administrative and contentious-administrative law, or labour law. You cannot change the choice after the final list of admitted candidates is published. You may take the exam in Spanish or in the co-official language of your autonomous community. A demo phase lets candidates try the platform beforehand.
Marking and results
You earn one point for each correct answer, and one third of a point is deducted for each wrong answer. Unanswered questions count for nothing. Part A is scored out of 50, which gives two thirds of the exam score, and part B out of 25, which gives one third.
The final grade is simply apto (pass) or no apto (fail). It is the weighted average of 70 percent of the exam score and 30 percent of the mark from your master's or specialised training course, with no minimum score required on the exam itself. To be apto you need at least 5 out of 10 on that weighted average. A no apto does not stop you from entering later calls.
Provisional answer keys are published the next working day after the exam, and you have five working days to challenge questions. Cancelled questions are replaced by the reserve questions.
Fees
Taking the exam is free in the 2026 call.
How to apply
You apply electronically through the electronic office of the Ministry (sede electrónica), identifying yourself with Cl@ve. The 2026 registration period was 15 working days starting the day after the BOE publication on 31 March 2026. You must give a personal email address that will be used for the exam, choose your specialism, pick your language, upload a recent passport-style face photo in JPG, and promise not to consult any legal text or other aid during the exam. After the registration period, provisional and then final lists of admitted and excluded candidates are published on the Ministry website. The final list also states the date and time of the exam. Candidates with a disability of 33 percent or more can request adjustments of time and means when they register.
FAQs
Is the Spanish bar exam different in different regions?
No. The exam is a single test for all of Spain. Regional bar associations do not run their own versions.
How is the exam structured?
There are two parts in three hours: 50 common-subject questions in two hours, and 25 questions in one hour on the specialism you chose (civil and commercial, criminal, administrative, or labour law).
Does it cost anything to sit the exam?
Not in the 2026 call, which says participation is free.