Oath & Enrollment Ceremony Information
The Oath of Admission is the final step in the admission process. You cannot practice law in the State of Missouri until the oath has been taken and a copy of the Oath Verification form is submitted to MBLE. Under Rule 8.15, an applicant must take the oath of admission within 90 days from the date of the letter of licensure; failure to do so may result in revocation of your certification for admission.
You cannot take the oath until you receive notification from MBLE that you have been certified for admission. MBLE will certify you for admission once you have met all applicable requirements under Rule 8.
MBLE will provide information regarding the oath process once you are eligible to be sworn in. An Oath Verification form will be posted to your MBLE user home page after you have met all the requirements for admission and MBLE has certified you for admission to the Supreme Court of Missouri. The next steps are:
- Print out the form and have the official administering the oath complete it. Instructions on how to complete it and submit it will be provided.
- In Missouri, the oath may be administered by a judge, notary public, or other officer who has the legal authority to administer an oath. Outside of Missouri, the person administering the oath must be legally empowered to do so in the jurisdiction where the oath/attestation is administered.
- Upload the completed form, from your MBLE user home page, and keep the original in your permanent file.
- After the oath has been taken and the Oath Verification form received by MBLE, you will be mailed your license and a formal Oath of Admission, suitable for framing, which may be signed by you and the official administering the oath. Do NOT return your formal Oath of Admission wall document to the MBLE office.
If you have passed the Missouri bar examination and have met all other admission requirements, then MBLE will certify you for admission to the Supreme Court of Missouri and will provide you an Oath Verification form.
The Supreme Court holds special sessions twice a year (usually in late April and late September) for the purpose of administering the Oath of Admission to individuals who passed the most recent Missouri bar examination and who met all other requirements for admission at least 10 business days prior to the release of examination results. If you are eligible to attend the enrollment ceremony, your examination results letter will give instructions regarding the ceremony. After the release of results, additional information about the enrollment ceremony will be available at MBLE’s website in the Announcements section. You should review that information carefully.
If you will attend the Supreme Court enrollment ceremony and will not practice law before the ceremony, you do not need to complete the Oath Verification form. You will receive your oath and law license at the ceremony. However, if you plan to practice law prior to the ceremony, you must execute the Oath of Admission before you can practice and upload the completed Oath Verification form to your MBLE user home page immediately.
Can I attend the ceremony if I passed the exam but still have pending admission items (i.e., my character and fitness is pending)?
No. To be eligible to attend the ceremony, you must satisfy all requirements for admission to the bar at least 10 business days prior to the release of examination results. See Admission Eligibility Requirements Section for the list of requirements necessary for certification. Information regarding whether admission eligibility requirements have been met are included in your examination results letter.