Time is everything when it comes to the Ontario bar exam. It’s not just about how many hours you’ll spend taking the test—it’s about how long you’ll need to prepare, how the bar examination is structured, and what kind of time management strategies will help you pass the bar exam.
The Law Society of Ontario (LSO) provides a breakdown of the exam format in its official Guide to Licensing Examinations. Understanding the bar exam duration is key to reducing stress levels and ensuring you’re fully prepared when exam day arrives.
How Long Is the Ontario Bar Exam?
Each of the two licensing exams—the Barrister Exam and the Solicitor Exam—is 4 hours and 30 minutes long.
- Barrister Exam: Covers areas like criminal law, family law, public law, and civil litigation.
- Solicitor Exam: Focuses on business law, real estate, and estate planning.
In addition, both exams cover rules of professional conduct, professional responsibility and by-laws.
Each exam consists of 160 multiple-choice questions, broken into sections by subject areas. There are two types of questions:
- Independent multiple-choice questions that stand alone.
- Case-based multiple-choice questions, which involve a short scenario followed by related questions.
There’s no extra time for mistakes. If you misplace an answer or fall behind, you won’t get additional minutes to catch up. Time management is critical.
How Long Does It Take to Prepare?
While the bar exam duration is 4.5 hours per exam, the preparation can take months. Some start earlier, especially if they’re balancing work, articling, or personal commitments.
Preparation time depends on a few key factors:
- Your familiarity with the material: If you just finished law school, subjects like criminal law and civil procedure may be fresh in your mind. If not, you’ll need extra time.
- Your study habits: Are you disciplined and consistent, or do you tend to cram? Study tips and structured plans help maximize efficiency.
- Your access to resources: Using Ontario bar exam practice materials, summaries, and tutoring can cut down study time by focusing on what matters.
How to Manage Your Time During the Exam
A common mistake students make is spending too much time on difficult questions. Here’s a time management strategy to keep you on track:
- You have 270 minutes for 160 questions—that’s about 1 minute and 40 seconds per question.
- Move fast on easy questions to save time for tougher ones.
- If you’re stuck, flag the question and come back to it later.
- Keep an eye on the Scantron answer sheet to ensure you are inputting answers for the appropriate question number.
What Else Impacts Bar Exam Duration?
- Organizing Material: You can bring printed materials (permitted under LSO’s guidelines), but flipping through hundreds of pages takes time. Binding your materials in an organized way can help you quickly find answers.
- Stress Levels: Anxiety can slow you down. Practicing with practice questions can help build confidence and improve speed.
The Countdown to Passing the Bar Exam Starts Now
The bar exam duration is more than just 4.5 hours per test—it’s the culmination of months of preparation to finally move forward on your journey to practice law. Success isn’t just about knowing the law; it’s about mastering time management, staying focused, and using the right study tools.
If you’re preparing for the Ontario bar exams, start early and use the best resources available. Check out bar exam dates to plan your study schedule, and use Ontario bar exam practice questions to sharpen your skills before test day.
