Supreme Court of Georgia
Office of Bar Admissions

Admission on Motion without Examination

Part C of the Rules Governing Admission to the Practice of Law provides for Admission on Motion (without examination). Before you apply, you should carefully review Part C, Sections 2 and 3 of the Rules to ensure that you currently satisfy all of the eligibility requirements.

Reciprocity is considered only in connection with the jurisdiction(s) in which you were admitted by passing a bar exam. In this regard, we have provided below our current list of reciprocal jurisdictions for purposes of Admission on Motion in Georgia. Please note that (among others), California, Florida, and South Carolina are not reciprocal jurisdictions with Georgia, which means that you cannot be admitted to practice on motion without examination in Georgia when applying based on your admission in one of those jurisdictions.

In addition, Section 2 (b) of Part C of the Rules provides that, with respect to the jurisdiction in which you were admitted to the Bar by examination, you are subject to any “more stringent and exacting” requirements that would apply to an applicant from Georgia seeking admission to the Bar in that jurisdiction. Nearly all of the jurisdictions in the chart above apply more stringent and exacting requirements, such as a particular MPRE score and continuing legal education courses. Before you apply for Admission on Motion, you should review your applicable jurisdiction’s requirements for Admission on Motion to ensure you meet any such additional requirements. For example, if you are seeking Admission on Motion from Alabama, you are subject to the following “more stringent and exacting” requirement: you must be a permanent resident of Georgia at the time of application or submit an affidavit that you intend to maintain an office for the practice of law in Georgia with 75% of the time devoted to the practice of law in this State.

Admission on Motion in Georgia requires the submission of a Petition for Admission on Motion without Examination, which includes an Application for Certification of Fitness to Practice Law, accompanied by a $2,500 fee. You must provide the following eligibility documentation within 30 days of filing your petition:

• official law school transcript;
• current letter or certificate of good standing from each state/jurisdiction in which you are admitted to practice. (“Current” means as close to your filing date as possible but not older than 60 days prior to the filing date of your application);
• current letter or record of disciplinary history from every jurisdiction in which you have ever been admitted to practice. (“Current” means as close to your filing date as possible but not older than 60 days prior to the filing date of your application);
• statement describing your “active practice of law” (as defined in the Rules) for at least five of the past seven years. Please note that the Rules require Motion applicants to have been “primarily” engaged in the active practice of law for five of the past seven years. Thus, a part-time practice may not be sufficient. The Board of Bar Examiners does not consider the practice of law to include typical document review;
• and, if applicable, proof that you have satisfied the more stringent and exacting requirement(s) that would apply to a Georgia applicant seeking Admission on Motion in your reciprocal jurisdiction.

You should upload all eligibility documentation immediately upon submitting and paying for your petition and application, and you must upload the documentation within 30 days. Failure to timely upload your eligibility documents may result in the denial of your petition. If the Board of Bar Examiners determines you are eligible for Admission on Motion without Examination, you will be notified that your petition has been approved and that the processing of your Application for Certification of Fitness will begin.

You should review the Policy Statement issued by the Board to Determine Fitness of Bar Applicants regarding certification of fitness. If you are granted certification of fitness by the Board to Determine Fitness of Bar Applicants, you will be notified by letter sent to your address on file, which will be accompanied by a Certificate of Eligibility that you will present when you are sworn-in to practice law in Georgia.

The Supreme Court of Georgia recognizes that the “years of active practice” requirement for Admission on Motion may be difficult to satisfy for attorney spouses of active-duty military personnel, who frequently are transferred to new duty stations in states where they are not admitted to practice. Attorneys who are military spouses are encouraged to click here for information about how to apply for admission as a Military Spouse Attorney under Supreme Court of Georgia Rule 103.

If you have questions about your eligibility for Admission on Motion (after carefully reviewing Part C of the Rules), you should email the Office of Bar Admissions here or call 404-656-4208. If you have determined that you are eligible, you can register here and then file your Petition and Application.