The short answer
The 2026 Philippine Bar Examinations were held on 6, 9 and 13 September 2026 at 15 local testing centres. Of the 13,441 applicants cleared to take it, 12,029 sat on the first day and 12,010 completed all three days, the highest number of finishers in Philippine Bar history. The results are expected in January 2027; the Supreme Court has not yet announced an exact date.
Key points
- Held on Sunday 6, Wednesday 9 and Sunday 13 September 2026, at 15 local testing centres.
- 12,010 examinees completed all three days, the most finishers in Philippine Bar history.
- Results are expected in January 2027. No exact date has been announced.
- Chaired by Associate Justice Samuel H. Gaerlan.
- For comparison, 5,594 passed the 2025 Bar, a passing rate of 48.98%.
The three exam days
The 2026 Bar Examinations ran over three days in September 2026, with one subject in the morning and one in the afternoon.
| Day | Morning | Afternoon |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, 6 September 2026 | Political and Public International Law | Commercial and Taxation Laws |
| Wednesday, 9 September 2026 | Civil Law and Land Titles and Deeds | Labor Law and Social Legislation |
| Sunday, 13 September 2026 | Criminal Law | Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics, with Practical Exercises |
The 2027 Bar keeps the same order of subjects. Our guide to the 2027 Philippine Bar Exam has the dates and the weight of each subject.
A record turnout
The Supreme Court cleared 13,441 applicants to take the 2026 Bar. Attendance held almost perfectly from the first day to the last:
- Day one, 6 September: 12,029 examinees.
- Day two, 9 September: 12,017 returned, 99.9% of day one.
- Day three, 13 September: 12,010 finished, 99.9% of day two.
The Court described the 12,010 finishers as the highest number in Philippine Bar history. The year before, 11,420 completed the 2025 Bar.
Fifteen local testing centres
The exam was held in 15 local testing centres across Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao, with San Beda College Alabang as national headquarters. These are the numbers who completed the third day at each centre.
| Testing centre | Where | Finished |
|---|---|---|
| Cagayan State University | Tuguegarao | 357 |
| Saint Louis University | Baguio | 1,130 |
| University of Nueva Caceres | Naga | 653 |
| New Era University | Quezon City | 1,276 |
| University of Santo Tomas | Manila | 674 |
| San Beda University | Manila | 1,148 |
| Ateneo de Manila University School of Law | Makati | 554 |
| Manila Adventist College | Pasay | 472 |
| University of the Philippines, Bonifacio Global City | Taguig | 658 |
| San Beda College Alabang | Muntinlupa | 773 |
| Dr. V. Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation | Tacloban | 557 |
| University of San Jose-Recoletos | Cebu City | 1,324 |
| Central Philippine University | Iloilo City | 562 |
| Ateneo de Davao University | Davao City | 1,142 |
| Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology | Iligan | 730 |
The largest centre was the University of San Jose-Recoletos in Cebu City, with 1,324 finishers. Together the centres add up to the 12,010.
A digital exam
As it has since the 2020/2021 Bar, the Supreme Court ran the 2026 Bar digitally, with answers written on a laptop using the Examplify software. Three examinees were allowed to write their answers by hand, four were allowed the help of a coder, and one person deprived of liberty took the exam at one of the testing centres.
Who ran it
The 2026 Bar was chaired by Associate Justice Samuel H. Gaerlan. At the close of the exams he handed over to Associate Justice Ricardo R. Rosario, who chairs the 2027 Bar.
When the results come out
Justice Gaerlan said the results would be released after the holiday season, in January 2027. As of this writing, the Supreme Court has not announced an exact date. The Court publishes the list of successful examinees on its website, sc.judiciary.gov.ph, and that list is the official one.
Our 2026 Bar results page counts down to the release and will point you to the official list as soon as it is out.
How recent Bars compare
| Bar | Passers | Passing rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2020/2021 | 8,241 | 72.28% |
| 2022 | 3,992 | 43.47% |
| 2023 | 3,812 | 36.77% |
| 2024 | 3,962 | 37.84% |
| 2025 | 5,594 | 48.98% |
| 2026 | Due January 2027 |
The 2025 results were released on 7 January 2026, which gives a sense of the timing to expect this year. Our passing rates by year go back to the 2010 Bar.
What comes after the results
Passing the Bar is not the last step. Successful examinees take the Lawyer's Oath and then sign the Roll of Attorneys, which is what admits them to practice. Our guide to the oath and the Roll explains each step, and if the result is not the one you hoped for, our guide to retaking the Bar is a place to start.
Where these facts come from
The figures on this page are from the Supreme Court's announcements during and after the 2026 Bar, as reported by the Daily Tribune, The Philippine Star and GMA News in September 2026, and from the Court's announced results of past Bars. The Supreme Court's own announcements always control.
Lagda is an independent study aid. It is not affiliated with the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
Questions
When will the 2026 Bar results be released?
In January 2027. The 2026 Bar chair, Associate Justice Samuel H. Gaerlan, said the results would come out after the holiday season. The Supreme Court has not announced an exact date.
How many took the 2026 Bar exam?
The Supreme Court cleared 13,441 applicants. 12,029 sat on the first day and 12,010 completed all three days, the highest number of finishers in Philippine Bar history.
When and where was the 2026 Bar exam held?
On 6, 9 and 13 September 2026, at 15 local testing centres across Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao, with San Beda College Alabang as national headquarters.
Who chaired the 2026 Bar Examinations?
Associate Justice Samuel H. Gaerlan. Associate Justice Ricardo R. Rosario chairs the 2027 Bar.
What was the passing rate of the 2025 Bar?
48.98%. 5,594 examinees passed, and the results were released on 7 January 2026.
Published 13 November 2026, updated 14 November 2026. Read how we write and check our guides in our editorial standards. The Supreme Court's bulletins and announcements always control. Lagda is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with the Supreme Court of the Philippines.