Testing Accommodations – Americans with Disabilities Act:

Without impairing the integrity of the examination process, the Board of Bar Examiners has adopted policies and procedures to provide testing accommodations for those applicants whose disabilities are covered within the scope of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA).

If you have a disability that could affect your ability to take the Nevada bar exam, you may want to file early for testing accommodations. Testing accommodations are available to those with mental or physical disabilities as defined in Nevada Supreme Court Rule Addendum 1(35).

You are also encouraged to review the Comfort Aid List. Medical aids, medications, and devices included on this list do not require preapproval and will be allowed into the testing room after inspection by testing center staff.

Procedures for Requesting Accommodation(s)

1. Submit a Request: An applicant requesting accommodation(s) must submit a request in writing at the time of the filing of the application. Requests must be submitted no later than the final deadline for filing applications.
2. Complete the Accommodation Application.
3. Submit Required Information and Documentation: Applicants seeking accommodation(s) must submit the completed application together with medical and/or psychological verification completed by a licensed professional with appropriate specialty training describing the nature and extent of the disability and accommodation(s) requested.
   • Guidelines for Medical Documentation – Specific Conditions:
     • Physical Impairment
     • Visual Impairment
     • ADHD
     • Learning Disabilities
     • Neurocognitive Impairments
     • Psychological Disabilities
4. Application Review by the Expert Panel: The Board of Bar Examiners, after consultation with its expert panel comprised of physicians and specialists whose professions are germane to the stated disability, shall then determine the extent of the accommodation to be allowed, if any.
5. Applicant Notified of Decision: the applicant will be notified in writing of the Expert Panel’s decision.
   • Procedure for Appeal: An applicant who is notified that the accommodation(s) granted by the Board are less than that which the applicant requested, or that the requested accommodation(s) have been denied, may, within a period of 15 days, file a petition for review with the chair of the board.
     • The petition shall state with particularity each ground upon which the board’s recommendation is alleged to be less than adequate or inadequate, and shall be accompanied by documentation necessary to support the matters set forth in the petition. The petition may further be accompanied by points and authorities, setting forth legal basis for the relief requested, or such additional medical documentation necessary to substantiate the relief requested.

Administrative Accommodation

An Administrative Accommodation provides a courtesy arrangement for applicants with certain health-related issues in standard test rooms following the standard testing schedule. In contrast, a Nonstandard Testing Accommodation (NTA) is an entirely separate form of accommodation provided to applicants with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) who have health-related conditions such as physical impairments, learning disorders, visual and hearing impairments, and psychiatric and psychological disorders. A NTA accommodation may deviate from the standard testing schedule. NTA requests are reviewed by outside consultants and require specific documentation.

Bar exam applicants seeking an Administrative Accommodation at the exam must complete the Administrative Accommodation Request Petition. To request accommodations, you must submit the required forms and supporting documentation no later than the January 1 deadline for the February exam or June 1st deadline for the July exam.

Accommodation Packet Submission Deadlines:

• July Exam: Accommodation packets must be postmarked no later than June 1.
• February Exam: Accommodation packets must be postmarked no later than January 1.

**Petitions without the required forms and documentation will not be considered complete and will not be processed until brought to a complete status. The deadline will not be extended for any reason.**

Testing Accommodations – Temporary or Emergency Conditions

Temporary Conditions

Applicants with temporary medical conditions may also file requests for accommodations using the same procedures as above.

Emergency Conditions

Testing accommodations requested on an emergency basis must be based on an injury or impairment acquired after the final application filing deadline.  Emergency accommodation requests may not be granted depending on the timing of the request.

Email Admissions at admissions@nvbar.org to get information about what you need to submit to request an emergency accommodation.