IN RE: PETITION TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE SUPREME COURT RELATING TO ADMISSIONS

Supreme Court of Florida

No. SC2026-0249

IN RE: PETITION TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE SUPREME

COURT RELATING TO ADMISSIONS TO THE BAR.

October 22, 2026

PER CURIAM.

The Florida Board of Bar Examiners has filed a petition proposing amendments to Rules of the Supreme Court Relating to Admissions to the Bar 1-63.5 (Documents Filed by Registrant or Applicant), 2-28 (Application Fee for Reapplication for Admission Based on Rehabilitation), 2-29 (Stale File Fee), 3-14.3 (Defective Applications), 3-14.6 (Non-Compliance), 3-22.1 (Investigative Hearing Cost), 3-22.3 (Investigative Hearing Postponement), 3-23.3 (Formal Hearing Cost), 3-23.5 (Formal Hearing Postponement), 4-43.1 ($325), 4-43.2 ($625), and 4-46 (Reapplication after Postponement). We have jurisdiction. See art. V, § 15, Fla. Const.; see also Fla. Bar Admiss. R. 1-12.

The Court published the proposed amendments for comment.

No comments were received. Having considered the Board's petition, we amend the Rules of the Supreme Court Relating to Admissions to the Bar as proposed by the Board, with minor revisions. The more significant amendments are discussed below.

Rule 3-14.6 is amended to clarify that an application for admission by an applicant who has not passed all portions of the Florida Bar Examination may be inactivated, instead of terminated, for failure to comply with outstanding requests and inquiries by the Board. The application may be reactivated for a fee once the applicant has complied with all outstanding requests.

Rule 4-46 is amended to change the timeline for early notice of an applicant's postponement of a Bar examination from 7 days before the commencement of the Bar examination to 14 days.

Lastly, the rules are amended to reflect an increase in certain fees for applicants due to inflation and increased costs.

Accordingly, we amend the Rules of the Supreme Court Relating to Admissions to the Bar as reflected in the appendix to this opinion. New language is indicated by underscoring; deletions are indicated by struck-through type. The amendments shall become effective December 21, 2026.

It is so ordered.

COURIEL, C.J., with LABARGA, MUÑIZ, GROSSHANS, FRANCIS, BARRIOS, and TANENBAUM, JJ., concur.

THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER

THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THESE AMENDMENTS.

Original Proceeding – Rules of the Supreme Court of Florida Relating to Admissions to the Florida Bar

Cristina Elena Groschel, Chair, Michele A. Gavagni Executive Director, and William Pafford, General Counsel, Florida Board of Bar Examiners, Tallahassee, Florida,

for Petitioner

APPENDIX

1-63.5 Costs of copies are set out below:

(a) The fee for a copy of any document or portion of a document is $2535 for the first page and 50 cents for each additional page.

(b) The fee for a copy of the Bar Application or Registrant Bar Application is $5075.

2-28 Application Fee for Reapplication for Admission Based on Rehabilitation. Applicants or registrants who are reapplying for admission and asserting rehabilitation from prior conduct that resulted in a denial of admission through Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law or Consent Judgment must file with the application a fee of $2,2003,000.

2-29 Stale File Fee. An applicant whose Bar Application has been on file for more than 3 years is required to file a new Bar Application on the form available on the board's website with current references, submission of fingerprints in the format required by the board, any supplemental documents that the board may reasonably require, and the applicable fee.

(a) If within 5 Years. If filed within 5 years of the filing date of the last application filed, a fee of $525725 is applicable.

(b) [No Change]

3-14.3 A Bar Application or Registrant Bar Application initially filed in a defective condition (e.g., without supporting documents or having blank or incomplete items on the application) may delay the initiation or the processing of the background investigation. A Bar Application or Registrant Bar Application filed in a defective condition will be accepted, but a fee of $150200 will be assessed.

3-14.6 Non-Compliance.

(a) An applicant who has not successfully passed all portions of the Florida Bar Examination and has failed to comply with all outstanding requests and inquiries from the board within 90 days may have his or her application inactivated until the applicant complies with all outstanding requests and inquiries and pays a reactivation fee of $200.

(a)(b) An applicant's who has successfully passed all portions of the Florida Bar Examination and has failed failure to respond to inquiry to comply with all outstanding requests and inquiries from the board within 90 days may result in termination of his or her Bar Application and require reapplication and payment of all have his or her Bar application terminated and be required to reapply and pay all required fees as if the applicant were applying for the first time.

(b)(c) A registrant's failure to respond to inquiry to comply with all outstanding requests and inquiries from the board within 90 days may result in cancellation of his or her application and require full payment of the student registrant fee. payment of the full nondiscounted student registrant fee, less the amount of any student registrant fee previously paid.

3-22.1 Any applicant or registrant requested to appear for an investigative hearing must pay the administrative cost of $250500.

3-22.3 Investigative Hearing Postponement. Postponement of a previously scheduled investigative hearing is permitted on written request and for good cause when accompanied by the following fee:

(a) $75100 if the request is received at least 31 days before the hearing date; or (b) $125175 if the request is received less than 31 days before the hearing date.

3-23.3 Formal Hearing Cost. Any applicant or registrant who receives Specifications that require the scheduling of a formal hearing must pay the administrative cost of $600825.

3-23.5 Formal Hearing Postponement. Postponement of a previously scheduled formal hearing is permitted by written request and for good cause when accompanied by the following fee:

(a) $250350 if request is received between 45 and 31 days before the hearing date; or (b) $600825 if the request is received less than 31 days before the hearing date.

4-43.1 $325450. If the Bar Application, Supplement to Registrant Bar Application, or Reexamination Application, as applicable, is postmarked or received on or before December 15 for the February examination or June 1 for the July examination, the fee is $325450.

4-43.2 $625850. If the Bar Application, Supplement to Registrant Bar Application, or Reexamination Application, as applicable, is received after December 15 but on or before January 15 for the February examination or after June 1 but on or before June 15 for the July examination, the fee is $625850. No Bar Application, Supplement to Registrant Bar Application, Reexamination Application, appropriate applicant filing fee, 2" x 2" photograph, or submission of fingerprints will be deemed to have met the late filing deadline if received after January 15 for the February examination, or after June 15 for the July examination.

4-46 Reapplication after Postponement. Applicants seeking to reapply after postponing as indicated above will be permitted admission into another General Bar Examination on filing with the board the Reexamination Application on the form available on the board's website and payment of the applicable postponement fee. To be timely filed, the completed application and appropriate fee must be postmarked or received by the examination filing deadline. If the Reexamination Application is not postmarked or received on or before the filing deadline or if filed incomplete, the appropriate examination late filing fee must be included. If requested by the board, an applicant will submit a current photograph. The fee payable with the Reexamination Application will be as follows:

(a) If the board receives the applicant's written notice of postponement under rule 4-45 at least 714 days before the commencement of the administration of the postponed examination, the fee is $100150.

(b) If the board receives the applicant's written notice of postponement under rule 4-45 prior to but less than 714 days before the commencement of the administration of the postponed examination, the fee is $200300.