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The American Bar Association (ABA), the largest voluntary association of lawyers in the United States, is the institution responsible for accrediting law schools. Graduates of ABA-accredited law schools are guaranteed the opportunity to sit for the bar examination in all 50 states. In California, there are more than 40 law schools that are not accredited by the ABA, but whose graduates are certified and permitted to sit for the California Bar Examination. Depending on laws set forth by other state bar associations, graduates of California non-ABA accredited law schools may or may not be permitted to sit for other state bar examinations.

Eighteen state bar associations limit eligibility to sit for the state bar examination solely to graduates of ABA-accredited law schools. Graduates of California law schools not accredited by the ABA are not permitted to take the bar examination in the following states: Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina and South Dakota.

Two states and the District of Columbia impose additional educational or vocational requirements on non-ABA law school graduates. While the number of classes varies, California non-ABA graduates will need to take classes from an ABA-accredited law school before being permitted to sit for the bar examination in the District of Columbia, Vermont and Wisconsin.

Three states require graduates of California non-ABA law schools to actively practice as a lawyer in California for a certain number of years before sitting for the bar examination in Colorado, Massachusetts and Nevada.