A Texas lawyer can practice in other states, but only after getting separate authorization from each state where they want to work. The route depends on how long you plan to be there and what kind of work you’re doing: transferring your Uniform Bar Exam score, applying for admission without another exam, getting court permission for a single case, or fitting the work within a narrow safe harbor for temporary or in-house services.
Transfer Your UBE Score to Another State
If you took the Texas bar exam in February 2021 or later, you already sat for the Uniform Bar Exam. Texas adopted the UBE beginning with that administration, and a passing score earned in Texas can be transferred to another UBE jurisdiction without taking a second exam.1Texas Board of Law Examiners. Uniform Bar Exam FAQs
Texas requires a minimum passing score of 270.2Texas Board of Law Examiners. Frequently Asked Questions That number sits at or above every other UBE jurisdiction’s cutoff, which range from 260 in states like Alabama, Missouri, and Oklahoma up to 270 in Colorado, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.3National Conference of Bar Examiners. UBE Minimum Scores A Texas pass clears every current threshold.
Watch the clock. Each state sets its own window for how long a UBE score stays transferable, and those windows run roughly two to five years from your exam date. Miss the window and the score expires for transfer purposes, even though your Texas license is still good. You will also need to file the receiving state’s application, pay its fees, and pass its character and fitness review.
Admission on Motion for Experienced Attorneys
Texas attorneys who did not take the UBE, or whose score has expired for transfer, can often get licensed elsewhere through admission on motion. This lets a state admit you based on your years of practice rather than an exam. It’s sometimes called reciprocity, though not every state conditions its offer on whether Texas returns the favor.
Typical requirements:
- Three to five years of active, full-time practice within a recent window. Virginia requires three of the last five years. The District of Columbia requires three years of good standing immediately before the application date.4Virginia Board of Bar Examiners. Minimum Threshold Requirements for Admission Without Examination5District of Columbia Court of Appeals. Rule 46(e)(3)(A) – Motion by 3-Year Provision
- Active membership in good standing with the State Bar of Texas, with no pending discipline anywhere.4Virginia Board of Bar Examiners. Minimum Threshold Requirements for Admission Without Examination
- A degree from a law school accredited by the ABA at the time of graduation.
- A fresh character and fitness review by the new state, even if Texas cleared you years ago.5District of Columbia Court of Appeals. Rule 46(e)(3)(A) – Motion by 3-Year Provision
Not every state offers this path. Some require every applicant to sit for their bar exam regardless of experience, so check the destination state before committing. Application fees typically run several hundred dollars.
Pro Hac Vice for a Single Case
When you need to handle one specific lawsuit in another state’s court, you can apply for temporary permission called pro hac vice, Latin for “for this one occasion.” This is common when a client already has an established relationship with their Texas lawyer or when the case calls for specialized expertise.
You file a motion with the court where the case is pending. In nearly every jurisdiction, you must associate with a locally licensed attorney who serves as local counsel and actively participates in the matter. You also need to provide a certificate of good standing from the State Bar of Texas and pay an application fee that varies by state. The judge decides whether to grant the motion, and the permission covers only that case.
Pro hac vice has limits beyond the single-case restriction. Some states cap how many times an out-of-state attorney can use it in a given year. Repeatedly seeking pro hac vice in the same state is a signal that you need full admission there.
Temporary Practice Without Local Admission
Not every cross-border matter involves a courtroom. ABA Model Rule 5.5(c), which most states have adopted in some form, allows temporary legal services without pro hac vice admission or a local license.6American Bar Association. Model Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 5.5 – Unauthorized Practice of Law; Multijurisdictional Practice of Law Under these provisions, a Texas-licensed attorney may provide temporary legal services in another state if the work:
- Is done in association with a locally admitted lawyer who actively participates,
- Relates to a pending or potential arbitration, mediation, or other alternative dispute resolution proceeding arising from the attorney’s Texas practice, or
- Otherwise arises out of or is reasonably related to the attorney’s Texas practice.
That last category is deliberately broad and deliberately vague, which is where transactional lawyers live. A Texas attorney negotiating a contract or closing a deal connected to their Texas-based practice can often do so in another state under this framework. The operative word is “temporary.” Opening a permanent office in another state and regularly advising clients there on that state’s law crosses into unauthorized practice, however you connect it back to Texas.
In-House Counsel Working Across State Lines
Texas attorneys who work as in-house counsel for a company headquartered elsewhere sit in a special category. ABA Model Rule 5.5(d) creates a safe harbor letting an attorney licensed in one state provide legal services to their employer in a state where they are not licensed, as long as the work does not require pro hac vice admission in a local court.6American Bar Association. Model Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 5.5 – Unauthorized Practice of Law; Multijurisdictional Practice of Law
The rationale: an employer can evaluate its own lawyer’s qualifications, so the risk to the public is lower than with outside clients. States have added their own conditions. More than 30 now require in-house counsel working under this safe harbor to register with the local bar or obtain a limited license or certification.7American Bar Association. Ethics Corner – Unauthorized Practice of Law and the Transplanted In-House Counsel Registration fees vary. Failing to register when required exposes you to the same unauthorized-practice risks as any unlicensed attorney, even though your work would otherwise fall inside the safe harbor.
Federal Courts Have Their Own Admissions
Federal courts run separate admission systems from state licensing. Admission to a federal district court in Texas does not carry over to a federal court in another state. Each of the 94 federal judicial districts maintains its own bar and rules.8United States Courts. About U.S. District Courts
Getting into another district’s federal bar is generally simpler than getting a full state license. You typically need to be a member in good standing of at least one state bar, submit an application, and pay an admission fee. Those fees range from about $150 to over $330 depending on the district.9Federal Judicial Center. Fees for Admission to Federal Court Bars Some districts require you to hold a license in the state where the court sits; others accept membership in any state bar. Check local rules before applying. Bankruptcy courts add a layer: in most districts, you must first be admitted to the district court’s bar before practicing in that district’s bankruptcy court.
A few specialized federal courts are more permissive. The U.S. Tax Court admits any attorney in good standing with the bar of any state, D.C., or a U.S. territory, with no separate exam, though you still file an application, provide a current certificate of good standing, and pay a $50 fee.10United States Tax Court. Guidance for Practitioners
Military Spouse Portability
Military spouses licensed in Texas and relocating on military orders have a streamlined federal path. As of December 23, 2024, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act expressly covers law licenses under its professional license portability provision.11U.S. Department of Justice. 2025 Update – Portability of Professional Licenses
To qualify, you must be relocating on military orders to a state outside the one where your license was issued, and your license must be active, in good standing, and free of pending investigations or discipline. You submit an application to the new state with proof of military orders, a notarized affidavit stating you understand and will comply with the new state’s licensing requirements, and a copy of your marriage certificate.11U.S. Department of Justice. 2025 Update – Portability of Professional Licenses The new state then treats your existing license as valid, with no local bar exam and no admission on motion process.
What Happens If You Practice Without Authorization
Practicing law in a state where you are not licensed is the unauthorized practice of law, and every state treats it seriously. The fallout comes in three forms.
Criminal penalties. Unauthorized practice is a misdemeanor in most states, and repeat offenses or aggravating circumstances can push it to a felony. A charge filed in a state where you have no license means defending yourself in unfamiliar territory with no established professional network.
Professional discipline. Even without criminal charges, the Texas bar can sanction you for violating professional conduct rules. Discipline ranges from private reprimand to suspension or disbarment, and the record follows you into every jurisdiction where you apply later.
Client harm. Work product from an unlicensed attorney can be challenged, contracts you drafted may face enforceability questions, and court filings can be stricken. If a client suffers harm because you practiced without authorization, you face malpractice exposure with a weakened defense. The routes above are accessible enough that there is no sound reason to skip them.