So, you’ve probably seen the headlines swirling around or caught a snippet on TikTok. People keep asking: did Kim Kardashian pass the bar? It’s one of those things that feels like it’s been happening for a decade. Honestly, it kind of has.
The short answer is no—she hasn't passed the "big" bar exam yet. But the long answer is way more interesting and actually pretty impressive, regardless of how you feel about the Kardashians.
Kim didn't take the traditional "sit in a lecture hall for three years" route. She’s doing it the hard way. In California, there’s this old-school loophole called "Reading the Law." Basically, you apprentice under a lawyer instead of going to law school. It’s grueling. It’s unconventional. And it’s exactly why people are so confused about her status.
The July 2025 Attempt: So Close, Yet So Far
The most recent update came in late 2025. After finishing her six-year apprenticeship in May, Kim sat for the actual California Bar Exam in July 2025. This isn't the "baby bar" she talked about on TV; this is the real deal—the two-day monster that breaks even the smartest Ivy League grads.
When the results dropped in November 2025, Kim was typically candid on Instagram. She didn't pass. But she didn't just fail; she "failed by a whisker."
"Well I'm not a lawyer yet, I just play a very well-dressed one on TV," she joked to her followers, referencing her role as a divorce attorney in the Ryan Murphy series All’s Fair.
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She was incredibly close. In the world of the California Bar—which has one of the lowest pass rates in the United States—being "close" is both a triumph and a total heartbreak.
Why Everyone Is Confused: The "Baby Bar" vs. The Real Bar
Part of the reason the "Kim Kardashian passed the bar" rumor keeps resurfacing is that she did pass a bar exam. Just not the bar exam.
Back in December 2021, Kim famously passed the First-Year Law Students' Examination, better known as the "baby bar." This is a requirement for anyone doing an apprenticeship or attending an unaccredited law school.
It took her four tries.
Four.
Most people would have quit after the second.
The baby bar is a seven-hour ordeal covering only three subjects:
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- Contracts
- Criminal Law
- Torts
When she finally cleared that hurdle, the internet exploded. It was a huge win, but it only gave her the green light to keep studying. It didn't make her an attorney.
The Six-Year Grind Nobody Talks About
We see the Skims launches and the Met Gala photos, but the reality of Kim’s legal journey is a lot of boring, late-night studying. She’s been mentored by attorneys Jessica Jackson and Erin Haney since 2018.
Think about that timeline. Six years.
She’s put in over 5,000 hours of study. She’s balanced this while raising four kids and running a multi-billion dollar empire. Critics love to say she’s "buying" her way in, but you can’t buy a passing score from the State Bar of California. They don’t care who your mom is.
Kim has been vocal about her struggles. She’s admitted to "f***ing hating" Constitutional Law. She’s vented about the nightmare that is hearsay exceptions. These are the same things every 1L and 2L student groans about in the library at 2:00 AM.
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The 2026 Resit: What's Next?
So, if she failed in July 2025, where does that leave her now?
Kim has already confirmed she isn't stopping. She’s currently gearing up for a resit, likely in February or July of 2026. Given how close her scores were in the last round, most legal experts following her journey think she’s got a genuine shot this time.
Her motivation isn't just a "vanity project." It started with Alice Marie Johnson, the great-grandmother whose life sentence Kim helped commute. Since then, she’s been deeply involved in the REFORM Alliance and has helped free dozens of people who were unfairly sentenced. She wants the degree so she doesn't have to rely on other lawyers to file the paperwork. She wants to be the one in the room making the legal arguments.
Common Misconceptions About Her Journey
- "She’s a lawyer now because of her show." Nope. Playing a lawyer in All’s Fair is just acting. She’s still a student in real life.
- "She skipped law school because she's rich." Actually, California is one of the only states that allows this. It’s arguably harder than law school because you don't have the structured environment or professors. You’re on your own.
- "She doesn't have a college degree." This is true. You don't actually need a bachelor's degree to take the bar in California if you go the apprenticeship route, though you do have to pass the baby bar to prove you're capable.
What You Can Learn From Kim’s Legal Path
Whether you're a fan or not, there's a lesson here about grit. Most people would have stopped after failing the baby bar three times. Kim didn't. Most people would have been too embarrassed to admit they failed the full bar in 2025. Kim posted it to millions of people.
If you’re looking to follow a non-traditional career path, here’s the blueprint:
- Expect the "No": You’re going to fail. Probably more than once.
- Find Mentors: She didn't do this alone; she found experts who believed in her.
- Ignore the Noise: If she listened to the "stay in your lane" comments, she would’ve quit in 2019.
Kim Kardashian hasn't passed the bar yet, but she’s closer than she’s ever been. 2026 might finally be the year she trades the "Kim K" brand for "Kim Kardashian, Esq."
If you’re tracking Kim’s legal progress, the next big date to watch is the release of the February 2026 bar results. You can check the official State Bar of California website for general pass list updates, though individual names are only public if the applicant chooses.