Below are the guidelines for military attorney applications, renewals, and guidelines for military spouses.
Texas Military Attorney Application
Military Attorney Registration and Limited Permission to Practice Law
(For full-time active-duty military attorneys on military assignment in Texas, but not licensed in Texas, requesting limited permission to practice law in Texas.)
If you are a full-time active-duty military officer serving as an attorney in the office of a Staff Judge Advocate of the United States Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, or Coast Guard, a Naval Legal Service Office, or a Trial Service Office located in the state of Texas, licensed to practice law in another state, not a member of the State Bar of Texas, and seeking limited permission to practice law in Texas without State Bar membership, you may register for permission to appear as an attorney and practice law before the courts and other tribunals of Texas in any civil proceeding subject to the conditions and limitations in Rule 22 of the Rules Governing Admission to the Bar of Texas and applicable law.
The current Rules Governing Admission to the Bar of Texas, and the applicable statutory provisions found in Texas Government Code, Sec. 82.001 et seq., are contained in the Board of Law Examiners’ (Board) rulebook on our website.
To submit t an Application For Military Registration For Rule 22 Limited Permission To Practice In Texas.:
- Create an ATLAS account on the Board’s website.
- Complete the Application For Military Registration For Rule 22 Limited Permission To Practice In Texas. After obtaining all required signatures and notarizations, upload the completed application through ATLAS.
- Pay the filing fee of $25. There is no refund of fees if you withdraw your application, or do not meet all requirements.
- Upload a Certificate of Good Standing (CGS), showing that you are admitted to practice law and are in good and a current, original certificate of good standing as a member of the bar in any state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia. The CGS must be issued within 30 days of submitting this application.
- Training Requirement. A military attorney registration carries with it the obligation to complete at least 15 credit hours of continuing legal education coursework offered by the State Bar of Texas, including at least 3 hours of legal ethics or professional responsibility.
- Registration Period. A military attorney registration lasts one year. It can be renewed.
Renewing your Registration
To renew a military attorney registration:
- Fill out an Application For Military Registration For Rule 22 Limited Permission To Practice In Texas. Check the box that states, "I am filing a renewal for Military Registration and have enclosed proof of having completed the continuing legal education requirement." After obtaining all required signatures and notarizations, upload the completed application through ATLAS.
- Pay the renewal fee of $25.
- Upload a Certificate of Good Standing (CGS), showing that you are admitted to practice law and are in good and a current, original certificate of good standing as a member of the bar in any state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia. The CGS must be issued within 30 days of submitting this application.
- Upload proof that you completed the 15-hour continuing legal education training requirement.
Military Attorney Application or Renewal Instructions
Military Attorney Registration and Limited Permission to Practice Law
(For full-time active-duty military attorneys on military assignment in Texas, but not licensed in Texas, requesting limited permission to practice law in Texas.)
If you are a full-time active-duty military officer serving as an attorney in the office of a Staff Judge Advocate of the United States Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, or Coast Guard, a Naval Legal Service Office, or a Trial Service Office located in the state of Texas, licensed to practice law in another state, not a member of the State Bar of Texas, and seeking limited permission to practice law in Texas without State Bar membership, you may register for permission to appear as an attorney and practice law before the courts and other tribunals of Texas in any civil proceeding subject to the conditions and limitations in Rule 22 of the Rules Governing Admission to the Bar of Texas and applicable law.
The current Rules Governing Admission to the Bar of Texas, and the applicable statutory provisions found in Texas Government Code, Sec. 82.001 et seq., are contained in the Board of Law Examiners’ (Board) rulebook on our website.
To submit t an Application For Military Registration For Rule 22 Limited Permission To Practice In Texas.:
- Create an ATLAS account on the Board’s website.
- Complete the Application For Military Registration For Rule 22 Limited Permission To Practice In Texas. After obtaining all required signatures and notarizations, upload the completed application through ATLAS.
- Pay the filing fee of $25. There is no refund of fees if you withdraw your application, or do not meet all requirements.
- Upload a Certificate of Good Standing (CGS), showing that you are admitted to practice law and are in good and a current, original certificate of good standing as a member of the bar in any state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia. The CGS must be issued within 30 days of submitting this application.
- Training Requirement. A military attorney registration carries with it the obligation to complete at least 15 credit hours of continuing legal education coursework offered by the State Bar of Texas, including at least 3 hours of legal ethics or professional responsibility.
- Registration Period. A military attorney registration lasts one year. It can be renewed.
Renewing your Registration
To renew a military attorney registration:
- Fill out an Application For Military Registration For Rule 22 Limited Permission To Practice In Texas. Check the box that states, "I am filing a renewal for Military Registration and have enclosed proof of having completed the continuing legal education requirement." After obtaining all required signatures and notarizations, upload the completed application through ATLAS.
- Pay the renewal fee of $25.
- Upload a Certificate of Good Standing (CGS), showing that you are admitted to practice law and are in good and a current, original certificate of good standing as a member of the bar in any state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia. The CGS must be issued within 30 days of submitting this application.
- Upload proof that you completed the 15-hour continuing legal education training requirement.
Military Spouses
Does Texas have a policy concerning military spouses?
The Board, in consultation with the Supreme Court, has adopted policy guidelines for (a) consideration of problems faced by military spouse applicants and (b) consideration of their practice time waiver requests. Pursuant to these guidelines:
- As used in these guidelines, a military spouse applicant means an attorney holding a current active law license in another state who demonstrates that his or her spouse is a person on active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United States, whose duty station is in Texas.
- The military spouse applicant may file an application for admission in Texas at a reduced fee (the fee applicable to an out-of-state law student) without having to demonstrate the indigence required under Rule 18(c) for fee waivers.
- If applying to take the Texas Bar Examination, no late fee will be incurred for filing within the times provided in Rule 9(a).
- The military spouse applying for admission without examination (AWOX) should meet all other eligibility criteria for admission, but if lacking only Rule 13(1) practice time, then the militaryspouse may submit a written request for waiver of 13(1) demonstrating good cause for (a) enlarging the seven-year window to encompass law practice beyond seven years, (b) accepting fewer than the minimum five years time in practice, or (c) both.
- The military spouse’s waiver request shall be sumbitted through ATLAS at the time of filing the application for admission, or thereafter. In addition to any other factors the military spouse applicant may consider appropriate for the Board to consider, the applicant’s waiver request shall include:
- A verifiable history of short-term moves that were compulsory for the applicant as an attorney married to an active duty military service member;
- A detailed description of the unique problems, if any, the applicant faced as a military spouse in undertaking to engage actively and substantially in the lawful practice of law during the relevant time period(s) for which waiver is sought;
- Documentation demonstrating to the Board’s satisfaction that the applicant is currently the legal spouse of an active duty member of the armed forces whose duty station is in Texas; maintains a current active license to practice law in another state or territory of the United States; is in good standing and has no current or pending discipline in any jurisdiction currently licensed (active or inactive status); is in compliance with Continuing Legal Education, fees and other requirements of licensure in all jurisdictions of active licensure; and has no issues that could result in the Board’s character and fitness director determining that the applicant lacks present good moral character and fitness; and
- Any letters of support from attorneys with whom applicant has practiced law that the applicant considers appropriate for the Board to consider with respect to the waiver request.
I am a military spouse. How do I request a reduction of fees?
If you are a military spouse applying to take the Texas Bar Exam, you may request a reduction of your filing fees from $1,040 (the fee for attorneys) down to $490 (the fee for out-of-state law students).
- Create an ATLAS account.
- Complete a bar exam application.
- Once you have completed the application, a "request waiver" button will appear. Click on it, and complete the questions to request a reduction or waiver of fees.
- To receive a reduction of the fee to $490, you do not need to establish indigence, and you do not need to provide any information about your income.
- You do need to establish that you are currently the legal spouse of an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States who is stationed in Texas. To establish this, you will need to upload:
- A copy of military dependent identification documents
- Documentary evidence that the service member’s duty station is in Texas in compliance with military orders,
I am a military spouse applying for admission without examination, but I have less than 5 years of practice time. Can I request a waiver of the 5-year practice requirement?
A military spouse may submit a request for waiver of the 5-year practice requirement in Rule 13(1) by demonstrating good cause for (a) enlarging the seven-year window to encompass law practice beyond seven years, (b) accepting fewer than the minimum five years time in practice, or (c) both.
- Create an ATLAS account.
- Complete an AWOX application.
- Once you have completed the application, a "request waiver" button will appear. Click on it, and complete the waiver request.
- Be sure to upload:
- A copy of military dependent identification documents.
- Documentary evidence that the service member’s duty station is in Texas in compliance with military orders,
- A statement addressing a verifiable history of short-term moves that were compulsory for the applicant as an attorney married to an active duty military service member;
- A detailed description of the unique problems, if any, the applicant faced as a military spouse in undertaking to engage actively and substantially in the lawful practice of law during the relevant time period(s) for which waiver is sought;
- Any letters of support from attorneys with whom applicant has practiced law that the applicant considers appropriate for the Board to consider with respect to the waiver request.
