# Ala. R. Gov. Admis. I: Rule I. Registration of Intent to Apply for Admission to the Alabama State Bar > Alabama · Court rules · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_AL_ARGA_RI ## Section - **Citation:** Ala. R. Gov. Admis. I - **Heading:** Rule I. Registration of Intent to Apply for Admission to the Alabama State Bar - **Jurisdiction:** Alabama - **Kind:** Court rules - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** Alabama Rules of Court / Alabama Rules Governing Admission to the Alabama State Bar / Ala. R. Gov. Admis. I ## Text Rules Governing Admission to the Alabama State Bar Rule I. Registration of Intent to Apply for Admission to the Alabama State Bar. A. Registration of Law Students and Others Seeking Admission to the Alabama State Bar. Every person seeking to apply for admission to the Alabama State Bar shall, within 60 days following the commencement of the study of law in any law school, register with the Secretary ("the Secretary") of the Board of Commissioners of the Alabama State Bar ("the Board" or "the Board of Commissioners") by completing and filing the online registration application and such other papers as may from time to time be reasonably required by the Board. No fee shall be required if the registration application is filed within the first 60 days following the commencement of the study of law. If, however, the registration application is filed after 60 days, such application shall be accompanied by an appropriate fee of: (1) $50.00 if filed after 60 days but on or before the 180th day; (2) $100.00 if filed after 180 days but on or before the 390th day (3) $250.00 if filed after 390 days. The deadline date for filing the registration application shall be determined using the official date for the commencement of study announced by the registrant's law school. The registrant shall be responsible for submitting, as a part of the registration application, certified verification of that date upon the form supplied by the Board. Any fee required with a registration application filed pursuant to this rule shall be nonrefundable. B. Committee on Character and Fitness. The Committee on Character and Fitness ("the Committee") (see Rule V) shall promptly conduct an initial review of the registration application for matters bearing on the registrant's character and fitness, including, but not limited to, alcohol or drug addiction or abuse, criminal history, financial responsibility, and mental-health issues nrefundable. B. Committee on Character and Fitness. The Committee on Character and Fitness ("the Committee") (see Rule V) shall promptly conduct an initial review of the registration application for matters bearing on the registrant's character and fitness, including, but not limited to, alcohol or drug addiction or abuse, criminal history, financial responsibility, and mental-health issues. Thereafter, the Committee shall conduct an investigation or otherwise inquire into and determine the qualifications, character, and fitness of every registrant who applies for admission to practice law in the State of Alabama and may request the personal appearance of any registrant at such reasonable time and place as the Committee may prescribe. If the Committee, during the course of an investigation of the registrant, concludes that a complete set of his or her fingerprints would be of substantial assistance in the investigation, the Committee may direct the registrant to submit a complete set of his or her fingerprints. The failure of the registrant to submit, upon request, a complete set of his or her fingerprints, to fully and accurately comply with any reasonable request to produce documents or to appear personally before the Committee, or to fully and accurately provide such other information as reasonably may be requested by the Committee shall be a sufficient ground to deny approval of the registration. If the Committee is reasonably satisfied that the registrant possesses good moral character, has completed the prelegal education required by these Rules (see Rule IV.A and B), and is fit to practice law in the State of Alabama in all other respects, it shall approve the registration, and the Secretary shall thereupon issue to the registrant a certificate of registration and cause a record thereof to be kept in the Secretary's office hat the registrant possesses good moral character, has completed the prelegal education required by these Rules (see Rule IV.A and B), and is fit to practice law in the State of Alabama in all other respects, it shall approve the registration, and the Secretary shall thereupon issue to the registrant a certificate of registration and cause a record thereof to be kept in the Secretary's office. If the registrant is found deficient in any of the aforementioned qualifications, the certificate of registration shall not be issued until and unless the Committee is satisfied that the registrant has overcome the deficiency. A majority of the Committee may at any time and place, if in meeting assembled, act for the Committee, with the power of examination herein granted the Committee, regardless of when the registration application was filed with the Secretary. In cases where a registrant does not file the registration application within 390 days following the commencement of the study of law and the degree of investigation required makes immediate review or resolution of the registration impractical, the Committee may in its discretion defer its review and investigation of the registration to allow a reasonable opportunity to thoroughly investigate the registrant's character and fitness. From a ruling of the Committee declining to approve the application for registration, an appeal shall lie to the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar (which, when acting in such capacity, shall be referred to as the "Character and Fitness Appeal Board"), if notice of appeal is filed with the Secretary and a copy of the notice is also filed with the Disciplinary Clerk of the Alabama State Bar within 30 days after the applicant has been notified of the action of the Committee. Such appeal shall be heard, de novo, within 30 days after the filing of the notice of appeal or at such time as agreed upon by stipulation between the appellant and the General Counsel of the Alabama State Bar. C ary and a copy of the notice is also filed with the Disciplinary Clerk of the Alabama State Bar within 30 days after the applicant has been notified of the action of the Committee. Such appeal shall be heard, de novo, within 30 days after the filing of the notice of appeal or at such time as agreed upon by stipulation between the appellant and the General Counsel of the Alabama State Bar. C. Registration Not an Application for Admission. The registration application filed by a registrant shall not be deemed an application for admission to the Alabama State Bar. [Amended eff. 8-8-2008; Amended eff. 1-11-2013; Amended eff. 1-19-2017.] Note from the reporter of decisions: The order amending Rule I, Rules Governing Admission to the Alabama State Bar, effective August 8, 2008, is published in that volume of Alabama Reporter that contains Alabama cases from 993 So.2d. Note from the reporter of decisions: The order amending the Rules Governing Admission to the Alabama State Bar is published in that volume of Alabama Reporter that contains Alabama cases from 104 So. 3d. Note from the reporter of decisions: The order amending Rule I, Rule II, Rule III, Rule V, Rule VI(B), and Appendix, effective January 19, 2017, is published in that volume of Alabama Reporter that contains Alabama cases from ___ So. 3d. ## Nearby sections - [Ala. R. Gov. Admis. Appendix Rule Appendix. Fee Schedule](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_AL_ARGA_RAppendix.md) - [Ala. R. Gov. Admis. I Rule I. Registration of Intent to Apply for Admission to the Alabama State Bar](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_AL_ARGA_RI.md) - [Ala. R. Gov. Admis. II Rule II. Application for Admission to the Alabama State Bar](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_AL_ARGA_RII.md) - [Ala. R. Gov. Admis. III Rule III. Persons Entitled to Admission Without Examination](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_AL_ARGA_RIII.md) - [Ala. R. Gov. Admis. IV Rule IV. Persons Entitled to Admission by Examination](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_AL_ARGA_RIV.md) - [Ala. R. Gov. Admis. V Rule V. Committee on Character and Fitness](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_AL_ARGA_RV.md) - [Ala. R. Gov. Admis. VI(A) Rule VI(A). Board of Bar Examiners](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_AL_ARGA_RVI_A.md) - [Ala. R. Gov. Admis. VI(B) Rule VI(B). Bar Examination](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_AL_ARGA_RVI_B.md) - [Ala. R. Gov. Admis. VII Rule VII. Admission of Foreign Attorneys Pro Hac Vice](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_AL_ARGA_RVII.md) - [Ala. R. Gov. Admis. VIII Rule VIII. Admission of Foreign Attorneys as Authorized House Counsel](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_AL_ARGA_RVIII.md) - [Ala. R. Gov. Admis., Verified Application for Admission to Practice Under Rule VII of the Rules Governing Admission to the Alabama State Bar Document admitPHVApplication. Verified Application for Admission to Practice Under Rule VII of the Rules Governing Admission to the Alabama State Bar](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_AL_ARGA_DadmitPHVApplication.md) - [Ala. R. Gov. Admis., Verified Application for Admission to Practice Under Rule VII of the Rules Governing Admission to the Alabama State Bar for Pro Bono Counsel Document admitformProBono. Verified Application for Admission to Practice Under Rule VII of the Rules Governing Admission to the Alabama State Bar for Pro Bono Counsel](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_AL_ARGA_DadmitformProBono.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_AL_ARGA_RI. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.