NOTICE TO APPLICANTS REGARDING FEBRUARY 2022 NORTH

BOARD OF LAW EXAMINERS OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

NOTICE TO APPLICANTS REGARDING

FEBRUARY 2022 NORTH CAROLINA BAR EXAMINATION

COVID-19 REQUIREMENTS AND PROTECTIVE MEASURES

The North Carolina Board of Law Examiners (Board) currently plans to conduct an in-person

administration of the February 2022 North Carolina Bar Examination.

To protect the health, safety and welfare of all persons attending the February 2022 North

Carolina bar examination during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Board will require all

applicants to adhere to the requirements outlined below in accordance with current public health

recommendations and guidance.

The Board recognizes that the bar examination can be a source of significant stress for

applicants. The Board’s primary concern is to reasonably safeguard all persons involved with the

administration of the examination, and to protect public health. This concern necessitates

imposition of the following protocols.

COVID-19 APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS FOR FEBRUARY 2022 NC BAR EXAM

All applicants for the February 2022 North Carolina Bar Examination must comply with the

following COVID-19 pandemic requirements:

1. Applicants must familiarize themselves with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

guidance regarding best practices to protect themselves and others from COVID-19

and follow this guidance throughout the administration of the February 2022 North

Carolina Bar Examination.

2. Applicants must complete the following forms:

• Declaration Acknowledging February 2022 North Carolina Bar

Examination COVID-19 Requirements

• February 2022 North Carolina Bar Examination Regulations and Code

of Conduct

• Incomplete Application Declaration (if applicable)

These forms will be posted to applicants’ secure portal accounts. Applicants must

complete and upload all of these forms on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on

February 14, 2022. If an applicant does not complete and upload these forms

by the deadline, the applicant will not receive an Admission Ticket and will

not be permitted to sit for the examination.

3. At check-in for the examination on February 22, 2022, applicants must submit either

proof of full vaccination against COVID-19, or proof of a Nucleic Acid Amplification

Test (NAAT) for SARS-CoV-2 performed after February 15, 2022, showing that the

applicant is negative for COVID-19. The test must be administered in a laboratory or

point-of-care setting. Home tests will not be accepted.

4. Applicants must provide and wear a protective face covering that covers the nose and

mouth and does not have a valve or vent, continuously throughout the administration

of the exam, including check-in and check-out.

5. Applicants will be allowed to bring their own clear plastic water bottle, for the

applicant’s personal use only. Communal water dispensers will not be available.

6. Applicants are responsible for providing their own hand-sanitizer, for their personal

use only, during the administration of the February 2022 North Carolina Bar

Examination.

7. Applicants must maintain social distancing (minimum of six feet) throughout the

administration of the February 2022 North Carolina Bar Examination.

8. Applicants must follow CDC guidance in effect at the time of the examination for

quarantine requirements and travel restrictions applicable to their COVID-19

vaccination status.

Relevant information is available on the CDC website:

• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html;

• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your/health/quarantine-

isolation.html;

• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-travelers/travel-during-COVID-

19.html;

• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-

guidance.html.)

9. An applicant must report to staff if the applicant develops symptoms of COVID-19

(including fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, muscle

pain, sore throat, and/or new loss of sense of taste or smell) during the administration

of the examination, so that appropriate public health measures may be implemented.

10. If an Applicant becomes symptomatic while present at the examination site during the

February 2022 North Carolina Bar Examination, the following steps will be taken:

• the Applicant’s examination will be ended;

• the Applicant will be moved to an isolation room;

• Public health officials will be notified regarding the symptoms the Applicant

is exhibiting; and,

• the Applicant will comply with any and all instructions conveyed by said

public health officials.

The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has been declared a pandemic by the World Health

Organization. COVID-19 is contagious and is believed to spread mainly from person-to-

person contact.

The Board has put in place reasonable steps to safeguard applicants and staff and to

protect against exposure to COVID-19 during the administration of the February 2022

North Carolina bar examination. However, the Board cannot guarantee that applicants

will not be exposed to or become infected with COVID-19.

Each applicant acknowledges that there exists an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19

in any place where people are present. Each applicant agrees to comply with all health

and safety measures implemented by the Board to reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure

and transmission during the examination administration. Each applicant acknowledges

that, at any time prior to February 22, 2022, the applicant may request to transfer the

applicant’s application fee to the July 2022 examination.

COVID-19 PROTECTIVE MEASURES FOR FEBRUARY 2022 NC BAR EXAM

Check-In Process - Social Distancing; Proof of Full Vaccination Against COVID-19 or

Negative COVID-19 Test; Protective Equipment; Cleaning/Disinfection of Surfaces; CDC

Notice Not to Enter if Sick and CDC Best Practices Signs at Each Venue

• Prior to February 22, 2022, all Proctors, Check-in Staff, Board members, and Board staff

attending the examination must submit either proof of full vaccination against COVID-

19, or proof of a Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) for SARS-CoV-2 performed

after February 15, 2022 showing the individual is negative for COVID-19. The test

must be administered in a laboratory or point-of-care setting. Home tests will not be

accepted.

• At check-in for the examination on February 22, 2022, applicants must submit either

proof of full vaccination against COVID-19, or proof of a Nucleic Acid Amplification

Test (NAAT) for SARS-CoV-2 performed after February 15, 2022 showing that the

applicant is negative for COVID-19. The test must be administered in a laboratory or

point-of-care setting. Home tests will not be accepted.

• The Board will ensure adherence to social distancing requirements during the check-

in process, maintaining the recommended six-foot distance between applicants.

Markers will be put in place indicating where applicants are to stand in the check-in

line to ensure the proper minimum distance. Clear plastic screens/barriers will be

positioned on the check-in tables where there may be less than six-feet distance

between applicants and check-in staff during the check-in process.

• To minimize hand-to-hand passage of documents between staff and applicants,

applicants will be required to complete and upload the following documents prior to the

examination: 1) Declaration Acknowledging COVID-19 Requirements; 2) Examination

Regulations and Code of Conduct; and 3) Incomplete Declaration (if applicable).

• Applicants will be required to place their proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19

test, and their Admission Ticket, in the designated receptacles at the check-in table for

review by check-in staff.

• Applicants will present government-issued identification to check-in staff to view.

• Board members, Board staff, check-in staff, and proctors will wear protective face

coverings that cover the nose and mouth and do not have a valve or vent, and gloves.

• All applicants will be required to wear a protective face covering (supplied by the

applicant) that covers the nose and mouth and does not have a valve or vent, continuously

throughout the administration of the exam, including check-in and check-out.

• Applicants will be allowed to bring their own clear plastic water bottle, for the applicant’s

personal use only. Communal water dispensers will not be available.

• Applicants will be allowed to bring their own hand-sanitizer, for their personal use only,

during the administration of the February 2022 North Carolina Bar Examination.

• All applicant tables and check-in tables will be disinfected before and after each exam

session.

• Signs with CDC Notice Not to Enter if Sick will be posted at each venue entrance.

• Signs with CDC Best Practices will be posted at each venue.

Administration of Examination - Social Distancing; Protective Equipment;

Cleaning/Disinfection of Surfaces; Isolation of Applicants who become ill during exam; Contact

Tracing for those applicants and Notification of Health Officials

• Applicants will be seated in such a way as to ensure minimum six-foot social

distance requirement.

• Board members, Board staff, check-in staff, and proctors will wear protective face

coverings that cover the nose and mouth and do not have a valve or vent, and gloves.

• All applicants will be required to wear protective face coverings (provide by the applicant)

that cover the nose and mouth and do not have a valve or vent, continuously throughout

the administration of the exam, including check-in and check-out. The Board will have

extra protective face coverings available.

• Applicants will be allowed to bring their own clear plastic water bottle, for the applicant’s

personal use only. Communal water dispensers will not be available.

• Applicants will be allowed to bring their own hand-sanitizer, for their personal use only,

during the administration of the February 2022 North Carolina Bar Examination.

• Applicant tables will be disinfected before and after each exam session.

• An isolation room will be available at each exam site to isolate an applicant if the

applicant becomes ill.

• Board staff will trace applicant contacts (check-in staff, assigned proctor, other applicants

in proximity, etc.) as directed by public health authorities.

Check-Out Process - Social Distancing

• The Board will ensure strict adherence to social distancing requirements during the

check-in process, maintaining the recommended six-foot distance between applicants.

• The check-out process will be staggered to reduce the size of the group to be dismissed at

one time.

• To minimize hand-to-hand passage of documents, applicants will leave the completed

Check-Out form at their seats before exiting the examination room.

• Once dismissed, applicants will be required to immediately exit the examination

building and will not be permitted to re-enter.