Membership Status / Enrollment
Find everything you need to stay current as a Mississippi Bar member here. Manage your enrollment, update your contact information, request letters of good standing, register as in-house counsel, and access membership cards, mailing lists and FAQS.
Member Directory
The Bar responds to more than 500 calls per month seeking confirmation of membership and business addresses of Mississippi Bar members. To obtain up-to-date membership information, go to the online Member Directory and enter the member’s name or select an alphabet from the alphabet list. This online directory is updated daily.
Admission to Practice
Membership in The Mississippi Bar is required to practice law in the state. Attorneys can gain admission by passing The Mississippi Bar Exam or through reciprocity, then complete swearing-in and registration. Out-of-state attorneys can also apply for temporary admission on a per-case basis through Pro Hac Vice.
Admission by Reciprocity or MS Bar Exam
State law requires membership in The Mississippi Bar in order to practice law in Mississippi (73-3-119). Applicants deemed eligible by the Mississippi Board of Bar Admissions for membership in The Mississippi Bar must be first sworn in to a Chancery Court. Once sworn in to a Chancery Court, applicants must then register with The Mississippi Bar and pay annual enrollment fees.
If you have questions regarding the Mississippi Bar exam or Reciprocity process, the Mississippi Board of Bar Admissions can be contacted as follows:
- For questions regarding an application, please contact the Mississippi Board of Bar Admissions office at baradmissions@mssc.state.ms.us
- For technical assistance with the online application, please contact helpdesk2@courts.ms.gov
Admission by Pro Hac Vice
Rule 46 of the Mississippi Rules of Appellate Procedure provide for admission Pro Hac Vice. The fee payable to The Mississippi Bar is $300 per foreign attorney, per case. Any questions regarding admission by Pro Hac Vice should be directed to the MS Supreme Court Clerk’s office at 601-359-3694.
Letters of Good Standing
For their use, Mississippi Bar members may request a letter of good standing from the Bar, which includes their date of admission, bar roll number and current status. To request a letter of good standing, print the following form and return it to the Membership Department at membership@msbar.org, or by mail attention: Membership Records, The Mississippi Bar, P.O. Box 2168, Jackson, MS 39225-2168 or by fax to 601-355-8635. Please allow 2 business days for processing.
Letters of Good Standing
For their use, Mississippi Bar members may request a letter of good standing from the Bar, which includes their date of admission, bar roll number and current status. To request a letter of good standing, print the following form and return it to the Membership Department at membership@msbar.org, or by mail attention:
Membership Records
The Mississippi Bar
P.O. Box 2168
Jackson, MS 39225-2168
or by fax to 601-355-8635.
Please allow 2 business days for processing.
Enrollment Fees
Online Address Change
To change your address or contact information, please log in to your Member Login Portal and update your information.
2025-2026 Membership Fee Structure
Membership fees are divided into the following categories:
- Active – Admitted before 8/1/2022
- Active 3rd Year – between 8/1/2022 and 7/31/2023
- Active 2nd Year – between 8/1/2023 and 7/31/2024
- Active 1st Year – 8/1/2024 and 7/31/2025
Exemption Status (MS Code 73-3-125, 1972)
Active Exempt: members over the age of seventy-five (75)
Judges: Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Circuit, Chancery and County, US Magistrates Judges of the Bankruptcy Courts and Federal Courts and Federal Administrative Judges
Inactive Exempt: Lawyers retired from the practice of law due to age, serious illness or permanent disability.
Change of Status
To request a change of status, download one of the following forms and send it to the Membership Department at membership@msbar.org or mail it to Membership Records, The Mississippi Bar, P.O. Box 2168, Jackson, MS 39225-2168.
Penalty for Non-payment of Membership Fees/Reinstatement
Under Mississippi Law (73-3-127 MCA (1972)), members failing to pay enrollment fees 90 days after notices have been mailed are suspended from membership in The Mississippi Bar. To be reinstated following suspension, Mississippi law requires payment of delinquent fees and a penalty (for each year remaining suspended) in an amount equal to one-half (1/2) of the delinquent fee.
For more information, contact the Membership Department at membership@msbar.org or 601-355-4619.
Pay Dues to The Mississippi Bar
Pay your dues online in the Attorney Login Portal.
Please log in with your Login ID (email address) and password in the box to the left. If this is the first time you are using the portal, please click “Forgot Password.” On this screen, you can enter the current email address associated with your MS Bar membership and a link will be emailed to you where you can create your own unique password.
If you don’t know your password, or you have forgotten it, select “Forgot Password.”
If you no longer have access to your current email listed with the Bar, please email membership@msbar.org to provide an updated email address.
If you are having a problem accessing the Member Login Portal, please email membership@msbar.org.
If you are a current licensed attorney at The MS Bar, there is an existing account associated with your membership history. Please do NOT create a new account – a user-created account will not have any membership history.
Address Update / Name Change
Enrollment fee invoices are mailed in August each year. The Bar’s fiscal year is August 1 through July 31. Payments are made to The Mississippi Bar.
Name Change
To change our records with your new name, please complete the name change form and also forward a copy of a document evidencing the legality of your name change. The document will be placed in your permanent file with The Mississippi Bar. We can accept either an email attachment or a faxed copy of a court document or an updated driver’s license clearly showing the new name.
If your current email address should be updated as well, please let us know.
If you have any questions, contact the Membership Department at membership@msbar.org. You can fax the name change form to 601-355-8635 or email the attachment to the Membership Department at membership@msbar.org.
Membership Status Information
Mississippi Bar members may be classified as Active, Inactive, or Exempt. Each status has specific privileges and requirements, including eligibility to vote, hold office and maintain annual fees.
Active
Any member admitted to practice law in the State of Mississippi and engaged in the practice of law in this state.
Inactive
Any member in good standing not engaged in the practice of law in the State of Mississippi may, upon written request, be enrolled as an inactive member. Inactive members shall not be entitled to vote or hold office in the association. For the purposes of membership, the “practice of law” shall include any person holding himself/herself out as a practicing attorney, or occupying any position in which he/she may be called upon to give legal advice or counsel, or to examine or pass upon the legal effect of any act, document, or law. An annual fee is required to maintain good standing.
Exemptions
- Lawyers over the age of 75
- Lawyers retired from the practice of law because of age, serious illness or permanent disability. Illness or disability exemptions require supporting documentation from doctor or agency certifying the illness or disability to be filed in the member’s record
- Judges of the Mississippi Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Circuit Courts, Chancery Courts, County Courts, U.S. Magistrates, Bankruptcy Courts, Federal Courts, and Federal Administrative Law Judges
Request a Status Change
Rule 5.5 In-House Counsel Registration
The Supreme Court of Mississippi amended Rule 5.5 of the Mississippi Rules of Professional Conduct (MRPC) on June 18, 2021, with an effective date of July 1, 2021. A copy of the amended rule may be viewed here.
Rule 5.5(d), MRPC, as amended, requires attorneys that are not licensed in Mississippi, who serve as in-house corporate lawyers, government lawyers, and others who are employed to render legal services to an employer, who establish an office or other systematic presence in Mississippi, to register with The Mississippi Bar and pay a registration fee annually. Each current registrant must resubmit a renewal form, provide a current Letter of Good Standing, proof of employment and pay annual In House Counsel Registration Fee of $380.00.
Attorneys that are not licensed in Mississippi may register by completing the below form and submitting it to the Bar’s Membership department at membership@msbar.org
Bar Cards
Bar cards expire annually on October 1st. Upon payment of the current year’s enrollment fees, a new card is mailed as confirmation of payment and identification as a member of The Mississippi Bar. The card shows the following information:
- Member Name
- Current Status
- Bar Number
To request a replacement card, email the Membership Department at membership@msbar.org. Once a request is received, the card will be mailed within three business days.
Mailing Lists
Address information needed for the creation of labels or lists is available for rent from The Mississippi Bar for law-related use. We do not release bar numbers, email addresses, or phone numbers. Permission to use Mississippi Bar address information is conditioned upon the terms contained in the Mailing Label Rental Agreement here. The accuracy of the addresses is not guaranteed but reflects the information on record at The Mississippi Bar as of the date of order fulfillment.
To request an Excel spreadsheet with mailing address information, print the following forms and return them to the Membership Department at membership@msbar.org, or mail to Membership Records, The Mississippi Bar, P.O. Box 2168, Jackson, MS 39225. Contact the Membership Department at membership@msbar.org or 601-355-4619 if you have any questions. Please allow 3-5 working days.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are my annual fees?
Enrollment fee invoices can be accessed through the Attorney Login Portal.
When are the annual enrollment fees due?
Payment is due upon receipt.
How can I pay my fees?
Payment can be mailed with the enrollment fees form or submitted online utilizing the Attorney Login Portal.
How can I check if the Bar received/processed my payment?
Please allow 2 weeks after mailing in your enrollment fees form. Then contact the Membership Department at membership@msbar.org or call (601) 948-4471.
Who can I contact if I have questions about my fees?
Email questions to the Membership Department at membership@msbar.org.
I am retiring this year. What are my options?
If you have retired from the practice of law due to age, serious illness or permanent disability and wish to be placed on Inactive Exempt status, you can complete the enrollment fees form and return to the Membership department. If you do not have a copy of the enrollment fees form and wish to be placed on Inactive Exempt status, please email membership@msbar.org for further assistance.
What is the deadline to pay dues before a late fee is assessed?
November 30th of each year.
What is the process for suspension for nonpayment of fees?
If the enrollment fee invoice remains unpaid after receipt of the third enrollment form and the final deadline has past, members are sent a letter by certified mail that includes the total amount due with a late penalty assessed. Members have 10 days from the date of the letter to submit payment. Members whose enrollment fees are received after that date are Suspended for Non-Payment of Dues and courts will be notified of suspensions.
Can I change my status online?
Members can change their status online if it is during the enrollment period. Once the enrollment period has ended, members must contact the Membership department by email at membership@msbar.org.
Can I resign my membership instead of submitting payment for the Active or Inactive enrollment fee?
No. A member must submit Active or Inactive enrollment fees each year unless the member has reached the age of 75 or has retired from the practice of law due to age, serious illness, or permanent disability.
Is there a military waiver?
33-1-39. Extension of professional license issued active duty military personnel; qualification for extension; fees
A professional license issued pursuant to any provision of Title 73 to any member of the Mississippi National Guard or the United States Armed Forces Reserves shall not expire while the member is serving on federal active duty and shall be extended for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days after his return from federal active duty. If the license is renewed during the ninety-day period after his return from federal active duty, the member shall only be responsible for normal fees and activities relating to renewal of the license and shall not be charged any additional costs such as, but not limited to, late fees or delinquency fees. The member shall present to the authority issuing the professional license a copy of his official military orders or a written verification from the member’s commanding officer before the end of the ninety-day period in order to qualify for the extension.
Miss. Code Sec. 33-1-39 Extension of professional license issued active duty military personnel; qualification for extension; fees (Mississippi Code (2023 Edition))
If you are on federal active duty, please email membership@msbar.org.
Who is exempt from paying enrollment fees?
Active and Inactive lawyers over the age of 75 are exempt from paying annual enrollment fees pursuant to Section 73-3-125.
How do I obtain a receipt for my dues payment?
A receipt will automatically be emailed if member submits payment online. If payment is mailed, please allow 2 weeks for processing and then email receipt request to membership@msbar.org.
When will I receive my new bar card?
Bar cards are mailed within 7-10 days after enrollment fees payment is processed.
How do I change my address?
Members are encouraged to update all contact information using the Member Login Portal. Any additional questions can be directed to membership@msbar.org.