VIRGIN ISLANDS LAW COMPONENT (VILC)

The Virgin Islands Law Component is an open-book, 50 item, 90-minute, online multiple-choice test developed by the Virgin Islands Committee of Bar Examiners. The purpose of the VILC is to ensure that potential new members of the Virgin Islands Bar have been exposed to and have knowledge of law unique to the U.S. Virgin Islands. The subjects covered on the VILC are Virgin Islands Government & Constitutional Law, Legal Profession, Virgin Islands Practice, Administrative Law, Business Associations (Corporations, Limited Liability and Partnerships), Domestic Relations and Wills.

Pursuant to Virgin Islands Supreme Court Rule 204(e), all applicants seeking regular admissions to the Virgin Islands Bar must successfully pass the VILC.

WHAT ARE THE DATES FOR THE VILC?

The VILC will be administered on the following dates:

 
VILC Date Testing Time Registration Period       Deadline Time
 
3/7/2024 12:00 p. m. AST 1/19/2024 - 3/01/2024       4:00 p. m. AST
6/6/2024 12:00 p. m. AST 4/19/2024 - 5/31/2024        4:00 p. m. AST
9/5/2024 12:00 p. m. AST 7/19/2024 - 8/30/2024        4:00 p. m. AST
12/5/2024 12:00 p. m. AST 10/18/2024 - 11/29/2024        4:00 p. m. AST

Deadlines will not be extended. The dates for subsequent years will be posted as determined. 


PREPARING FOR THE VILC

1. Do I have to appear in person to take the VILC?
No. The VILC is an online assessment on unique Virgin Islands Law that is administered using ExamSoft. Applicants can take the examination at any time upon their receipt of a Notice of Eligibility to Take the VILC and their submission of intent to sit the VILC during the registration periods.

2. Are there materials available to prepare for the VILC?
Yes. Outline Materials are currently available on the Court's website. The sole purpose of the outline is to assist applicants in their preparation to take the VILC. The outline is not intended for use as a hornbook or treatise on Virgin Islands law. The information is not designed as an exhaustive or verbatim presentation of unique and important issues of Virgin Islands. It is presented for informational purposes and only as a service to potential applicants seeking admissions to the Virgin Islands Bar. The Committee of Bar Examiners does not provide legal advice and the information contained in this outline may not be construed or interpreted as rendering legal advice.

3. When do I register for the VILC?
An applicant must receive a Notice of Registration Eligibility from the Office of Bar Admissions before they can register and sit for the VILC. While an applicant may sit for the VILC at any time after filing a complete application for admission by examination, motion, or UBE score transfer, registration can only occur during the registration period. Applicants must successfully take the VILC prior to admission to the bar.

4. How do I complete the VILC registration?
After receiving a Notice of Registration Eligibility, an applicant must first determine which testing session of the VILC they would like to sit then electronically file a letter of intent to register for the testing session. While an applicant may sit for the VILC at any time after filing a complete application for admission by examination, motion, or UBE score transfer, registration can only occur during the registration period.

The letter of intent to register must be filed electronically through the Virgin Islands Supreme Court's Electronic Filing System (VISCEFS), during the registration period for the desired administration of the VILC.

The letter must expressly state the testing session date of the VILC that the applicant is electing to sit.

The letter of intent must be filed during the established registration period and before 4:00 p.m. AST on the day of the deadline. The letter of intent will be docketed as part their application.

5. Is there any software requirements to take the VILC?
Upon registration for the VILC, the Office of Bar Admissions will provide ExamSoft, the authorized vendor to administer the VILC; with applicants' email addresses. ExamSoft will contact registered applicants via email with the instructions for downloading and registering the required exam software.

After downloading the software applicants are required to perform and submit a mock exam to confirm that the software works on the applicant's computer. A few days before the VILC test date, applicants will be required to download the exam file to their computer that will be used on exam day.

Applicants must strictly adhere to all deadlines and instructions provided by ExamSoft in order to successfully download the software prior to taking the VILC.

6. What is the fee for the VILC?
There are no fees to take the VILC.

7. How do I access the VILC?
Prior to the date of the VILC, the applicant will be notified by an email from ExamSoft to download the exam file required to take the VILC.

A password will be required to access the exam file on the date of the VILC. The exam password will be released to applicants sitting the VILC at 11:45 am AST on exam day before the scheduled start of the VILC. Applicants will be required to connect to the internet to enter the password into the software. After inserting the password while connected online, the applicant will then open the exam file, type "begin" at 12:00 pm AST and commence the exam.


DURING THE VILC

What happens during the test?
The VILC is an open book test, and applicants will have 90-minutes to complete it.
Applicants are permitted to have access to the outline materials and their notes during the exam.

No backward navigation will be allowed, so once an applicant has navigated to the next question, the applicant may not return to the prior question.

At the conclusion of the 90-minutes, the exam file will close and the applicant will be prompted to upload the exam file to ExamSoft.

AFTER THE VILC

1. What happens after the test?
Applicants must upload all exam files to ExamSoft by 7:00 PM AST on the date of the exam. If an applicant fails to timely upload the answer file, the applicant will receive the score of zero (0) on the VILC and will thereafter need to re-take the VILC at a future scheduled date.

Applicants will be required to certify that they have completed the VILC without assistance from anyone else and that he or she did not provide assistance to any other applicant.

2. What is the passing score on the VILC?
The passing score on the VILC is 70% (an applicant must answer 35 out of the 50 items correctly).


VILC FAQs

1. What is the procedure if an applicant fails?
An applicant who fails the VILC the applicant is required to register to retake the test during the registration period of a future administration of the VILC.

2. Is there a limit to how many times an applicant can retake the VILC?
No, an applicant may retake the VILC as many times as is necessary to pass.

3. How long is a passing VILC score valid?
Consistent with VISCR 204(h), the result of any bar examination that is more than three (3) years old shall not be acceptable for current admission.

4. If I downloaded the ExamSoft software for a prior test session, do I have to complete the download again?
Yes, ExamSoft requires a fresh download of the exam file each time the test application will be used.