MCLE Credit Requirements by State
Alabama - Attorneys must complete 12 credits, including 1 credit in ethics or professionalism, during each yearly reporting period. Six credits, including the 1 credit in ethics, may be earned through self-study or home study programs.
Self-study includes live webcasts and
groupcasts.
Audio CDs, DVDs, or MP3 programs do not qualify for credit.
Alaska – Attorneys in Alaska should complete 12 credit hours of approved CLE, including 3 credit hours of mandatory ethics each year.
Arizona - Attorneys must complete 15 credits, including 3 professional responsibility/ethics credits, during each yearly reporting period. A maximum of 5 hours, including specialty credits, may be earned through self-study each year.
Arkansas - Attorneys must complete 12 hours, including 1 credit in ethics, during each yearly reporting period. Attorneys may receive a maximum of 6 hours credit for in-house programs conducted during any reporting period.
California - Attorneys must complete 25 credits, including 4 credits in legal ethics, 1 credit in substance abuse or emotional distress, and 1 credit in elimination of bias, during each three-year reporting period. All 25 credits, including the specialty credits, may be earned online. PLI’s live webcasts, on-demand webcasts, and groupcasts qualify for participatory credit. PLI’s CDs, DVDs, and MP3s qualify for self-study credit. No more than one-half of the attorney's total required hours can be completed with self-study education activities. The amount of education an attorney owes is based on the number of months in the compliance period that the attorney is subject to. If an attorney is subject to the MCLE requirement for an entire compliance period, s/he owes the regular MCLE requirement. If an attorney is subject to the MCLE requirement for a portion of the compliance period, the requirement is prorated. To calculate MCLE requirements, go to www.calbar.ca.gov . The proportional requirement rules specify that if a member is subject to the MCLE requirement for four months or less, s/he does not need to comply with the MCLE education requirement for that compliance period. Thus, if an attorney was admitted in December and his or her Compliance Group's deadline is less than 2 months away, it is unnecessary to comply with the MCLE requirement for that compliance period (if there are less than four months left in it).
Colorado - Attorneys must complete 45 credits, including 7 credits in legal ethics, during each three-year reporting period. Attorneys may obtain all the credits from self-study (also referred to as home study) programs such as audio, video or web programs. In-house programs are not approved.
Delaware - Attorneys must complete 24 credits, including 4 enhanced ethics credits, during each two-year reporting period. Up to 12 credits, including the enhanced ethics credits, may be earned through self-study or in-house learning.
Florida - Attorneys must complete 30 credits, including 5 credits in legal ethics, professionalism, mental illness awareness, or substance abuse, during each three-year reporting period. All 30 credits may be earned through interactive computer-based credit.
Georgia - Attorneys must complete 12 credits, including 1 credit in legal ethics and 1 credit in professionalism, during each yearly reporting period. Trial attorneys must also complete 3 credits of trial practice. Up to 6 credits, including specialty credits, may be earned through distance learning delivery formats, in-house or self-study activities during a reporting period.
Hawaii – Attorneys must complete at least 3 credit hours of MCLE per year. In addition to MCLE, attorneys are encouraged, but not required, to complete 9 or more credits of VCLE (Voluntary CLE) per year. Newly admitted attorneys who elect active status upon admittance to the Bar are exempt from the MCLE requirement for the year in which they are admitted. However, the newly admitted attorney is still required to complete the mandatory HSBA Professionalism program prior to the end of the year.
Idaho - Attorneys must complete 30 credits, including 2 legal ethics or professional responsibility credits, during each three-year reporting period. Up to 15 credits may be earned through self-study programs.
Illinois - CLE requirements for IL attorneys increase incrementally. Experienced attorneys are required to complete 20 hours of CLE, including 4 credits in professional responsibility, during the initial two-year reporting period ending on June 30th of either 2008 or 2009, 24 hours CLE credit, including 4 credits in professional responsibility, during the two-year reporting period ending on June 30th of either 2010 or 2011, and 30 CLE credit hours, including 4 credits in professional responsibility, during all subsequent two-year reporting periods. The credits for professional responsibility must be devoted to professionalism, diversity issues, mental illness and addiction issues, civility, or legal ethics. There is no limit on the number of nontraditional CLE credits that may be considered for credit.
Indiana - Attorneys must complete 36 credits, including 3 credits in ethics, during each three-year reporting period. At least 6 credits must be earned each year. Up to 6 credits may be earned each reporting period from distance education courses. Attorneys may report up to 3 credits per reporting period from in-house programs. Government and academic attorneys may report an unlimited number of credits via in-house.
Iowa - Attorneys must complete 15 credits during each calendar year, including 3 credits in legal ethics every 2 years. Substance abuse credits may be used to satisfy the biennial credit requirement. Up to 6 credits per reporting period may be satisfied with computer-based programs.
Kansas - Attorneys must complete 12 credits, including 2 credits in ethics and professionalism during each yearly compliance period. A maximum of 5 credits per compliance period may be earned through nontraditional formats. Non-traditional programming as defined by the Kansas CLE Commission is CLE programming accessed solely by an individual attorney, including: teleconference, internet-based conference, audiotape, videotape, CD, MP3/4, CD-ROM, DVD, or another format approved by the Commission.
Kentucky - Attorneys must complete 12.5 credits, including 2 ethics, professional credits or professionalism, during each yearly reporting period. Up to 6 credits may be earned through online credits, which are referred to as technical transmissions.
Louisiana - Attorneys must complete 12.5 credits, including 1 credit of ethics and 1 credit of professionalism, during each yearly reporting period. Not less than eight (8) of such hours shall concern legal ethics, professionalism, or law office management. Attorneys may earn up to 4 self-study credits, including ethics and professionalism credits, per reporting period from online programs.
Maine - Attorneys must complete 11 credits, including 1 credit in ethics, during each yearly reporting period. Of this yearly total, 5.5 credit hours may be self-study credits, which can include audio, video, teleconference, webcasts, groupcasts, or other online programming.
Minnesota - Attorneys must complete 45 credits, including 3 credits in ethics or professional responsibility and 2 credits in the elimination of bias, during each three-year reporting period. All 45 credits, including specialty credits, may be earned online through participation in live webcasts. Currently, on-demand programs do not qualify for credit in Minnesota.
Mississippi - Attorneys must complete 12 credits, including 1 ethics, professional responsibility, or malpractice prevention credit, during each yearly reporting period. No more than 6 credits may be earned through the use of satellite-transmitted or electronic recorded material, even though same is presented by an accredited sponsor. As part of the 6 credits, an attorney may claim to up 6 credits for telephone seminars and/or online programs.
Missouri - Attorneys must complete 15 credits during each yearly reporting period. In addition, attorneys must complete 2 credits in ethics, professionalism, or malpractice prevention every year. All 15 credits, including specialty credits, may be earned viewing live webcasts. A maximum of 6 credits may be earned through self-study. The 2 credits in ethics, professionalism, or malpractice prevention may not be earned with self-study programs.
Montana - Attorneys must complete 15 credits during each yearly reporting period. Additionally, 5 ethics credits must be completed every 3 years. A minimum of 10 credits per year must be obtained by participation in Live or Interactive seminars. A maximum of 5 Other credits may be earned during a reporting period. PLI’s live webcasts satisfy the live or interactive requirement. PLI’s on-demand webcasts or audio/video programs fall within the Other or self-study category.
Nebraska - Attorneys must complete a minimum of 10 hours of accredited CLE each year, with at least 2 of those hours being in the area of professional responsibility (which includes legal ethics, professionalism, diversity, malpractice prevention, and recognizing & addressing substance abuse and mental health issues). Up to 5 hours in the annual reporting period may be obtained through completion of computer-based legal education. Up to 5 hours in the annual reporting period may be obtained for approved “in-house” CLE programs.
Nevada - Attorneys must complete 12 hours during each yearly reporting period including 2 ethics or professional responsibility credits. All 12 credits, including specialty credits, may be earned under the alternate format rule. PLI’s live webcasts and on-demand programs qualify as alternative formats.
New Hampshire - Attorneys must complete 12 credits, including 2 credits in ethics/professionalism, substance abuse, prevention of malpractice, or attorney/client disputes, during each yearly reporting period. All 12 credits may be satisfied with on-demand audio or video programs or with live webcasts because participating attorneys can communicate with faculty via email. No more than 6 credits during a compliance period may be obtained from a groupcast.
New Jersey – Attorneys must complete 24 credits every 2 years, with at least 4 credits in ethics/professionalism. Half of the credits must be “live” or “interactive.”
New Mexico - Attorneys must complete 12 credits, including 2 ethics/professionalism credits, during each yearly reporting period. All 12 credits may be earned with PLI’s live programs, scheduled video replay of an approved CLE program with two or more attendees, a teleconference, or live webcast. Up to 4.0 self-study credits may be satisfied with on-demand audio or video programs. Ethics/professionalism credits earned in excess of the required 2 hours may be used to satisfy all or part of the substantive (general) requirement..
New York - Experienced attorneys must complete 24 credits each biennial reporting period in ethics and professionalism, skills, practice management, or areas of professional practice. At least 4 credits shall be in ethics and professionalism. Programs on substance abuse control qualify for credit toward the ethics and professionalism requirement. All 24 credits may be earned online with PLI’s on-demand audio or video programs and live webcasts.
North Carolina - Attorneys must complete 12 credits, including 2 credits in professional responsibility (ethics) or professionalism, during each yearly reporting period. Additionally, 1 credit on substance abuse and debilitating mental conditions is required every 3 years. A maximum of 4 credits per reporting period may be earned by participating in on-demand audio or video programs. Live webcasts are considered a live satellite program and grant live participatory credit.
North Dakota - Attorneys must complete 45 credits, including 3 credits in ethics, during each three-year reporting period. All 45 participatory credits may be satisfied with PLIs live webcasts. Up to 15 self-study credits may be satisfied with PLI’s on-demand audio or video programs.
Ohio - Attorneys must complete 24 credits, including 1 ethics, 1 professionalism, and 0.5 substance abuse prevention credits, during each two-year reporting period. Up to 6 credits, including the specialty credits, may be earned with self-study programs.
Oklahoma - Attorneys must complete 12 credits, including 1 credit in legal ethics, professional responsibility, or legal malpractice prevention, during each yearly reporting period. All 12 credits may be earned with PLI’s live webcasts. Up to 6 credits may be earned with PLI’s computer-based or technology-based legal education programs.
Oregon - Attorneys must complete 45 credits, including 9 credits in professional responsibility (1 hour must include statutory child abuse reporting obligation, 3 hours must include elimination of bias, and 5 hours must be legal ethics or professionalism) during each three-year reporting period. All 45 credits may be earned with PLI’s on-demand audio or video programs or live webcasts.
Pennsylvania - Attorneys must complete 12 credits, including 1 credit in ethics, professionalism, or substance abuse credit, during each yearly reporting period. Up to 4 credits may be earned through PLI’s live and on-demand audio or video programs.
Puerto Rico - Attorneys must complete 24 credit hours of CLE every two years. Credits collected through non-traditional teaching methods may not exceed eight credit hours, or one-third of the total credit hours required.
Rhode Island - Attorneys must complete 10 credits, including 2 credits in ethics, during each yearly reporting period. Attorneys are allowed to take 3 credits maximum per year through online programs, which includes groupcasts and telephone briefings. No more than 5 credits may be earned per year through in-house activities.
South Carolina - Attorneys must complete 14 credits, including 2 credits in ethics or professional responsibility, during each yearly reporting period. A maximum of 6 credits per year may be earned through distance learning methods. Telephone briefings are approved for up to 1.5 credits each, with a maximum of 6 credits per year. At least once every three annual reporting periods, attorneys must complete 1 hour of instruction in substance abuse or mental health issues and the legal profession.
Tennessee - Attorneys must complete 15 credits, including 3 credits in ethics/professionalism, during each yearly reporting period. Up to 8 credits may be earned online with distance learning formats.
Texas - Attorneys must complete 15 credits, including 3 credits in ethics/professional responsibility, during each yearly compliance period. A minimum of 12 of the 15 hour MCLE requirement must be completed through attendance at “Accredited CLE” activities. A maximum of 3 self-study hours per compliance year will be allowed. One of the 3 credits in the ethics/professional responsibility requirement may be completed in the form of self-study credit.
Utah - Attorneys must complete 24 credits, including 3 credits in ethics or professional responsibility, during each two year reporting period. One of the three hours of ethics or professional responsibility be in the area of professionalism and civility. At least 15 credits must be obtained through attendance at live programs. Up to 12 self-study credits may be earned through self-study programs.
Vermont - Attorneys must complete 20 credits, including 2 credits in ethics, during each two-year reporting period. Up to 10 credits per reporting period may be earned through self-study.
Virginia - Each active member, other than a newly-admitted member, shall complete a minimum of twelve (12) credit hours of approved CLE courses, of which at least two (2) hours shall be in the area of legal ethics or professionalism. Virginia attorneys are required to attend a minimum of 4 credit hours of live interactive programming per compliance period. “Live” programs are defined by the Virginia MCLE Board as courses where there is simultaneous, live interactivity with course presenters during the program and will include traditional live on-site programs, live presentations delivered via telephone or webcast, or other courses that may be developed that include simultaneous, live interaction with the presenter or a qualified discussion facilitator during the program. Of the twelve credit hours required, no more than eight (8) may be earned from pre-recorded courses. Any distance learning CLE course that affords simultaneous, live interaction between the attendees and the presenter is not considered to be a “pre-recorded course” and is thereby allowable for all or any portion of the minimum of twelve (12) credit hours of approved CLE as provided in MCLE Regulation 102. Please see recent Virginia MCLE Board rule changes affecting Virginia attorneys.
Virgin Islands - Attorneys must complete 12 credits, including 2 credits in ethics or professionalism, during each yearly reporting period.
Washington - Attorneys must complete 45 credits, including 6 credits in ethics, professionalism or professional responsibility, during each 3-year reporting period. Up to 22.5 credits, including the 6 credits in ethics, professionalism or professional responsibility, may be earned through self-study or in-house formats. All 45 credits may be earned through live webcasts.
West Virginia - Attorneys must complete 24 credits, including 3 credits in ethics, office management, substance abuse and/or elimination bias during each two-year reporting period. Up to 12 of these credits may be earned online with computer-based training programs or by on-demand audio or video programs, telephone conferences, or live webcasts. Up to 12 credits may be earned by attending in-house programs. Attorneys can carry a maximum of six credit-hours forward only to the next reporting period. Ethics, bias, office management and substance abuse credit cannot be carried over.
Wisconsin - Attorneys must complete 30 credits, including 3 credits in ethics, during each two-year reporting period. All 30 credits may be satisfied online with live webcasts. There is a 10 credit limit for on-demand web programs. The 3 credits in ethics may not be earned with self-study programs.
Wyoming - Attorneys must complete 15 credits, including 1 credit in ethics, during each yearly reporting period. Up to 5 credits per reporting period may be earned by self-study programs.
CPE Credit Information
Practising Law Institute is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State Boards of Accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be addressed to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website:
www.learningmarket.org
PLI Live Seminars qualify as Group-Live delivery and are the only format of our products currently recognized by NASBA. NASBA-approved program levels include: basic, intermediate, advanced, update, and overview. Please be sure to verify your individual CPE requirements through your own state board of accountancy. For more information regarding administrative policies such as complaints and refunds, please contact Andrew Ottiger at aottiger@pli.edu.
CPD Credit Information: CPD-UK
PLI is an authorized provider of CPD credit in the United Kingdom. Programs are approved by the Solicitors Regulation Authority for CPD credits in Ethics and General substantive law. PLI's CPD reference code is CJK/PRLI.
CPD Credit Information: CPD-BC
PLI is a Pre-Approved CPD provider in British Columbia. Programs are approved by The Law Society of British Columbia.
CPD Credit Information: CPD-ON
Programs are submitted for approval to The Law Society of Upper Canada for CPD credits in either Ethics or General substantive law. New and experienced members are required to complete 12 CPD Hours per calendar year, including a minimum of 3 Professionalism Hours and up to 9 Substantive Hours. New members in their first 2 full years of practising law may now apply any program or activity that contains a minimum of 0.5 Professionalism Hours toward the annual CPD requirement. Viewing archived webcasts, video replays, or other recorded program formats
without a colleague
is an eligible educational activity for up to 6 CPD Hours per calendar year. In addition, participation in asynchronous, online courses that prompt responses throughout the learning process is now an eligible educational activity for up to 6 CPD Hours per calendar year. There is no limit on CPD Hours for viewing archived or recorded content with a colleague.
CPD Credit Information: CPD-HK
Select programs are submitted for approval to The Law Society of Hong Kong for CPD points.
CPRE Credit Information
Select programs are submitted for approval through the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). Attendees need to individually apply for credit directly to IAPP by completing this
online application form and providing a certificate of attendance.
HR Credit Information
Select programs are submitted for approval through the HR Certification Institute. Please be sure to note the program ID number on your recertification application form. For more information about certification or recertification, please visit the HR Certification Institute website at
www.hrci.org.