MCLE Requirements

With a few exceptions, most attorneys who are actively practicing law in California must take 25 hours of Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) every three years and file a report with the State Bar.

Attorneys in MCLE Group 2 who were required to report compliance by March 1 but have not reported compliance or paid outstanding MCLE penalties by July 2 will be ineligible to practice law effective July 3, 2018.

Here is a breakdown of the required credits:

• Half of the 25 MCLE hours must be in activities approved for what are called "participatory" MCLE credit.
• No more than 12.5 hours can be for self-study
• Other special requirements:
  
  • At least four hours of legal ethics
  • At least one hour on competence issues
  • At least one hour in an area called the Recognition and Elimination of Bias in the Legal Profession and Society

Information for specific groups

• New admittees
• Training for new attorneys
• Attorneys who are inactive or not eligible to practice
• Out-of-state attorneys
• Special requests for “good cause modification”
• Requirements for certified specialists.

Reduced hours for some attorneys

Some attorneys may be able to claim a reduced number of hours because they were just admitted to the State Bar, were inactive or claimed an exempt status. Find out more about attorneys subject to “proportional requirements.”

Related Links

• Find your MCLE compliance group
• What are proportional requirements?
• FAQs about MCLE exemptions