MCLE Provider Responsibilities

In addition to complying with the Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) provider rules, standards, and terms applicable to an approved activity, MCLE and Legal Specialist Minimum Continuing Legal Education (LSMCLE) Single Activity Providers (SAP) and Multiple Activity Providers (MAP) must comply with the following requirements:

  • For MCLE that is offered as a participatory activity, attendance should be taken using the State Bar's Record of Attendance form, or its equivalent, and the form must be retained for four years from the date of the MCLE activity. The attendance form must include the following:
    • Title of the MCLE activity,
    • Date of the MCLE activity,
    • Total hours awarded, including any credit hours or partial credit hours awarded for legal ethics, recognition and elimination of bias, implicit bias, prevention and detection competence, wellness competence, technology in the practice of law, civility in the legal profession, or legal specialization as a component of the activity, and
    • Name and State Bar number of each California licensee.
  • Provide the State Bar with electronic attendance records for any MCLE participatory activity in a form acceptable to the State Bar within 60 days of completion of the activity.
  • Provide participants who have met the requirements of a participatory activity with a Certificate of Attendance or provide participants who have met the requirement of a self-study activity with a Certificate of Completion. A sample Certificate of Completion will be available October 1, 2023. Certificates may be issued in written or electronic form. Each certificate must include the following:
    • Provider name,
    • Title of MCLE activity,
    • Date of MCLE activity,
    • Total hours awarded, including any credit hours awarded for legal ethics, recognition and elimination of bias, implicit bias, prevention and detection competence, wellness competence, technology in the practice of law, civility in the legal profession, or legal specialization as a component of the activity, 
    • Whether the activity is participatory or self-study, and
    • The name and bar number of the California licensee, if available. This section may be left blank for completion by the licensee.
  • Provide each participant who completed an MCLE activity a State Bar MCLE Activity Evaluation Form, or its equivalent. The form should be retained for at least one year and submitted to the State Bar upon request. 
  • Notify the State Bar in writing of any change to the provider's name, address, contact person, or other contact information required by the State Bar including those of its affiliates, within 30 days of the effective date of change. 

Providers are individually responsible for compliance with the State Bar Rules governing MCLE and LSMCLE providers, including maintaining attendance records and evaluation forms. Therefore, providers are strongly discouraged from co-sponsoring MCLE and LSMCLE activities.

Suspension or revocation of provider approval

The State Bar may suspend or revoke a provider's approval for failure to comply with the MCLE provider rules or a State Bar determination of the following:

  • Failure of the content of the course, the program materials, the quality of the MCLE activity or activities, or the provider’s performance to meet the standards set forth in these rules;
  • Misuse of a Record of Attendance, Certificate of Attendance, activity evaluation forms, or any other form given to a provider by the State Bar;
  • Failure to pay applicable fees; and
  • Substantiated complaint(s) documented against the provider or against an activity offered by the provider. 

Related links

For questions, please contact the State Bar’s MCLE program at:

MCLE & LSMCLE Certification Program
The State Bar of California
180 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Email: providers@calbar.ca.gov
Phone: 415-538-2126