With a few exceptions, all attorneys who are actively practicing law in California must complete 25 hours of Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) every three years and file a report with the State Bar.
Upcoming fee increases
MCLE noncompliance late fees and reinstatement fees are increasing. On May 18, 2023, the Board of Trustees approved several administrative fee increases in alignment with recommendations by the State Auditor. These increases will ensure that the State Bar’s overall administrative revenue covers the rising costs of services.
We are working to make the necessary changes to the forms and systems to implement these increases. Related webpages will be updated as fee changes are implemented. See FAQ for more information. Here are the MCLE Compliance fee changes. The reinstatement fee will be charged to anyone requiring reinstatement after June 30, 2023.
For licensees reporting compliance for the period ending January 31, 2022
Below is a breakdown of the current required credits:
For compliance groups who must report for the period ending on January 31, 2023, and thereafter
Rule 2.72 of the Rules of the State Bar of California, which addresses attorney MCLE requirements, was recently amended. Below is a breakdown of the credits required on and after January 1, 2022:
The new requirements will first apply to attorneys in MCLE compliance group 3 who must report compliance for the period ending on January 31, 2023.
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.”
For questions, please email MCLE@calbar.ca.gov.