You can calculate and view your annual State Bar fees and costs through your My State Bar Profile, and then pay by credit card or an electronic check from a checkings/savings (ACH). Annual fees are due February 1. View more information about the annual fees.
How do I transfer to active status?
Under California Rule of Court 9.9.5, all inactive licensed attorneys must be in compliance with fingerprinting requirements prior to being placed on active status. A status change to active will be effective upon the State Bar’s receipt of the Request to Transfer to Active Status form and compliance with the fingerprinting requirement. Additionally, if applicable, once the annual fees have been adjusted, payment will be expected promptly.
How can I change my address of record with the State Bar?
The mailing address for the State Bar of California is: 180 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. Additional information is available on the Contact Us webpage.
Who can I call if I have an ethics question?
You can call the Ethics Hotline at 1-800-238-4427 or visit the ethics webpage for more information.
How do I obtain a Certificate of Standing?
A Certificate of Standing must be ordered online. Certificates of Standing are not provided by fax or email and are typically sent out within 3–4 business days of receipt of request (regardless of shipping method selected). Order a Certificate of Standing.
How do I obtain a bar card?
After completing payment for the annual fees, you can download and print a paper bar card or order a plastic bar card through your My State Bar Profile. Requests for plastic bar cards will be mailed to your address of record in 10 business days.
How do I report my MCLE compliance?
All attorneys (except those on voluntary inactive status) report MCLE compliance by submitting a statement of compliance to the State Bar. Compliance must be reported through your My State Bar Profile. View more MCLE compliance information.
At its meeting on November 19, the Board of Trustees set in motion a new commission to conduct an in-depth examination of the State Bar’s attorney discipline process system, a core function of the State Bar, and recommend how to further improve its effectiveness and fairness. The Board approved the charter and composition for the Ad Hoc Commission on the Discipline System.
After a complaint has been filed, how long does it take for disciplinary charges?
Complaints typically take up to six months, sometimes more, for an investigation to be completed. In particularly complex cases, the investigation could take as long as a year. Many complaints are diverted out of the process along the way by, for example, a referral to mandatory mediation, an agreement requiring the attorney to meet certain conditions or the attorney's participation in other programs.
