MCLE Requirements by State
This article takes a look at continuing legal education (abbreviated as CLE or often MCLE – M standing for mandatory or minimum, depending on who you ask or what state they’re from) requirements on a state by state basis. All states allow legal professionals to use online courses to count for some portion of their CLE requirements, although the amount of credits, which topics, and which courses and course providers are approved vary from state to state.
Attorneys can’t seem to get enough education. Four years getting an undergraduate degree, then three more years achieving your JD seems like a lot of studying the law.
But, as you know, a significant part of the attorney occupation is staying up to date and developing new areas of expertise through CLE courses. The requirements for quality and quantity of continuing education courses for lawyers is set by the bar organization in each state.
I am going to list each state’s CLE requirements here in this article.
New Versus Experienced Attorneys
The state specific CLE requirements listed below are mostly focused on experienced attorneys, ones who have been with their respective bars beyond a designated introductory period of time. For attorneys who are new to a state bar, there are often differing, more stringent requirements.
CLE Exemptions
Many of the state requirements listed below have exemptions to them that include things like doing pro bono work or doing other types of volunteer legal activities.
Other exemptions from these state defined continuing education requirements involve being in active military or having some other legitimate reason the standard continuing education requirements could not be fulfilled.
Alabama CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 12
Total Live (not online) CLE Credits Required: 6
Courses must include at least 1 credit in Ethics or Professionalism
Official State of Alabama CLE Description: http://judicial.alabama.gov/docs/library/rules/mcle3.pdf
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Alaska CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 3 (Ethics, this requirement is referred to as MECLE, or Mandatory Ethics Continuing Legal Education)
Total Live (not online) CLE Credits Required: 0: all credits can be completed online.
Official State of Alaska CLE Rule Description: https://public.courts.alaska.gov/web/sco/docs/sco1640leg.pdf
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Notes: Although Alaska only requires 3 credits in Ethics subject matter, the state also recommends 9 additional credits
Arizona CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 15
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0: all credits can be completed online.
Courses must include at least 3 credit in Ethics
Official State of Arizona CLE Rule Description: https://www.azbar.org/MCLE
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Arkansas CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 12
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0: all credits can be completed online.
Courses must include at least 1 credit in Ethics
Official State of Arkansas CLE Rule Description: https://rules.arcourts.gov/w/ark/rules-for-minimum-continuing-legal-education
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
California CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 25
Total Live “Participatory” (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 12.5
Courses must include at least:
- 4 credits in ethics
- 1 credit in Recognition and Elimination of Bias in the Legal Profession and Society
- 1 credit in competence issues
Official State of California CLE Rule Description: https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Attorneys/MCLE-CLE/Requirements
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Colorado CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 45 (to be completed every three years, which is their reporting period)
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0; all courses can be completed through online self-study.
Courses must include at least:
- 7 credits in ethics
Official State of Colorado CLE Rule Description: https://coloradosupremecourt.com/Current%20Lawyers/CLENewAtty.asp
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Connecticut CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 12
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0; all courses can be completed online or through self-study.
Courses must include at least:
- 2 credits in ethics
Official State of Connecticut MCLE Rule Description: https://www.jud.ct.gov/Publications/PracticeBook/PB.pdf#page=136
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Delaware CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 24 (every 2 years, which is the established reporting period for Delaware)
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 12
Courses must include at least 4 credits in ethics
Official State of Delaware CLE Rule Description: https://courts.delaware.gov/rules/pdf/CLE-RULES-Effective-JAN012016.pdf
Florida CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 33 (every 3 years, which is the established reporting period for Florida)
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0; all credits may be taken through self-study
Courses must include at least:
- 5 credits in ethics, professionalism (1 credit mandatory), bias elimination, substance abuse, or mental illness awareness
- 3 credits in technology
Official State of Florida CLE Rule Description: https://www.floridabar.org/member/cle/bscr-req/
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Georgia CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 12
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0; credits can be self-study.
Courses must include at least:
- 1 credit in ethics
- 1 credit in professionalism
Official State of Georgia CLE Rule Description: https://www.gabar.org/handbook/index.cfm#handbook/rule227
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Note: Attorneys who try cases in Georgia are required to have 3 credit hours of trial skills courses as part of their CLE study.
Hawaii CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 3
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0 – all credits can be self-study.
Every third year, courses must include at least 1 credit in ethics or professional responsibility courses.
Official State of Hawaii CLE Rule (Supreme Court Rule 22) Description: https://www.courts.state.hi.us/docs/court_rules/rules/rsch.htm#Rule%2022
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Idaho CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 30 (every three years, which is the State of Idaho CLE reporting period)
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0 – all credits can be self-study.
Courses must include:
- 3 credits in ethics.
Official State of Idaho CLE Rule Description: https://isb.idaho.gov/licensing-mcle/
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Illinois CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 30 (every two years, which is the State of Illinois CLE reporting period)
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0 – all credits can be self-study.
Courses must include:
- 6 credits in professional responsibility, of which..
- 1 must be a diversity and inclusion and…
- 1 must be a mental health and substance abuse course
Official State of Illinois MCLE Rule Description: https://www.isba.org/cle/mcle
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Indiana CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 36 (every three years, which is the State of Indiana CLE reporting period).
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0 – all credits can be self-study.
Courses must include:
- 3 credits in ethics
Official State of Indiana MCLE Rule Description: https://www.in.gov/judiciary/rules/ad_dis/#_Toc532979358
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Note: Although the requirement is 36 credits over a three year period, attorneys practicing in Indiana must complete at least 6 per year.
Iowa CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 15 credits per year
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0 – all credits can be self-study.
Courses must include:
- 3 credits in ethics every two years
Official State of Iowa MCLE Rule Description: https://www.iowacourts.gov/opr/attorneys/attorney-practice/frequently-asked-questions/continuing-legal-education-cle/
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Kansas CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 12 credits per year
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0 – all credits can be self-study.
Courses must include:
- 2 credits in ethics
Official State of Kansas MCLE Rule Description: https://www.kscle.org/rules-guidelines#rule_803
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Kentucky CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 12 credits per year
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0 – all credits can be self-study.
Courses must include:
- 2 credits in ethics
Official State of Kentucky CLE Rule Description: https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.kybar.org/resource/resmgr/SCR3/SCR_3.645.pdf
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Louisiana CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 12.5 credits per year
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0 – all credits can be self-study.
Courses must include:
- 1 credit in ethics
- 1 credit in professionalism
Official State of Louisian MCLE Rule Description: https://www.lsba.org/MCLE/ContinuingLegalEducationRules.aspx
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Maine CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 11 credits per year
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 5.5
Courses must include:
- 1 credit in ethics
Official State of Maine MCLE Rule Description: https://mebaroverseers.org/regulation/bar_rules.html?id=638733
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Maryland CLE Requirements
Maryland does not currently have Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MBLE) Requirements.
Massachusetts CLE Requirements
Massachusetts does not currently have Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MBLE) Requirements.
Michigan CLE Requirements
Michigan does not currently have Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MBLE) Requirements.
Minnesota CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 45 credits every 3 year reporting period
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 30
Courses must include:
- 3 credits in ethics
- 2 credits in elimination of bias
Official State of Minnesota MCLE Rule Description: https://www.cle.mn.gov/lawyers/cle-compliance-2/
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Mississippi CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 12 credits per year
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0 – all credits can be self-study.
Courses must include:
- 1 credit in ethics, professional responsibility, professionalism, malpractice prevention, substance abuse or mental health
Official State of Mississippi MCLE Rule Description: https://courts.ms.gov/cle_bccr/clefaq.php
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Missouri CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 15 credits per year
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 9
Courses must include:
- 2 credits in professionalism, substance abuse and mental health, ethics, or malpractice prevention
- 1 credit in cultural competency, diversity, inclusion, and implicit bias
Official State of Missouri MCLE Rule Description: https://www.courts.mo.gov/courts/ClerkHandbooksP2RulesOnly.nsf/c0c6ffa99df4993f86256ba50057dcb8/5c20face4921fe3286256ca6005212b6?OpenDocument
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com.
Montana CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 15 credits per year
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 10
Courses must include:
- 2 credits in ethics
Official State of Montana MCLE Rule Description: https://www.mtcle.org/pdfs/clerules.pdf
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Nebraska CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 10 credits per year
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0 – all credits can be self-study.
Courses must include:
- 3 credits in ethics every two years
Official State of Nebraska MCLE Rule Description: https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/attorneys/mandatory-continuing-legal-education-mcle
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Nevada CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 13 credits per year
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0 – all credits can be self-study.
Courses must include:
- 2 credits in ethics, professional conduct
- 1 credit in substance abuse, addictive disorders and/or mental health
Official State of Iowa MCLE Rule Description: https://www.nvbar.org/member-services-3895/cle/cle-requirements/
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
New Hampshire CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 12 credits per year
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0 – all credits can be self-study.
Courses must include:
- 2 credits in ethics
Official State of New Hampshire MCLE Rule Description: https://www.courts.state.nh.us/rules/scr/scr-53.htm
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
New Jersey CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 24 credits over two year period, the established reporting period for New Jersey
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 12
Courses must include:
- 4 credits in ethics or professionalism
Official State of New Jersey MCLE Rule Description: https://www.njcourts.gov/attorneys/assets/attyreg/cleinstructions.pdf?c=8cT
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
New Mexico CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 12 credits per year
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 8
Courses must include:
- 2 credits in ethics
Official State of New Mexico MCLE Rule Description: https://www.nmbar.org/Nmstatebar/For_Members/Definition_of_MCLE_Credit.aspx
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
New York CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 24 credits every two years
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0 – all credits can be self-study.
Courses must include:
- 4 credits in ethics or professionalism
Official State of New York MCLE Rule Description: http://www.nysba.org/CLE/CLE_Program_Pages/5__CLE_Information,_Policies,_and_Order_Form/Mandatory_CLE_Rules/
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
North Carolina CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 12 credits per year
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0 – all credits can be self-study.
Courses must include:
- 3 credits in ethics
- 1 credit in technology
- 1 credit in substance abuse every three years
Official State of North Carolina MCLE Rule Description: https://www.nccle.org/for-lawyers/requirements/renewing-lawyers/
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
North Dakota CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 45 credits every three years
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0 – all credits can be self-study.
Courses must include:
- 3 credits in ethics during the three year reporting period
Official State of North Dakota MCLE Rule Description: https://www.sband.org/page/cle_hours
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Ohio CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 24 credits every two years
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 12 credit hours
Courses must include:
- 2.5 credits in professional conduct (ethics and other courses that include alcoholism, mental health, and others) during the 2-year reporting period
Official State of Ohio MCLE Rule Description: http://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/LegalResources/Rules/govbar/govbar.pdf#App1
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Oklahoma CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 12 credits per year
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0 – all credits can be self-study.
Courses must include:
- 1 credit in ethics
Official State of Oklahoma MCLE Rule Description: https://www.okmcle.org/requirements
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Oregon CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 45 credits every three years
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0 – all credits can be self-study.
Courses must include:
- 5 credits in ethics during the reporting period
- 1 credit in child and elder abuse reporting
- 3 credits in access to justice courses
- 1 credit in substance abuse and mental health
Official State of Oregon MCLE Rule Description: https://www.osbar.org/_docs/rulesregs/mclerules.pdf#page=5&view=FitH,50
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Pennsylvania CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 12 credits per year
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 6 – all credits can be self-study.
Courses must include:
- 2 credits in ethics
Official State of Pennsylvania MCLE Rule Description: https://www.pacle.org/rules-and-regulations
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Rhode Island CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 10 credits per year
Total Live CLE Credits Required: 10 – No self-study is allowed. Attorneys must attend activities where they can ask questions.
Courses must include:
- 2 credits in ethics
Official State of Rhode Island CLE Rule Description: Click here (URL is outrageously long)
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
South Carolina CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 14 credits per year
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 6
Courses must include:
- 2 credits in ethics, professional responsibility
- 1 credit in substance abuse, mental health, or stress management (once every two years)
Official State of South Carolina MCLE Rule Description: https://www.sccourts.org/courtReg/displayRule.cfm?ruleID=408.0&subRuleID=&ruleType=APP
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
South Dakota CLE Requirements
South Dakota does not currently have Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MBLE) Requirements.
Tennessee CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 15 credits per year
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 7 – all credits can be self-study.
Courses must include:
- 3 credits in ethics, professionalism
Official State of Tennessee MCLE Rule Description: http://www.tsc.state.tn.us/rules/supreme-court/21
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Texas CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 15 credits per year
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 12
Courses must include:
- 3 credits in ethics
Official State of Texas MCLE Rule Description: Click here
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Utah CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 24 credits every two years
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 12
Courses must include:
- 2 credits in ethics
- 1 credit in professionalism
Official State of Utah MCLE Rule Description: https://www.utahbar.org/mcle/requirements/
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Vermont CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 20 credits every two years
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 10
Courses must include:
- 2 credits in ethics every two-year reporting period
Official State of Vermont MCLE Rule Description: https://www.vermontjudiciary.org/attorneys/mandatory-continuing-legal-education
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Virginia CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 12 credits per year
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 4
Courses must include:
- 2 credits in ethics
Official State of Virginia MCLE Rule Description: https://www.vsb.org/pro-guidelines/index.php/mcle-regs/
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Washington CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 45 credits every three years
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0 – all credits can be self-study.
Courses must include:
- 15 credits in law and legal procedure
- 6 credit in ethics
Official State of Washington MCLE Rule Description: http://www.wsba.org/for-legal-professionals/mcle/mcle-for-lawyers
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
West Virginia CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 24 credits every two years
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 0 – all credits can be self-study.
Courses must include:
- 3 credits in ethics every two years
Official State of West Virginia MCLE Rule Description: https://wvbar.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rules.pdf
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Wisconsin CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 30 credits every two years
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 30 – self-study is not allowed
Courses must include:
- 3 credits in ethics, professional responsibility during the two-year reporting period
Official State of Wisconsin MCLE Rule Description: https://www.wicourts.gov/sc/scrule/DisplayDocument.pdf?content=pdf&seqNo=27987
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
Wyoming CLE Requirements
Total CLE Credits Required: 15 credits per year
Total Live (not self-study) CLE Credits Required: 9
Courses must include:
- 2 credits in ethics
Official State of Wyoming MCLE Rule Description: Click here.
Qualifying Online Courses available from Lorman.com
