We have compiled a list of the changes to CLE rules/requirements. Please scroll down to your state. We update this list routinely.
Updated as of 03/25/2022
Arizona: The deadline for the 2020-2021 MCLE year will return to the normal June 30th date. For more information click here.
California: Starting January 1, 2022, California attorneys will be required to complete two (2) hours of Elimination of Bias CLE. This new implicit bias education requirement will begin applying to attorneys in MCLE compliance group 3 (last name starting with N - Z) for the period ending on January 31, 2023. All CA attorneys are still required to complete 25 hours . Click here to see details.
Delaware: As of April 6, 2020, the Supreme Court of Delaware has issued an order waiving the in person, live CLE requirement for the two year periods ending December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2021. All 24 CLE credit hours for those two-year periods may be satisfied by approved courses that do not require an in-person, live appearance. Click here for more info.
Georgia: On October 22, 2021, the Commission on Continuing Lawyer Competency (CCLC) permanently made the change allowing Georgia attorneys to complete all or any portion of their CLE requirement through distance learning CLE programs.
Indiana: On September 23, 2020, the Supreme Court of Indiana issued an order temporarily waiving the credit-hour limitation on distance education courses until further notice.
Iowa: Beginning in 2021, the Iowa Supreme Court has permanently lifted the six (6) hour cap for unmoderated CLE. Iowa attorneys may now complete all fifteen (15) hours of their CLE requirements using on-demand courses at CLECenter.com. You can find more information here.
Kansas: On April 7, 2021, the Supreme Court of Kansas issued an order waiving the limit on pre-recorded programming for the 2020-2021 AND 2021-2022 compliance periods.
Louisiana: The Louisiana Supreme Court has issued an order amending the online credit limit to six (6) hours for the 2022 compliance period ending December 31, 2022. The order can be found here.
Minnesota: The Minnesota Supreme Court has issued an order temporarily waiving the fifteen (15) credit limit for on-demand CLE courses.
Mississippi: For the 2021-2022 CLE reporting year, attorneys may complete their CLE obligations through online, webinars or live, in-person programs. This provision includes newly admitted lawyers who are to complete the program by July 31, 2022. These attorneys may also complete this program through online, webinars or live, in-person programs. You may access the order here.
Nebraska: In response to the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, the Nebraska Supreme Court has determined it necessary to allow all ten (10) required credits to be obtained without attending live education (regular/traditional class type) for 2021. As attorneys file annual reports for 2021 in December, reports that have no live education will be accepted when they contain at least ten (10) total credits including two (2) that qualify as professional responsibility/ethics.
New Jersey: The Supreme Court of NJ issued an order temporarily suspending the 12-hour live CLE requirement. This order will stand until further notice from the courts. New Jersey attorneys may fulfill their full 24 hour CLE requirement through approved online courses.
Starting in 2021: New Jersey has updated their CLE requirement: New Jersey now requires attorneys to earn three (3) credits in Ethics/Professionalism and at least two (2) credits in Diversity, Inclusion, and Elimination of Bias.
New York: Through June 30th, 2022 - the NY CLE Board issued an order temporarily allowing Newly admitted attorneys to complete their Skills CLE via individual participation (self-study) or group participation, in the following live, non-traditional formats, where questions are allowed during the program:
- Webconference
- Teleconference
- Videoconference
Newly admitted NY attorneys cannot earn their Skills or Ethics credits on clecenter.com*
North Carolina: As of April 27, 2020, the North Carolina State Bar CLE has permanently eliminated the six (6) hour cap for on-demand CLE. North Carolina attorneys can now complete their entire CLE requirement via on-demand programming on CLECenter.com.
Ohio: 2020-2021 Compliance Period ending December 31, 2021: The self-study caps have been waived for judges, magistrates, & attorneys with last names beginning with A - L. All CLE credits can be earned online via on-demand, self-study CLE.
2021-2022 Compliance Period ending December 31, 2022: The self-study caps have been waived for judges, magistrates, & attorneys with last names beginning with M - Z. All CLE credits can be earned online via on-demand, self-study CLE.
Pennsylvania: Starting in 2022, PACLE Board is reinstating their six (6) credit limitation on distance learning, on-demand CLE. Read the order here.
Compliance Group 1 - April 30, 2022: The six (6) credit cap on distance learning CLE has been reinstated. Attorneys in Group 1 must earn six (6) credits through live-online or in-person CLE.
Distance learning credits can no longer be carried forward.
Compliance Group 2 - August 31, 2022: The six (6) credit cap on distance learning CLE has been reinstated. Attorneys in Group 2 must earn six (6) credits through live-online or in-person CLE.
Distance learning credits can no longer be carried forward.
Compliance Group 3 - December 31, 2022: The six (6) credit cap on distance learning CLE has been reinstated. Attorneys in Group 1 must earn six (6) credits through live-online or in-person CLE.
Distance learning credits can no longer be carried forward.
South Carolina: On June 16, 2020, the Supreme Court of South Carolina issued an order temporarily lifting the limit on distance learning CLE for the 2021-2022 reporting period. Accordingly, South Carolina lawyers and judges may earn all or any portion of the CLE credit they are required to obtain for the 2021-2022 annual reporting year through distance learning CLE programs.
Tennessee: On December 3, 2020, the Supreme Court of Tennessee issued an order allowing attorneys to use unlimited online hours to establish their compliance for the 2021 compliance year. Attorneys seeking reinstatement in 2021 are also covered by the order. In addition attorneys will be able to carry forward a maximum of 15 hours of online CLE from 2020 toward their 2021 CLE requirement. This order is in effect through December 31, 2021.
On September 14, 2021, the Tennessee Supreme Court Amended Rule 21 to allow all hours for the 2022 compliance year to be earned online. Lawyers seeking reactivation or reinstatement during the 2022 compliance year pursuant to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, section 30 and Rule 21are also covered. Hours must be earned by 12/31/2022. Click here to read the order.
Texas: In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the State Bar of Texas has granted 60-day extensions to attorneys who had compliance dates in November and December 2019.
- November attorneys will have a final deadline of January 31, 2021
- December attorneys will have a final deadline of February 28, 2021
Automatically extending the CLE requirement for March, April and May by 60 days respectively. They also granted a 60 day extension for missed January or February 2020 compliance deadlines, to prevent penalty fees. They have also issued a 30 day extension for attorneys subject to suspension for failure to comply with MCLE requirements in November or December 2019.
Utah: Due to the ongoing pandemic, the Supreme Court authorized the Board of CLE to suspend the live in-person credit requirement, allowing all required CLE to be fulfilled with online self-study audio or video presentations, webcasts or computer interactive telephonic programs for the compliance reporting period ending June 30, 2022.
Virginia: Virginia: The 2021 CLE year will begin on January 1, 2021 and end on October 31st, 2021. For more information click here.
Washington: The Supreme Court of Washington issued an order extending the 2018-2020 reporting period for Group 2. Attorneys that are in this group must complete their full requirement on or before December 31, 2021 and certify their completion by February 1, 2022. The following reporting period for Group 2 attorneys has been shortened to 2022-2023. Attorneys in Group 2 may carry over up to 30 total credits including 4 Ethics into the 2022-2023 reporting period from the 2018-2021 cycle.
West Virginia: Due to ongoing concerns associated with the COVID-19 virus, the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia granted a request from the MCLE Commission for a temporary waiver of current CLE rules and regulations which limit the CLE credits for online and in-house credits to 12 credits. Attorneys will now be able to earn all or any portion of the required 24 CLE credit hours through video, audio, computer-based training courses. This temporary waiver is limited to the 2020-2022 reporting period ending June 30, 2022. Read the full order here.
Wisconsin: The Supreme Court of Wisconsin has issued an order temporarily increasing the number of on-demand CLE credits attorneys are allowed to take to fulfil their CLE requirement through December 31, 2020 (for even-year reporters). Attorneys with a December 31, 2020 deadline or anyone making up hours from 2019 may take up to 30 hours of on-demand courses, except for legal ethics which need to be taken via LIVE online programming or in-person courses.
The following states have either not made any changes to their CLE rules or the changes have since expired.
Connecticut* (The rule change expired)
Florida*(The rule change expired)
Illinois* (The rule change expired)
Kentucky* (The rule change has expired)
Louisiana (The rule change expired)
Missouri (The rule change expired)
Nevada*
Rhode Island
Vermont (The rule change expired)
*Denotes states where all credits are allowed via distance learning
.