NOTICE: The 2025 renewal cycle will open February 1, 2025, and close March 30, 2025. Annual fees will be due April 1, 2025.
Licensing fee increases
Planning to switch from active to inactive status? You must submit your Application for Transfer to Inactive by December 1, 2024, and the effective date must be on or before December 31, 2024, to qualify for the inactive fee in 2025.
See Notice on 2025 Fee Cycle Changes.
The State Bar maintains the roll of all licensees admitted to practice in California. Licensees are responsible for maintaining the accuracy of the information in their State Bar record. Additionally, licensees must pay the annual license fees to maintain active or inactive status in the calendar year. Use the links below to learn more:
Annual license renewal Annual fees Financial hardship annual fees waivers Reporting requirements IOLTA and client trust account reporting Status changes To change your name on your licensee record Obtain a Certificate of Standing Fingerprinting rule requirements Legal Specialization Lawyer Assistance Program Managing your law office Attorney Census
The State Bar annual license renewal begins February 1 and has a deadline of March 30, or the next business day if that date falls on a weekend or holiday, each year during the annual license renewal process. The 2025 annual deadline is April 1, 2025. During the annual license renewal period, attorneys must:
Log in to My State Bar Profile to complete your annual license renewal requirements. If any of the above requirements are not met by April 1, 2025, late fees will be assessed for noncompliance. If you do not comply by the final deadline, your license may be suspended, and you will be ineligible to practice law.
Forgot your password for My State Bar Profile? You may reset your password online or call the Contact Center at 888-800-3400.
You can calculate your annual State Bar fees and costs through My State Bar Profile, and then pay by credit card or electronic check from a checking/savings account (ACH). You can also print the invoice available after you calculate your fees to mail with a payment by check. Mailed payments must include a copy of the generated invoice. Use of My State Bar Profile will ensure compliance with rule 2.11 and avoid nonconforming payment penalties.
Description
Amount
Deadline
Annual fees for active licensees
$598.00
April 1
Annual fees for inactive licensees
$205.00
View frequently asked questions about paying fees.
To review any fee scaling eligibility, refer to rule 2.15 of the Rules of the State Bar of California. Pursuant to rule 2.15, active licensees who have a total gross annual individual income from all sources of less than $60,478.35 may request a twenty-five percent fee scaling reduction of annual fees. Requests to fee scale must include the required fee scaling declaration signed under penalty of perjury and payment of the reduced fee. The required fee scaling declaration may be submitted online through My State Bar Profile when calculating your annual fees. View Frequently Asked Questions about fee scaling.
To review any waiver eligibility, refer to rule 2.16 of the Rules of the State Bar of California. Pursuant to rule 2.16(c), licensees who have a total gross annual household income from all sources of $20,000 or less may request a fifty percent waiver of annual fees. A licensee may apply for a fifty percent waiver of annual fees by submitting the required Licensing Fee Waiver Application.
Attorneys are responsible for maintaining the accuracy of the information in their State Bar record. Any changes must be reported within 30 days. Pursuant to rule 2.2 (c) of the Rules of the State Bar of California, attorneys are required to verify the information in their State Bar record by February 1 of each year during the annual license renewal process.
Additionally, California Business and Professions Code section 6002.1 requires all licensees, regardless of their status, to maintain a current publicly available mailing address on the official records of the State Bar of California. California Rules of Court, rule 9.9 requires licensees to use My State Bar Profile to report changes to contact information and provide a private email address for State Bar communications.
View more information on licensee reporting requirements.
California Rules of Court, rule 9.8.5 and Rules of the State Bar of California, title 2, division 1, rule 2.5 requires licensees to:
Only licensees on voluntary inactive status may transfer to active status by submitting the required Request to Transfer to Active Status form. While suspended, a licensee cannot change license status. For further questions, please fill out the Licensee Records and Compliance Inquiry form.
Additionally, under California Rules of Court, rule 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. View more information and access the required form.
Only active licensees may transfer to a voluntary inactive status. While suspended, a licensee cannot change license status. For further questions, please fill out the Licensee Records and Compliance Inquiry form.
You must submit your Application for Transfer to Inactive by December 1, 2024, and the effective date must be on or before December 31, 2024, to qualify for the inactive fee in 2025. A status change to inactive will be effective upon the State Bar’s receipt of the Application for Transfer to Inactive Status. Transferring to inactive status after February 1 will not reduce active fees owed. View more information and access the required form.
The State Bar does not have a retired status option; the only voluntary statuses are active, inactive, and resigned. Please remember that annual license fees are waived for licensees on inactive status who are 70 years of age on April 1, 2025 and will continue to be waived for subsequent years, as long as they remain inactive. If you are no longer practicing law, you may either transfer to inactive status or resign your license completely.
The State Bar does not have a retired status option; the only voluntary statuses are active, inactive, or resigned. Notification of retirement is not sufficient to change your status. Submission of the Voluntary Resignation Form is required. View more information on voluntary resignation.
Submit a Name Change Form to process your name change request. View more information and access the required form.
A Certificate of Standing must be ordered online. The State Bar issues a single-page Certificate of Standing to verify a licensee's name, bar number, admission date, current status, any name or status changes, and any public discipline, as of the date of the certificate.
Order a Certificate of Standing and view more information about the types of Certificates of Standing available.
Find more information on how to obtain a California Supreme Court Certificate of Standing.
Under California Rules of Court, rule 9.9.5, active attorneys licensed in California and multijurisdictional practitioners must be re-fingerprinted by following the instructions posted online. See the full fingerprinting rule requirements.
Learn about becoming a certified legal specialist.
The State Bar has a confidential program for attorneys facing substance abuse or mental health issues. The Lawyer Assistance Program is also part of the State Bar's regulatory mission, providing services to lawyers facing disciplinary charges.
Find information about mandatory arbitration hearings with clients.
Register a law corporation or LLP. Find State Bar resources on managing or closing a law practice.
The State Bar conducts an annual Attorney Census to gather demographic and employment data from the state’s licensees. The Attorney Census contains questions on demographic characteristics, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and veteran’s status. Questions? Visit our Frequently Asked Questions about the Attorney Census.
For further questions, please fill out the Licensee Records and Compliance Inquiry form.