MCLE Requirements

With a few exceptions, all active State Bar licensees must complete 25 hours of Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) in their three-year compliance periods and file a report with the State Bar. The State Bar audits compliance with MCLE requirements. Find your MCLE compliance group.

MCLE compliance fees

Current MCLE compliance requirements

For the compliance period ending March 29, 2025, and subject to the proportional requirements (State Bar Rule 2.72(C)(2)(c) and exceptions (State Bar Rule 2.54) licensees are required to complete and report 25 hours of MCLE within the three-year compliance period as follows:

• At least 12.5 credit hours must be participatory credit hours;
• Legal Ethics: At least four credit hours of legal ethics;
• Elimination of Bias: At least two credit hours of dealing with the recognition and elimination of bias in the legal profession and society by reason of, but not limited to, sex, color, race, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical disability, age, or sexual orientation.
  • Implicit Bias/Bias-Reducing Strategies: One hour of this requirement must focus on implicit bias and the promotion of bias-reducing strategies to address how unintended biases regarding race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or other characteristics undermine confidence in the legal system;
• Competence: At least two credit hours of education addressing competence, one hour of which must focus on prevention and detection and one hour of which may focus on attorney wellness; 
• Technology: At least one credit hour of education addressing technology in the practice of law; and
• Civility: At least one hour of education addressing civility in the legal profession.

For current and new MCLE credit requirements, a licensee may reduce the required 25 hours in proportion to the number of full months the licensee was inactive or exempt in the 36‐month compliance period, except that the requirements of paragraphs (B)(2)(a)(ii) and (B)(2)(a)(iii) may not be reduced to less than one hour each. Up to half the reduced hours may be self‐study. See MCLE credit tool for more information.

2024 MCLE compliance requirements

For the compliance period ending January 31, 2024, and subject to the proportional requirements (State Bar Rule 2.72(C)(2)(c) and exceptions (State Bar Rule 2.54) licensees are required to complete and report 25 hours of MCLE within the three-year compliance period as follows:

• At least 12.5 credit hours must be participatory credit hours;
• At least four credit hours of legal ethics (Legal Ethics Credit);
• At least two credit hours of dealing with the recognition and elimination of bias in the legal profession and society by reason of, but not limited to, sex, color, race, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical disability, age, or sexual orientation (Elimination of Bias Credit). One hour of this requirement must focus on implicit bias and the promotion of bias-reducing strategies to address how unintended biases regarding race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or other characteristics undermine confidence in the legal system (Implicit Bias/Bias-Reducing Strategies Credit); and
• At least one credit hour addressing substance abuse or other mental or physical issues that impair a licensee’s ability to perform legal services with competence (Competence Credit).

Information for specific groups

• New admittees
• Training for new attorneys
• Attorneys who are inactive or not eligible to practice
• Out-of-state attorneys
• Special requests for good cause modification
• Requirements for certified specialists

Reduced hours for some attorneys

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.

Related links

• Find your MCLE compliance group
• What are proportional requirements?
• FAQs about MCLE exemptions

For questions, please fill out the Licensee Records and Compliance Inquiry form or contact:

MCLE Compliance Program
The State Bar of California
180 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA 94105