MCLE Proportional Requirement

Unless attorneys state that they are inactive or exempt, they must report that they took at least 25 hours of Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) to the State Bar.

Sometimes, however, attorneys may be able to report a reduced number of hours because of a change in their circumstances during the three-year compliance period. This is called a “proportional requirement.”

A proportional requirement is based on the number of months an attorney was on active or nonexempt status during the period. Here are some examples of people who may be able to claim a reduced number of hours:

• An attorney who changes his or her status in the middle of the reporting period to inactive.
• A newly practicing attorney (licensed for at least five months).
• Attorneys classified as “exempt” do not have to take the entire 25 MCLE hours, but must file a report based on the number of months they were not on exempt status. If they were exempt for the entire period, they must still file a report but not have to complete any MCLE training.

You can use the proportional requirements table linked below to find the number of hours to complete.

Calculate your hours

Count the number of months you were subject to the requirement and consult the table below. If you were subject to the requirement for part of any month, you must count the entire month.

Proportional Requirements