Are any attorneys exempt from CLE in North Dakota?

Yes – North Dakota allows carryover of CLE credits, up to 12 hours, but ethics credits cannot be carried over.
This policy is set by the State Bar Association of North Dakota’s CLE Commission and reflected in its official materials.

Details & nuances

• Carryover cap – up to 12 excess hours from a three-year period may be carried forward to the next reporting period.
• Reduction to 12 hours – as of December 5, 2024, CLE Policy 4.4 was amended to reduce the carryover limit from 15 to 12 hours.
• Ethics exclusion – ethics or professional responsibility credits may not be carried forward as ethics credit.
• Baseline requirement – North Dakota requires 36 hours every three years, including 3 hours of ethics, which must be earned in each period regardless of any general-credit carryover.

Key Takeaway
North Dakota permits carryover of up to 12 CLE hours into the next reporting period, but ethics credits never carry over and must be earned fresh each cycle.

You may begin having CLE credits reported in North Dakota as you complete programs — providers or you (if self-reporting) may submit credit information before the compliance period ends.

However, your formal certification (“Report of Compliance”) can only be filed after your three-year period concludes (by June 30), with the reporting deadline on July 31.

Key Details

• North Dakota attorneys must complete 36 hours of approved CLE every 3 years, including 3 hours in ethics.
• A Report of Compliance must be filed with the Commission by July 31 following the June 30 end of the reporting period.
• Reporting groups are staggered so attorneys are assigned to one of three three-year cycles ending June 30, with reporting due July 31 of the ending year.
• You may submit (“report”) individual course credit (especially out-of-state or nonapproved credits) concurrently as they are completed, and then list them in your compliance report.

Key Takeaway
In North Dakota, CLE credits may be reported continuously throughout the compliance period as you complete them, but your formal compliance certification can be filed only after the period ends (by July 31 following June 30).

North Dakota does not provide a formal exemption for “inactive attorneys” in its CLE rules.

When a lawyer applies for re-licensure after a lapse, North Dakota Rule 8 requires CLE credits depending on how long the attorney has been unlicensed, including required ethics hours.

Details:

• Under Rule 8(A)(1), if the applicant was unlicensed less than two years, they must show 12 CLE credits (including 1 ethics) in the 18 months preceding application.
• If the lapse was more than two years but less than three, the requirement is 24 CLE hours (including 2 ethics) in the 30 months before re-licensure.
• If the lapse was three or more years, or due to noncompliance with CLE rules, the requirement is 36 CLE hours (including 3 ethics) in the 42 months preceding the application.
• The general CLE requirement for active attorneys is 36 hours every three years (with 3 in ethics) per N.D.R. Continuing Legal Education Rule 3(a).
• Credits used to satisfy reinstatement may overlap with the regular reporting period as allowed by rules.

Key Takeaway:
In North Dakota, there is no rule-based CLE exemption during inactive status—when seeking re-licensure, attorneys must complete CLE obligations based on the duration of their inactivity.

No — North Dakota’s CLE rules do not provide a general extension for attorney CLE reporting; the rules require timely reporting and do not include a “petition to extend” provision.

Rules & Reporting in North Dakota

• Under the North Dakota Rules for Continuing Legal Education, attorneys must complete 45 hours of approved CLE in each three-year period.
• Each attorney must file a Report of Compliance by July 30 following the end of the three-year period.
• The rules do not contain a provision for attorneys to request an extension of the reporting deadline.

Failure & Penalty Procedures

• If an attorney fails to satisfy educational requirements, Rule 4 and associated procedures may be triggered.
• For judges, separate judicial education rules explicitly allow the Commission to grant an extension of time for reporting or compliance if “good cause” is shown.

What You Should Do

1. Confirm your CLE compliance period and reporting deadline (three-year cycle).
2. If you believe you won’t meet the deadline, contact the North Dakota CLE Commission promptly—though the rules do not guarantee relief, discretionary accommodation might be possible.
3. Retain documentation of your reason(s) (illness, emergency, etc.).
4. Complete the CLE as soon as possible, understanding that late reporting or noncompliance may trigger discipline.

Limitations & Considerations

• Because there is no formal extension provision, requests may be viewed as outside the established rules.
• Any relief would rest on exceptional circumstances and discretion, not a guaranteed right.
• Noncompliance can result in sanctions, including being declared ineligible to practice.

Key Takeaway
North Dakota does not formally permit extensions of CLE reporting deadlines under its attorney CLE statutes; you must comply or request exceptional relief, which is discretionary and not assured.

You report CLE credits in North Dakota by filing a “Report of Compliance” to the North Dakota CLE Commission by July 31, following the end of your three-year reporting period.
Your CLE hours must be completed by June 30 of the final year of your cycle.

Overview of North Dakota CLE Reporting

North Dakota attorneys must complete 36 hours of approved CLE over each three-year period, including 3 ethics hours.
You may earn up to 24 hours via self-study (recorded / distance learning) in the reporting period.
At least 12 hours must be live or interactive.
If you take more than 36 hours, you may carry forward up to 12 excess credits, but ethics hours may not be carried forward.
Attorneys are divided into three staggered compliance groups so that only one group reports each year.

Steps to Report CLE in North Dakota

• Complete your required 36 CLE hours (including 3 ethics) by June 30 of the final year.
• Keep certificates, course titles, provider information, and attendance proof.
• Check that accredited providers have submitted your attendance (if applicable).
• File your Report of Compliance with the ND CLE Commission by July 31 following your compliance period.
• If a course doesn’t appear on your record, submit supporting certificate details when you file.
• If you earned credits through Sprout Education, verify those hours are properly documented and can be included in your Report of Compliance.

Key Takeaway: In North Dakota, finish your 36 CLE credits (with 3 ethics) by June 30, then certify via Report of Compliance by July 31. Sprout Education supports credit reporting where permitted, but compliance hinges on your certification and accurate attendance records.

No — North Dakota’s CLE rules do not provide a reduced requirement for part-time attorneys; all who are required to comply must meet the same credit threshold.

Under North Dakota’s Rules for Continuing Legal Education, every attorney (unless exempt or inactive) must complete at least 45 hours of approved CLE in each three-year period, including 3 hours of ethics or professional responsibility.

Details:

• The rule does not include any provision reducing the requirement for attorneys who work fewer hours or part time.
• There is an allowance for a voluntary “noncompliance status” for attorneys not practicing, but that is status-based, not workload-based.
• Reporting and compliance procedures apply uniformly to all attorneys subject to the rule.

Key Takeaway: Being part-time in North Dakota does not change your CLE burden — if you are required to comply, you must satisfy the full 45-hour, three-year requirement.