Are any attorneys exempt from CLE in Ohio?

You report CLE credits in Ohio by verifying that your attendance is submitted by sponsors (within 30 days) and, if not, by adding missing credits yourself via the Ohio Attorney Portal with the appropriate activity codes.
Ohio attorneys are assigned to one of two biennial compliance groups (based on last name) and must complete their CLE hours by December 31 of their compliance year.

Overview of Ohio CLE Reporting

Active attorneys (and corporate counsel registrants) must earn 24 credit hours every two years, including 2.5 hours of professional conduct (ethics) instruction.
Attorneys are permanently grouped by last name: A–L must comply in odd-numbered years; M–Z in even-numbered years.
Sponsors of approved CLE activities are required to report attorney attendance to the Commission on CLE within 30 days after the program.
If a sponsor fails to report your attendance, you may enter the credit yourself through the Attorney Portal using the sponsor’s activity code.
If you take more credits than required, you may carry forward up to 12 general credits (professional conduct credits carry forward only as general hours).
Newly admitted attorneys must complete 12 hours of New Lawyers Training (NLT) during their first biennial period; some of those hours must include professionalism, law office management, client fund management.

Steps to Report CLE in Ohio

• Attend an approved CLE program and obtain the activity code for that program.
• Confirm that the sponsor has or will submit your attendance to the Commission (they have 30 days).
• Log in to the Ohio Attorney Portal (Attorney Services) and check your CLE transcript status.
• If a credited program does not appear, use “Add Attendance” via the portal using the provided activity code to enter missing credits.
• Complete all 24 required hours (including 2.5 hours for professional conduct) by December 31 of your compliance period.
• At the end of the year, compliance is confirmed automatically based on your transcript; no separate filing is required.
• If audited, maintain certificates, program titles, dates, provider names, and attendance documentation.
• If you earned credits through Sprout Education, ensure our attendance submission (where permitted) is reflected and manually add any missing credits before compliance ends.

Key Takeaway: In Ohio, your CLE transcript is the primary reporting mechanism—sponsors report your attendance, but you must check your portal and self-enter any missing credits. You must complete 24 hours (including 2.5 in professional conduct) by December 31 of your compliance year, and compliance is acknowledged automatically based on your transcript.

Yes — Ohio allows carryover of CLE credits, up to 12 hours (general credits only).
Per the Ohio State Bar and Ohio CLE rules, excess credit beyond the 24-hour biennial requirement may be carried forward as general credit (professional conduct credits carry over only as general).

Details & nuances

• Ohio attorneys must complete 24 credit hours in each two-year compliance period, including 2.5 hours in Professional Conduct. (Supreme Court of Ohio CLE Info)
• The OSBA’s CLE page states: “Attorneys who complete more than the required hours of credit in a compliance period may apply a maximum of 12 credit hours to the next compliance period.” (ohiobar.org)
• Professional Conduct (ethics/professionalism) credits, when carried, are treated only as general credit and cannot satisfy the Professional Conduct requirement in the next period. (via NBI summary)
• For newly admitted attorneys in Ohio’s New Lawyers Training (NLT) program, if they earn more than the 12 required NLT credits, they too may carry over up to 12 general credits into the next compliance period. (lawline)

Key Takeaway
In Ohio, you can carry over up to 12 excess CLE credits (as general credit) into your next biennial period — but Professional Conduct credits carried over cannot count toward its required subcategory.

No — Ohio does not require a fixed number of in-person classroom CLE hours.

The state allows attorneys to satisfy their CLE requirement via live interactive programs (including live webcasts) or self-study courses, and as of January 1, 2023, the cap on self-study hours has been eliminated.

Details

• Ohio attorneys must complete 24 CLE credit hours per two-year compliance period, including 2.5 hours in professional conduct.
• Under prior rules, self-study (recorded, non-interactive) was capped; but the Supreme Court removed that cap permanently in 2023, allowing all credits from approved self-study formats.
• Sponsors must apply for accreditation of CLE programs, including specifying whether a program is “live in-person,” “live interactive webinar,” or self-study.
• Self-study courses must meet verification criteria (e.g. login tracking, polling) to qualify.

Key Takeaway

Ohio imposes no in-person classroom minimum — attorneys may fulfill their full 24-hour biennial CLE requirement through approved live interactive or self-study (recorded) formats under current rules.

Yes — Ohio permits reporting CLE late through a formal “Late Compliance” process after receiving a Notice of Apparent Noncompliance. This process allows attorneys to cure deficiencies, submit proof, and pay a late-compliance fee.

Here’s how Ohio’s late reporting / late compliance works:

• If an attorney fails to certify their CLE requirement by January 31 (the reporting deadline), the Supreme Court may issue a Notice of Apparent Noncompliance.
• After the notice, the attorney may use the Late Compliance procedure, which allows them to report missing credits earned between January 1 and March 31, submit evidence by specified deadlines, and pay a late compliance fee.
• The late compliance fee is tiered based on the number of deficient hours:
  
    • 6 hours or less → $75
  
    • More than 6 up to 12 hours → $150
  
    • More than 12 up to 18 hours → $225
  
    • More than 18 hours → $300
• If the attorney fails to cure by March 31, submit proof by April 30, or pay the fee, a Sanction Order is issued.
• Attorneys with repeated noncompliance (in multiple biennia) may face suspension rather than just monetary sanctions.

Key Takeaway

Yes — Ohio allows late CLE reporting via a Late Compliance procedure, but you must act after a notice, cure deficiencies by March 31 (or proof by April 30), and pay a late fee scaled to your deficit.

The CLE reporting deadline in Ohio is January 31 following the December 31 compliance deadline.

Ohio attorneys must complete their required CLE credits by December 31 of their reporting cycle and then certify/report within 30 days (by January 31).

Ohio CLE Reporting Rules & Schedule

• Compliance by December 31: Attorneys must finish all CLE credits by year-end.
• Reporting Deadline: January 31 (30 days after the compliance date).
• Name-based schedule:
   • A–L attorneys comply in odd-numbered years
  
   • M–Z attorneys comply in even-numbered years
• Credit Requirement: 24 hours every two years, including 2.5 hours of professional conduct
• Noncompliance Risk: Missing the reporting deadline triggers late compliance procedures

Key Takeaway: In Ohio, complete your CLE by December 31 and certify/report by January 31.

Ohio attorneys must complete 24 CLE credit hours every two years. That requirement includes 2.5 hours in professional conduct (ethics/professionalism and related topics).

Credit & Cycle Rules

• Total requirement: 24 credit hours per biennial compliance period
• Professional conduct requirement: 2.5 hours
• Reporting groups: attorneys with last names A–L report by December 31 of odd-numbered years; M–Z report by December 31 of even years
• Reporting deadline: January 31 after the compliance year

Carryover & Other Provisions

• Carryover: up to 12 general credit hours may be carried into the next biennial period (professional conduct credits do not carry over)
• Self-study / Online: As of 2023, there is no cap on self-study credits; attorneys may satisfy the full 24 hours via on-demand, live webcast, or other approved formats
• New attorneys: Newly admitted lawyers must complete a New Lawyers Training program (12 credits) in their first biennium, including professionalism, client funds management, law office management, and substantive law courses

Key Takeaway: Ohio’s biennial CLE requirement is 24 hours, including 2.5 hours of professional conduct, with a 12-hour carryover limit and flexible format rules.