Are carryover CLE credits allowed in Arkansas?

The grace period for CLE reporting in Arkansas extends from June 30 to July 31 each year. This gives attorneys a one-month window to certify compliance after completing required credits.

Arkansas CLE Deadlines

• June 30: Deadline to complete all required CLE hours.
• July 31: Deadline to report or certify CLE completion.

What Happens After the Grace Period

• Failure to report by July 31 may trigger a deficiency notice.
• If not remedied in the time allowed, attorneys risk administrative penalties or suspension.

Key Takeaway: Arkansas gives attorneys until July 31 to report CLE earned by June 30 — missing that grace month can lead to compliance consequences.

You report CLE credits in Arkansas by submitting certificates or having your provider submit them to the Office of Professional Programs by July 31.
This deadline follows the compliance year that runs July 1 through June 30.

Overview of Arkansas CLE Reporting

Attorneys must complete 12 CLE hours annually, including 1 ethics hour, by June 30.
Excess credits (up to 12 including 1 ethics) may be carried forward.
The Office issues a final transcript each July; if deficient, attorneys must cure by December.

Steps to Report CLE in Arkansas

• Complete required credits by June 30.
• Retain certificates or program documentation.
• Verify that credits from Sprout Education appear on your transcript (we report attendance to the Arkansas Supreme Court within 30 days where permitted).
• If your transcript shows compliance in July, no further action is needed.
• If deficient, sign and return the deficiency notice by August 31, complete credits by December 1, and file proof by December 15.

Key Takeaway: In Arkansas, you must finish your hours by June 30 and ensure reporting by July 31. Sprout Education helps by reporting credits directly to the Bar, but attorneys remain responsible for confirming compliance.

Arkansas attorneys must complete 12 CLE credit hours per year, including at least 1 hour in ethics.
The reporting period runs July 1 through June 30, and attorneys must file by July 31.

Details
• Total required: 12 credits annually.
• Ethics: At least 1 hour must be in ethics.
• Carryover: Attorneys may carry over up to 12 credits (including 1 ethics) into the next cycle.
• Exemptions: Attorneys or judges aged 70 or with 40 years of licensure are exempt.
• Speaking credits: Solo speakers get 4 hours credit for each hour presented (first time); repeat presentations get 2 hours. Panelists with prepared materials get 3 hours.

Key Takeaway: Arkansas requires 12 CLE hours each year, including 1 hour of ethics, with carryover and speaker credit rules, and some age/licensure exemptions.

You can report CLE credits in Arkansas as soon as the reporting portal opens after the compliance year ends (June 30).
The reporting window typically opens in July and remains open until the reporting deadline on July 31.

Key Details

• Arkansas’s CLE compliance year runs July 1 through June 30.
• All required credits must be completed by June 30.
• The official reporting deadline is July 31.
• Attorneys should verify their CLE records and ensure all provider-reported and self-reported credits are ready before filing.
• If there is a deficiency, attorneys may be required to submit a deficiency form or make up the hours according to Arkansas CLE rules.

Key Takeaway: In Arkansas, you may begin reporting your CLE soon after June 30 when the reporting system opens, and you must file by July 31 of that year.

CLE credit in Arkansas counts for attending approved CLE courses (live, webinars, on-demand), teaching qualified CLE, and speaking or panel participation, subject to accreditation under state rules.

All programs must provide written materials, an agenda, attendance monitoring, and be accredited by the Arkansas CLE Board.

Details

• Live or interactive webinars and prerecorded on-demand courses both qualify if properly accredited.
• Speaking credit is enhanced: solo speakers get 4 CLE hours for the first presentation hour; subsequent repeats earn 2 hours. Panel members may get 3 hours if materials are prepared.
• Credit from writing legal or professional articles may be approved via CLE Board petition.
• Credit may include participation in bar or court committees, pending Board approval.
• Credits from other jurisdictions are accepted if the course was CLE-accredited in that jurisdiction and meets Arkansas standards.
• Sponsors must submit certificates and programs must include attendance tracking and evaluation.

Key Takeaway

In Arkansas, CLE credit comes from approved live, webinar, on-demand, teaching, speaking, writing, and committee activities—as long as they meet accreditation, materials, attendance, and content rules.

No — Arkansas’s CLE rules do not distinguish between part-time and full-time attorneys; all nonexempt attorneys must satisfy the same requirement.

Arkansas requires every attorney (unless exempt by age or years of service) to complete 12 hours of CLE annually, including at least one hour of ethics.

Details:

• Rule 3 of the Arkansas Rules for Minimum Continuing Education mandates 12 credit hours per year, with no reduced requirement for part-time practitioners.
• Exemptions exist for attorneys aged 70 or with 40 years of licensure, but those exemptions are not tied to workload or part-time status.
• All CLE hours must be approved by the Arkansas CLE Board.
• The reporting period ends June 30 each year.

Key Takeaway: Arkansas imposes uniform CLE obligations regardless of whether an attorney practices part-time or full-time.