Are carryover CLE credits allowed in Hawaii?

There is no formal grace period in Hawaii beyond the December 31 compliance deadline — attorneys must complete and report CLE by year-end. Noncompliance triggers a certified notice and potential suspension under RSCH Rule 22.

Hawaii CLE Requirements & Reporting

• December 31: Deadline to complete all required CLE credits.
• Reporting is done via the attorney registration form, certified at that time.

Enforcement & Noncompliance Procedure

• Within 60 days after the registration deadline, the HSBA sends a certified notice of noncompliance to attorneys who failed to meet CLE requirements.
• Recipients of the notice have 15 days to submit proof, contest it, or resign their license.
• Failure to respond or comply leads to automatic administrative suspension until full compliance and proof are accepted.

Key Takeaway: Hawaii requires CLE compliance by December 31 with no additional grace period; noncompliance leads to a formal notice and possible suspension under Rule 22.

No — Hawaii’s CLE rules do not differentiate based on part-time vs full-time status; all active attorneys must satisfy the same requirement (unless exempt).

Under RSCH Rule 22, active members must complete at least 3 CLE credit hours per calendar year, and at least once every three years they must include 1 credit hour of ethics or professional responsibility.

Details:

• The CLE cycle is each calendar year (January 1 through December 31).
• New admittees are exempt for the year of admission.
• If an attorney changes from inactive to active status, they must complete 3 hours (including 1 ethics) within three months of electing active status.
• Credits must be self-certified annually; records are subject to audit for the prior three reporting periods.
• There is no statutory or regulatory text indicating a reduced requirement for attorneys practicing part-time.

Key Takeaway: Part-time status carries no special CLE relief in Hawaii — all active attorneys are held to the same 3-credit annual requirement (with ethics every 3 years).

Hawaii attorneys must complete 3 CLE credit hours every calendar year. Every 3 years, at least 1 of those credits must be in ethics or professional responsibility.

Annual CLE Requirements in Hawaii

• Total requirement: 3 credit hours per year
• Ethics requirement: 1 credit hour every 3 years (counts toward annual)
• Compliance deadline: December 31
• Reporting: self-certification via annual registration form

Carryover & Special Rules

• Up to 3 credits may be carried over to the next year, but ethics credits cannot be carried over
• Newly admitted attorneys are exempt from the CLE requirement in their admission year
• Attorneys shifting from inactive to active status must complete 3 hours (including 1 ethics) within 3 months

Key Takeaway: Hawaii requires 3 CLE hours annually, with 1 ethics credit every 3 years, carryover allowed (except ethics), and reporting via the annual bar registration form.

You may begin reporting CLE for Hawaii when you file your annual attorney registration, which includes certifying your prior year’s compliance (i.e. “reporting” occurs in January after the year ends).
Hawaii’s compliance period is the calendar year (January 1 to December 31), and attorneys certify CLE compliance on their annual registration form the following year.

Key Details

• Active Hawaii attorneys must complete 3 CLE credits per calendar year, inclusive of 1 ethics credit every three years.
• CLE credits must be earned by December 31 of that year.
• Reporting is done through the annual attorney registration form, where you certify that you satisfied the CLE requirement for the previous year.
• Providers (e.g. NBI) report attendance to the Hawaii State Bar so that your transcript is up to date by registration time.
• You must maintain documentation (certificates, course records) for three reporting periods in case of audit.
• Sprout Education reports attendance on behalf of attorneys (within 30 days where permitted) and helps ensure those credits appear when you register.

Key Takeaway: You can “report” your Hawaii CLE compliance only when you complete your annual registration (typically in January following year-end), not before — all required CLE must be earned by December 31.

Hawaii attorneys must complete 3 CLE credit hours per year, with at least 1 credit of ethics/professional responsibility every three years.

All 3 credits are earned within the calendar year and reported during annual registration.

Details

• Requirement: 3 hours annually for active attorneys.
• Ethics: At least 1 credit of ethics or professional responsibility must be completed in each three-year span.
• Carryover: Attorneys may carry over up to 3 credits into the next year (ethics credits cannot be carried over).
• Exemptions: Newly admitted attorneys (in the year of admission) are exempt from the annual requirement.
• Deadline: Credits must be earned by December 31 and certification is made on the attorney’s annual registration (due January 31).

Key Takeaway: Hawaii attorneys need 3 CLE hours yearly, including one ethics credit every three years, with limited carryover and annual self-certification.

No — Hawaii does not require CLE to be in person, and attorneys may satisfy their CLE obligation via live webcasts or recorded (alternative) formats. The state does not impose a “must attend in-person” requirement.

Hawaii CLE Overview

• Annual requirement: 3 credit hours per calendar year.
• Ethics requirement: 1 ethics or professional responsibility hour every three years.

Permitted Formats & Limits

• Attorneys may earn all required CLE credits through online, alternative, or recorded formats.
• There is no limitation on how many credits come from alternative formats (i.e., self-study, on-demand).
• Live webcasts (real-time online programs) qualify as acceptable “live” formats.

Verification & Reporting

• Webcasts must be approved and not previously viewed for credit.
• Attorneys must self-report CLE credits on the annual registration form for the Hawaii State Bar.
• Certificates and records must be maintained for three most recent reporting periods.

Key Takeaway: Hawaii allows complete fulfillment of CLE via webcasts or alternative formats — there is no mandate for in-person attendance.