Are carryover CLE credits allowed in Maryland?

Maryland does not currently require attorneys to complete CLE, so there is no CLE reporting deadline in Maryland.

The courts’ informational pages confirm that CLE for Maryland lawyers remains voluntary.

Key Takeaway: In Maryland, you don’t need to report CLE—there is no mandatory CLE reporting deadline.

Maryland attorneys are not currently required to complete any CLE credits under state law. The Maryland Supreme Court is actively considering implementing a mandatory CLE requirement but has delayed a decision.

Current Status: No Mandatory CLE

• No MCLE rule presently applies to Maryland attorneys
• Continuing education is voluntary at this time

Proposed Plan Under Review

• A workgroup’s 2023 report proposed 12 hours annually—including ethics, diversity/equity/inclusion (DEI), and mental health/wellness
• The Supreme Court has postponed any implementation until at least spring 2026

Professional Competence Obligation

• Maryland attorneys remain bound by the competence obligation in the Rules of Professional Conduct
• Voluntary CLE is encouraged, but not currently mandated

Key Takeaway: There is no CLE hour requirement in Maryland at present, but a mandatory structure may be adopted in the future.

No — Maryland has no mandatory CLE requirement at present, so there is no rule imposing in-person or live webcast CLE. The state has studied adopting mandatory CLE, but as of now, compliance is voluntary.

Maryland CLE Status

• There is no requirement for attorneys to complete CLE as a condition of licensure or upkeep of the bar.
• A workgroup recommended a future rule requiring 12 CLE hours annually, but that has not been enacted.
• Because CLE is voluntary, there is no regulatory language defining whether live webcast or in-person formats would be required or preferred under a mandate.

Key Takeaway: Because Maryland does not impose mandatory CLE, there is no obligation to attend live or in-person programs; any future rules would need to specify format requirements.

No CLE activities currently count toward a mandatory requirement in Maryland, because Maryland has no mandatory CLE credit requirement.

However, many attorneys undertake CLE voluntarily to maintain competence, reputation, and insurance relationships.

Voluntary CLE in Maryland

• Because there is no mandate, there is no formal list of approved activities or credit-counting rules in Maryland.
• In practice, CLE providers may grant internal certificates for live seminars, webinars, self-study, written materials, or teaching efforts, but those serve only as evidence of voluntary education, not mandatory credit.
• Some legal groups (e.g. Maryland Judiciary) have studied and proposed a future requirement of 12 hours annually (including ethics, DEI, mental health), but no rule has been adopted.
• Because CLE is voluntary, there is no requirement for reporting, audits, carryover limits, or mandatory accreditation in Maryland.

Key Takeaway: In Maryland there is currently no mandatory CLE regime, so nothing officially “counts” toward CLE—it’s entirely voluntary until the Supreme Court adopts a mandate.

No — you cannot submit CLE credits online in Maryland because Maryland does not currently require attorneys to undertake or report CLE.

There is no MCLE (mandatory CLE) regime in Maryland at present — CLE participation is voluntary and no reporting mechanism is required.

Details:

• The Maryland Judiciary has postponed any adoption of mandatory CLE, and no rule currently compels reporting of CLE credits.
• The ABA’s jurisdictional summary confirms that Maryland attorneys do not have MCLE obligations.
• A Maryland “Workgroup to Study Mandatory CLE” has issued recommendations, but the Supreme Court has not enacted them.
• Because there is no CLE requirement or credit-reporting system, there is no system to “submit” CLE credits (either online or otherwise).

Key Takeaway
In Maryland, CLE is voluntary — since there is no requirement or reporting system, there is no option for an attorney to submit CLE credits online (or by any other method).

You currently do not report CLE credits in Maryland because there is no mandatory CLE or reporting requirement in effect.
The Maryland Supreme Court has continued reviewing whether to adopt mandatory CLE or a mandatory reporting system, but as of now attorneys are not required to certify CLE.

Overview of Maryland CLE Status

Maryland does not impose a mandatory CLE requirement for attorneys.
In December 2024, the Court voted to defer adoption of mandatory CLE or mandatory reporting.
Attorneys maintain professional competence under ethics rules but are not obligated to submit CLE compliance to the Bar.

Steps (If Reporting Were Required)

• No certification or reporting is currently required in Maryland.
• If mandatory CLE is adopted in the future, you would likely be asked to self-report via an online system or affidavit.
• If you earn CLE through Sprout Education, when reporting becomes required, our records transmission would support your compliance—but the obligation will rest with you to certify.

Key Takeaway: Because Maryland has not adopted mandatory CLE or reporting, no CLE certification or reporting process is currently applicable to attorneys. Sprout Education will monitor any change and support you when reporting becomes required.