How do I report CLE credits in Colorado?

The grace period for CLE reporting in Colorado is until January 31 following the December 31 compliance deadline. Attorneys must complete CLE by December 31, but they have until January 31 to self-report their credits.

Colorado CLE Reporting Window

• December 31: Deadline to finish all required CLE credits in your compliance period.
• January 31: Final date to file your CLE affidavit or report for that period.

Late Filing & Make-Up Options

• If reports are filed after January 31, a late fee is imposed.
• Attorneys may file a Make-Up Plan by January 31 to cure deficiencies by May 31.
• If Make-Up Plan is accepted, full compliance and submission must occur no later than June 14.

Key Takeaway: Colorado gives attorneys a one-month grace period after December 31 — until January 31 — to report CLE, with late fees applying beyond that and a Make-Up Plan option available for deficiencies.

Attorneys in Colorado report CLE by submitting an online affidavit through the Colorado CLETrack system, certifying all credits earned in the compliance period. The affidavit must be filed by January 31 following the December 31 compliance deadline.

Key Details:

• Reporting is done via the Colorado CLETrack online portal.
• Attorneys must self-report both accredited CLEs and activities like teaching, writing, or committee work.
• The CLE rules require timely reporting, and the CLETrack portal encourages reporting within 90 days of credit completion.
• The Colorado Supreme Court regulations explicitly require use of the online affidavit system or approved forms.

Key Takeaway: In Colorado, attorneys must self-report CLE via the CLETrack online affidavit by January 31, following the compliance period’s December 31 cutoff.

You may begin reporting Colorado CLE credits after your three-year compliance period ends on December 31, with the available reporting window opening immediately and running until the filing deadline of January 31.
The rules require you to complete all required CLE by December 31 and submit your certification by January 31 of the following year.

Key Details

• Colorado attorneys must complete 45 CLE credit hours in each three-year cycle, including 7 hours in Professional Responsibility.
• Once December 31 passes, the reporting (self-certification) period becomes active through January 31.
• You cannot file your certification before the compliance period ends (i.e. before December 31).
• In practice, you may prepare and log your CLE entries shortly after year-end so long as all hours are finalized.
• Sprout Education ensures you receive proper course identifiers and documentation to support your Colorado CLE reporting.

Key Takeaway: In Colorado, you can report your CLE as soon as December 31 (when your cycle ends), and you have until January 31 to certify your compliance.

Colorado attorneys must earn 45 CLE credit hours every three years, including at least 7 hours in professional responsibility.
Of those 7 professional responsibility hours, at least 5 must be in ethics or professionalism and at least 2 must be in equity, diversity, and inclusivity.

Details
• Compliance period: 3 years, ending December 31.
• Reporting deadline: January 31 following the end of the cycle.
• Exemption: Lawyers age 72 and older are exempt from the MCLE requirement.
• Credit hour basis: 50 minutes = 1 CLE hour.
• No carryover: Excess credits from one compliance period cannot be carried into the next.

Key Takeaway: Colorado requires 45 CLE hours per three-year period, with a 7-hour professional responsibility component (split between ethics and EDI), and no carryover allowed.

In Colorado, CLE credit counts for attending accredited live or on-demand programs, teaching or presenting CLE, pro bono legal work, research and writing, committee work, mentoring, and law school or LLM courses (with limits).

To qualify, activities must meet the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel’s Regulation 103 standards and be properly accredited or approved.

Details

• Live or real-time programs (in person, webinars, teleconferences) earn standard credit.
• On-demand/homestudy programs accredited in Colorado qualify; if not pre-accredited, you may apply for individual credit (Form 7 or Form 1B) under “independent study.”
• Teaching: You may earn CLE for presenting accredited programs (5 hours per 50 minutes of teaching) or moderating (2 hours per 50 minutes) by submitting Form 5.
• Pro bono work: Up to 9 CLE hours per three-year compliance period for uncompensated representation or supervising a student in eligible pro bono matters (1 hour of CLE per 5 billable hours).
• Research & writing: You may claim 1 CLE hour for every 2 hours devoted to qualifying legal research or published writing, subject to approval.
• Committee research & writing: Qualifying committee work producing educational materials may earn credit (1 hour per 2 hours) via Form 6A.
• Mentoring (CAMP): Participation as mentor or mentee in the Colorado Attorney Mentoring Program (CAMP) can yield CLE credit (capped per Regulation 104).
• Graduate legal courses (LLM): May qualify under certain circumstances via Form 1C.

Key Takeaway

Colorado allows CLE credit not only for attending courses but also for teaching, pro bono service, publishing, committee work, mentoring, and law school courses—each with rules and form submissions under Regulation 103.

No — judges in Colorado are not subject to a separate CLE system; they comply with the same continuing legal education requirements that govern registered lawyers.

Under Colorado law (C.R.C.P. 250 et seq.), every “registered lawyer and every judge” must complete 45 CLE credit hours per three-year compliance period (including at least seven hours of professional responsibility).

The CLE rules explicitly treat judges as part of the same regulated group for CLE reporting, accreditation, and compliance.

Key Takeaway: Judges in Colorado follow the same 45-hour, three-year CLE rule as attorneys; there is no distinct judicial CLE regime.