How do I report CLE credits in Iowa?

Attorneys in Iowa certify CLE compliance annually through the Iowa Judicial Branch CLE online reporting portal. The compliance period runs on a calendar-year basis, and attorneys must complete required credits by December 31 and certify compliance by March 10 of the following year.

Iowa CLE Reporting Format

• Completion deadline: All required CLE credits (15 hours, including 1 ethics and 1 wellness or diversity/inclusion credit) must be earned by December 31.
• Reporting deadline: Attorneys must log in to the Iowa Judicial Branch CLE portal and certify compliance by March 10 of the following year.
• Online certification: Reporting is done electronically — no written or mailed form is required.
• Provider submissions: CLE sponsors may report attendance to the Commission, but attorneys are responsible for confirming that all earned credits appear accurately before certification.
• Audit documentation: Attorneys must retain attendance certificates and course records for at least three years in case of audit.

Key Takeaway

In Iowa, attorneys certify CLE compliance annually via the Judicial Branch’s online CLE portal by March 10, following a December 31 completion deadline.

Iowa attorneys must complete 15 CLE credit hours per calendar year, including 1 hour in legal ethics and 1 hour in attorney wellness or diversity/inclusion.

The CLE requirement is set by Iowa Court Rule 41.3 and reported to the Iowa Commission on CLE by March 10.

Details

• Total: 15 hours each year.

• Ethics: At least 1 of the 15 hours must be in legal ethics.

• Wellness / Diversity: At least 1 hour must be in attorney wellness or diversity & inclusion.

• Reporting: Credits must be earned by December 31, and attorneys must file their CLE report by March 10.

• Carryover: Up to 30 CLE credits may be carried forward for up to two years.

• New admittee rule: Newly admitted attorneys in Iowa are exempt for the remainder of their admission year but may carry credits earned during that period into their first full reporting year.

Key Takeaway: Iowa requires 15 CLE hours annually, with 1 hour in ethics and 1 hour in wellness or diversity/inclusion, annual reporting by March 10, and carryover allowed up to two years.

No — Iowa does not require all CLE to be in person; live webcasts and recorded or distance formats are permitted under Iowa’s rules. Iowa allows attorneys to satisfy their CLE requirement using internet-based delivery methods, provided the program meets standards for live or recorded distance activities.

Annual CLE Requirements in Iowa

• Total requirement: 15 credit hours per calendar year, including 1 hour in legal ethics.
• Compliance period: January 1 to December 31.

Live & Distance Learning Rules

• Iowa Court Rule chapter 42 defines “live webcast” as a CLE activity delivered in real time over the internet to remote participants.
• Previously recorded programs also qualify, subject to approval and the rules for distance learning.
• Iowa rules allow all CLE credits to be taken via webcasts or recorded courses, as long as those courses are approved under Iowa’s standards.

Key Takeaway: Iowa attorneys may fulfill their full CLE obligation via live webcast or recorded courses; in-person attendance is not required so long as the programs comply with Iowa’s distance learning rules.

The CLE reporting deadline in Iowa is March 10 each year.

Iowa attorneys must earn the required credits by December 31 and then self-report their CLE compliance by March 10.

Iowa CLE Reporting & Requirements

• Completion Deadline: December 31 of the calendar year.
• Reporting Deadline: March 10 following the end of the year.
• Credit Requirement: 15 CLE hours annually, including 1 ethics and 1 diversity/attorney wellness hour.
• Reporting Method: Attorneys self-report via the Iowa Judicial Branch’s reporting portal.

Sprout Education offers CLE courses that satisfy Iowa’s CLE requirements and supports attorneys in meeting the March 10 reporting deadline.

Key Takeaway: In Iowa, attorneys must finish CLE by December 31 and submit their annual report by March 10.

Yes — Iowa permits carryover of excess CLE credits, up to 2 succeeding years, but with restrictions on applied categories.

Iowa attorneys may carry forward unused CLE credits earned to the next two calendar years, but carryover “ethics, diversity & inclusion, and wellness” credits can only count toward the general 15-hour requirement, not toward the specific subcategory minimums.

Details & nuances

• Iowa Court Rule 41.3 requires 15 CLE hours per calendar year, including at least 1 ethics hour and 1 attorney wellness or diversity & inclusion hour.
• According to CLE policy summaries, an attorney may carry over excess credits to the two succeeding reporting years.
• However, the rule dictates that excess credits in the ethics, wellness/diversity & inclusion categories may not be used to satisfy future ethics or wellness/diversity minimums — they can only be used to satisfy general CLE hours in those future years.
• The carryover must be noted on the annual CLE report submitted by March 10.
• The formal “CLE Accreditation Policies” of Iowa (which govern crediting rules) do not explicitly restate a carryover cap but do frame credit entitlement, attendance, and reporting rules.

Key Takeaway

Iowa allows you to carry over excess CLE credits for up to two years, but carryover ethics or wellness/diversity credits can only apply toward general CLE — they cannot count toward those specific category minimums.

Yes — Iowa allows attorneys who do not practice law in Iowa to apply for a certificate of exemption, and permits waivers or extensions for hardship or extenuating circumstances.

Under Iowa Court Rules (Chapter 41, Rule 41.7), an attorney who is not engaged in practice in Iowa may be granted an exemption; the CLE Commission may also grant waivers or extensions.

Details / Exceptions

• Certificate of Exemption for Non-Practicing Attorneys: If a member of the Iowa bar “is not engaged in the practice of law in the state of Iowa,” the attorney may apply to the Commission for a waiver of CLE compliance and receive a certificate of exemption. (Iowa Ct. R. 41.7)
• Waivers / Extensions for Hardship: The Commission may grant waivers of the minimum CLE requirements or extensions of time (up to six months) in individual cases for “hardship or extenuating circumstances.” (Iowa Ct. R. 41.5(3))
• Year of Admission Exclusion: An attorney in the year they are admitted to the bar is not required to comply with the CLE requirement for that year. (Iowa Ct. R. 41.4(2))
• No blanket exemptions for judges, senior attorneys, or government attorneys are prescribed in the rules beyond those above.
• Even when exempted, attorneys must complete the formal application or reporting procedures (e.g. apply for certificate of exemption, request waiver) with the Commission.

Key Takeaway
Iowa does offer limited exemptions — notably for attorneys not practicing in Iowa, and for hardship or admission-year status — but does not broadly exempt judges or senior attorneys; an application or waiver must be approved by the CLE Commission.