How do I report CLE credits in Ohio?

Ohio attorneys meet and report CLE by relying on course providers to submit attendance; attorneys then certify on their biennial registration if their transcript shows compliance. Providers must report attendance to the Commission within 30 days, and attorneys verify it via the Supreme Court’s Attorney Services Portal.

Key Details:

• Approved CLE providers must submit attendee data within 30 days after the course.
• Attorneys do not file separate CLE reports; compliance is confirmed through the attorney registration or transcript system.
• If credits are missing or misreported, attorneys may file a request for credit using Form 1a or other CLE request forms.
• Compliance groups and deadlines: attorneys A–L must comply by end of each odd-numbered year; M–Z by the end of even-numbered years.

Key Takeaway: In Ohio, CLE reporting is largely provider-driven, and attorneys certify compliance via their registration and transcript without submitting separate activity forms.

Ohio attorneys must complete 24 CLE credit hours every two years. That requirement includes 2.5 hours in professional conduct (ethics/professionalism and related topics).

Credit & Cycle Rules

• Total requirement: 24 credit hours per biennial compliance period
• Professional conduct requirement: 2.5 hours
• Reporting groups: attorneys with last names A–L report by December 31 of odd-numbered years; M–Z report by December 31 of even years
• Reporting deadline: January 31 after the compliance year

Carryover & Other Provisions

• Carryover: up to 12 general credit hours may be carried into the next biennial period (professional conduct credits do not carry over)
• Self-study / Online: As of 2023, there is no cap on self-study credits; attorneys may satisfy the full 24 hours via on-demand, live webcast, or other approved formats
• New attorneys: Newly admitted lawyers must complete a New Lawyers Training program (12 credits) in their first biennium, including professionalism, client funds management, law office management, and substantive law courses

Key Takeaway: Ohio’s biennial CLE requirement is 24 hours, including 2.5 hours of professional conduct, with a 12-hour carryover limit and flexible format rules.

Yes — Ohio’s CLE rules provide for both automatic and grantable exemptions under Gov. Bar R. X and related regulations.

Automatic Exemptions include attorneys in inactive or retired status, those practicing temporarily under pro hac vice or foreign legal consultant registration, and attorneys admitted pending full admission. Grantable exemptions may be allowed for full-time military service, illness/disability, or other good cause, as approved by the CLE Commission.

Details / Exceptions

• Inactive / Retired Status: Attorneys registered as inactive or those previously retired under the bar rules are exempt from CLE requirements.
• Temporary / Special Statuses: Attorneys admitted temporarily under pro hac vice, or those registered as foreign legal consultants, or attorneys admitted pending full admission (pending admission status) are exempt from CLE under the rules.
• Military Service / Disability: Attorneys on full-time military duty who do not engage in private law practice, or attorneys suffering long illness or disability, may apply for an exemption from the educational requirement.
• Judges: Certain federal judges (Article III), bankruptcy judges, and magistrate judges may be exempt while serving.
• Waiver / Good Cause: The CLE Commission can grant an exemption or modification for special circumstances beyond control.
• Proration / Partial Compliance: If change in status occurs mid-cycle (e.g. move to inactive), CLE hours may be prorated and then exempt status applied.

Key Takeaway
Ohio does carve out exemptions — notably for inactive/retired attorneys, special status attorneys (pro hac vice, foreign legal consultants), full-time military, and judges — but gap exemptions must be claimed via CLE Commission procedures.

Yes — Ohio allows carryover of CLE credits, up to 12 hours (general credits only).
Per the Ohio State Bar and Ohio CLE rules, excess credit beyond the 24-hour biennial requirement may be carried forward as general credit (professional conduct credits carry over only as general).

Details & nuances

• Ohio attorneys must complete 24 credit hours in each two-year compliance period, including 2.5 hours in Professional Conduct. (Supreme Court of Ohio CLE Info)
• The OSBA’s CLE page states: “Attorneys who complete more than the required hours of credit in a compliance period may apply a maximum of 12 credit hours to the next compliance period.” (ohiobar.org)
• Professional Conduct (ethics/professionalism) credits, when carried, are treated only as general credit and cannot satisfy the Professional Conduct requirement in the next period. (via NBI summary)
• For newly admitted attorneys in Ohio’s New Lawyers Training (NLT) program, if they earn more than the 12 required NLT credits, they too may carry over up to 12 general credits into the next compliance period. (lawline)

Key Takeaway
In Ohio, you can carry over up to 12 excess CLE credits (as general credit) into your next biennial period — but Professional Conduct credits carried over cannot count toward its required subcategory.

No — Ohio does not require a fixed number of in-person classroom CLE hours.

The state allows attorneys to satisfy their CLE requirement via live interactive programs (including live webcasts) or self-study courses, and as of January 1, 2023, the cap on self-study hours has been eliminated.

Details

• Ohio attorneys must complete 24 CLE credit hours per two-year compliance period, including 2.5 hours in professional conduct.
• Under prior rules, self-study (recorded, non-interactive) was capped; but the Supreme Court removed that cap permanently in 2023, allowing all credits from approved self-study formats.
• Sponsors must apply for accreditation of CLE programs, including specifying whether a program is “live in-person,” “live interactive webinar,” or self-study.
• Self-study courses must meet verification criteria (e.g. login tracking, polling) to qualify.

Key Takeaway

Ohio imposes no in-person classroom minimum — attorneys may fulfill their full 24-hour biennial CLE requirement through approved live interactive or self-study (recorded) formats under current rules.

Yes — Ohio permits reporting CLE late through a formal “Late Compliance” process after receiving a Notice of Apparent Noncompliance. This process allows attorneys to cure deficiencies, submit proof, and pay a late-compliance fee.

Here’s how Ohio’s late reporting / late compliance works:

• If an attorney fails to certify their CLE requirement by January 31 (the reporting deadline), the Supreme Court may issue a Notice of Apparent Noncompliance.
• After the notice, the attorney may use the Late Compliance procedure, which allows them to report missing credits earned between January 1 and March 31, submit evidence by specified deadlines, and pay a late compliance fee.
• The late compliance fee is tiered based on the number of deficient hours:
  
    • 6 hours or less → $75
  
    • More than 6 up to 12 hours → $150
  
    • More than 12 up to 18 hours → $225
  
    • More than 18 hours → $300
• If the attorney fails to cure by March 31, submit proof by April 30, or pay the fee, a Sanction Order is issued.
• Attorneys with repeated noncompliance (in multiple biennia) may face suspension rather than just monetary sanctions.

Key Takeaway

Yes — Ohio allows late CLE reporting via a Late Compliance procedure, but you must act after a notice, cure deficiencies by March 31 (or proof by April 30), and pay a late fee scaled to your deficit.