How early can I report CLE credits in Arkansas?

Attorneys in Arkansas report CLE compliance through the online MCLE reporting system managed by the Arkansas Supreme Court Office of Professional Programs. The annual compliance period ends June 30, and attorneys must certify and submit their CLE credits online by July 31.

Arkansas CLE Reporting Format

• Completion deadline: All required CLE credits (12 per year, including 1 ethics credit) must be earned by June 30.
• Reporting deadline: Attorneys must log in and submit their compliance via the online MCLE reporting form by July 31.
• Electronic reporting: The system allows attorneys to view credited courses, add missing programs, and electronically affirm compliance.
• Sponsor verification: CLE sponsors must verify attendance and report program details directly to the Office of Professional Programs, though attorneys remain responsible for final certification.
• Out-of-state attorneys: Those residing in a jurisdiction without MCLE requirements may file a “No CLE Required” certification form by October 31 following the compliance year.

Key Takeaway

Arkansas attorneys must complete CLE by June 30 and report compliance online by July 31 using the Supreme Court’s MCLE portal, ensuring all sponsor-reported credits appear correctly before certification.

Arkansas attorneys must complete 12 CLE credit hours per year, including at least 1 hour in ethics.
The reporting period runs July 1 through June 30, and attorneys must file by July 31.

Details
• Total required: 12 credits annually.
• Ethics: At least 1 hour must be in ethics.
• Carryover: Attorneys may carry over up to 12 credits (including 1 ethics) into the next cycle.
• Exemptions: Attorneys or judges aged 70 or with 40 years of licensure are exempt.
• Speaking credits: Solo speakers get 4 hours credit for each hour presented (first time); repeat presentations get 2 hours. Panelists with prepared materials get 3 hours.

Key Takeaway: Arkansas requires 12 CLE hours each year, including 1 hour of ethics, with carryover and speaker credit rules, and some age/licensure exemptions.

The CLE reporting deadline in Arkansas is July 31 following the compliance period.

Arkansas attorneys must complete their required CLEs by June 30 and then file their compliance report by July 31.

Arkansas CLE Deadline & Reporting Timeline

• Compliance (completion) deadline: June 30 each year
• Reporting deadline: July 31 following the June 30 cutoff
• Credit requirement: 12 CLE hours annually, including at least 1 ethics hour
• Extension / deficiency: Attorneys may get a deficiency notice; remaining credits must often be completed and reported later in the year

Sprout Education, as an accredited CLE provider, designs programs that satisfy Arkansas’s MCLE rules and can be used in reporting compliance.

Key Takeaway: In Arkansas, complete your CLE by June 30 and file your compliance report by July 31 of that year.

No — Arkansas does not require in-person CLE; live webcasts (interactive real-time online) and recorded/technology-based formats are permitted for all credits. Ark. attorneys may complete their full annual CLE requirement via webcast, on-demand courses, or any approved format that meets Arkansas MCLE rules.

Annual CLE Requirements in Arkansas

• Total requirement: 12 credit hours per year, including 1 ethics hour.
• Compliance deadline: June 30

Credit Formats and Limits

• All 12 hours may be earned online, including live webcasts or on-demand recordings.
• Arkansas does not impose a requirement or minimum for in-person attendance.
• Webcasts are counted as “live” events if they allow interaction.
• On-demand (recorded) formats qualify when approved under Arkansas rules.

Carryover

• Up to 12 credits (including 1 ethics) may be carried over to the next reporting period.

Provider & Reporting

• CLE credits delivered via webcasts or recorded formats must comply with Arkansas Supreme Court, Office of Professional Programs approval and verification procedures.
• Attorneys report credits to the Arkansas Supreme Court Office of Professional Programs.

Key Takeaway: Arkansas allows complete fulfillment of CLE requirements through live webcasts or technology-delivered formats; in-person attendance is not required.

Yes — in Arkansas you can effectively obtain more time under a “deficiency cure” process if you fail to report by the July 31 deadline; the CLE Board also may grant extensions in special circumstances such as military mobilization.

Arkansas’ Rules for Minimum Continuing Legal Education provide that attorneys who fail to meet the required 12 hours by June 30 must file an Acknowledgment of Deficiency by August 31, then complete the deficiency by December 1 and certify by December 15. The Board may grant additional extensions (especially for mobilized service) and may waive certain fees.

Details & Conditions

• The Arkansas CLE Rules (Rule 5 Reporting) state:
   • If your final CLE balance is deficient, you’ll receive a “final report” and an Acknowledgment of Deficiency form, which you must sign and return by August 31.
   • You then must cure the deficiency by December 1 and submit appropriate documentation by December 15.
   • Attorneys serving in the National Guard or reserves who are mobilized during the CLE period may be granted an additional 180 days to meet filing requirements, and the Board may grant further extensions upon request.
   • The Board also has discretion to waive fees under Regulation 5.01 in appropriate cases.
• What this means: the “extension” is built into the deficiency cure schedule and special relief provisions — there is no open-ended extension beyond these rules.

Key Takeaway

Yes — Arkansas allows you to request extra time via the deficiency cure process and special extensions (e.g. for military service), but you must follow the formal steps (Acknowledgment by August 31, cure by December 1) and seek Board approval.

Missing Arkansas’s CLE deadline triggers notice of deficiency, possible suspension, and a reinstatement process if not cured. Arkansas attorneys must complete 12 CLE hours (including 1 ethics) by June 30 and report by July 31, with a 30-day cure period after notice under Rule 6.

Deadline & Reporting Requirements

• June 30: Deadline to complete 12 CLE hours, including 1 hour of ethics.
• July 31: Deadline to file your CLE report certifying completion.

Rule 6: Deficiency Notice & Suspension Process

• The CLE Board issues a non-compliance notice after July 31.
• You then have 30 days to provide written proof of compliance or remediate the deficiency.
• Failure to cure within 30 days may lead the CLE Board to suspend your license.
• Reinstatement requires submitting proof of compliance and petitioning for reinstatement per Board procedures.

Key Takeaway: In Arkansas, missing the June 30 credit deadline or July 31 reporting deadline triggers a 30-day deficiency cure period under Rule 6, and unresolved noncompliance can result in suspension and require formal reinstatement.