How many CLE credits do Mississippi attorneys need?

Mississippi attorneys must complete 12 CLE credit hours each year. That includes 1 hour in ethics.

Annual CLE Requirements in Mississippi

• Total requirement: 12 credit hours per compliance year
• Ethics requirement: 1 credit hour
• Reporting cycle: January 1 – July 31 (CLE must be earned by July 31)
• Reporting deadline: August 15 of each year

Credit Carryover & Delivery Limits

• Carryover: attorneys may carry forward up to 12 unused general CLE credits into the next reporting period
• Ethics credits in excess may not carry over as ethics, but may carry as general credits
• Online credit limit: at most 6 hours per year may be earned via distance learning (online) formats

New Lawyer (New Admittee) Rules

• Newly licensed attorneys must complete a New Lawyer Program of 12 CLE hours (6 basic skills + 6 ethics/professionalism) by the second July 31 following admission
• Completing the New Lawyer Program satisfies the CLE requirement for both their admission year and the next year

Key Takeaway: Mississippi requires 12 CLE hours annually, including 1 ethics hour, with carryover of up to 12 general credits and a limit of 6 hours of online CLE.

In Mississippi, you can report CLE credits only after the annual compliance period ends on July 31. The reporting (filing) window opens thereafter; your Annual Report Statement must be submitted by August 15.

You cannot formally file or certify credits mid-year. During the year, CLE hours accrue, and providers may already report attendance, but your self-reporting occurs only in August following the July 31 deadline.

Key Details

• Mississippi requires 12 CLE credit hours per year, including 1 hour in ethics/professionalism.
• Credits must be earned by July 31 of each year.
• The Annual Report Statement is mailed in June, and attorneys add any later CLE earned before August 15.
• All CLE must be reported by August 15 following the completion date.
• Providers may submit attendance records as courses are completed, but these do not substitute for your Annual Report filing.
• Sprout Education (as a provider) ensures your earned credits are timely reported so they appear on your report when you file in August.

Key Takeaway
In Mississippi, “reporting” CLE credits in a compliance sense begins only after July 31, with attorneys filing the Annual Report by August 15 — you cannot formally report credits early during the year.

Mississippi attorneys report CLE by submitting an Annual Report Statement to the Mississippi Commission on Continuing Legal Education by August 15 following the July 31 compliance deadline. Sponsors and providers may also submit attendance data, but the formal report is handled through the mailed or portal-based Annual Report.

Key Details:

• The compliance period ends July 31, and the report deadline is August 15.
• The Commission mails the Annual Report Statement to attorneys in June; attorneys add any missing credits and submit the final form.
• Attorneys retain their CLE certificates and logs in case of audit.

Key Takeaway: In Mississippi, CLE is reported via an Annual Report Statement due August 15, with the compliance period ending July 31.

You report CLE credits in Mississippi by completing the CLE Annual Report Statement and submitting it by August 15 following the July 31 deadline for earning hours.
You must ensure you have earned the required credits and that course attendance is properly recorded on your report.

Overview of Mississippi CLE Reporting

Mississippi attorneys must complete 12 CLE credits annually, including at least 1 credit in ethics or professional responsibility. At least 6 of the required credits must be earned via live, in-person programming. You must complete your CLE hours by July 31 each year. The CLE Commission mails you an Annual Report Statement; you complete and return it by August 15. If you have additional or missing credits, you can add them on the report when it is returned. Failure to report or correct deficiencies may lead to an Order to Show Cause and possible suspension proceedings.

Steps to Report CLE in Mississippi

• Complete 12 CLE credits (with ≥ 1 ethics) by July 31.
• Maintain certificates or attendance records for all programs.
• When you receive your CLE Annual Report Statement, fill in any unreported courses.
• Submit the signed report by August 15.
• If you earned credits through Sprout Education, confirm that your attendance was submitted (where allowed), and include those hours in your report submission.

Key Takeaway: In Mississippi, earn your 12 CLE credits by July 31, then submit your Annual Report Statement by August 15. Sprout Education supports your reporting where permissible, but you must certify your compliance and ensure proper documentation.

Failing to meet Mississippi’s CLE deadlines triggers a Show Cause process and possible suspension if you do not timely cure the deficiency. Attorneys must complete 12 CLE hours (including at least 1 in ethics) by July 31 and report by August 15.

Show Cause & Suspension Under Rule 6

• Shortly after August 15, the Commission compiles a list of noncompliant attorneys and serves each with an Order to Show Cause.
• Attorneys have 60 days to submit an affidavit proving compliance or a valid excuse for failure (illness, good cause, etc.).
• If no satisfactory affidavit is filed in 60 days, the Commission notifies the Mississippi Supreme Court and recommends sanctions, which may include suspension.

Key Takeaway: In Mississippi, missing the CLE deadline triggers a formal 60-day Show Cause process — failure to respond appropriately usually leads to being recommended for suspension by the Supreme Court.

Yes — Mississippi allows carryover of CLE credits, but with limits and restrictions.

The Mississippi CLE Commission’s FAQ and Rule provisions permit up to 12 credits to be carried into the next reporting period; ethics credits carried over count only as general credits.

Details & nuances

• The Mississippi CLE FAQ notes: “12.00 CLE credits may be carried over to the next reporting period.” ([courts.ms.gov](https://courts.ms.gov/cle_bccr/clefaq.php))
• The FAQ further states that “Excess ethics/professionalism credits carry over as general CLE credits and do not satisfy the ethics/professionalism requirement for the following reporting period.” ([courts.ms.gov](https://courts.ms.gov/cle_bccr/clefaq.php))
• For newly admitted attorneys, additional CLE credits earned by the end of the second CLE year after admission may be carried over. ([nbi-sems.com](https://nbi-sems.com/pages/mississippiclerequirements?srsltid=AfmBOooSvrquIfrq2UUa1Jw83l3owIKSaIJ42tjVxii2WB0a1wIKSaIJ42tjVxii2WB0a1wIKSaIJ42tjVxii2WB0a), [lawline.com](https://www.lawline.com/requirements/cle/mississippi/newly-admitted))
• Mississippi’s CLE Rules (Regulations 3.3, 4.9, 4.10) reference carryover credits in the regulatory scheme. ([courts.ms.gov](https://courts.ms.gov/research/rules/msrulesofcourt/continuing_legal_education.pdf))
• The standard CLE requirement is 12 credits per year, including 1 in ethics/professionalism. ([courts.ms.gov](https://courts.ms.gov/cle_bccr/clefaq.php), [americanbar.org](https://www.americanbar.org/events-cle/mcle/jurisdiction/mississippi/))

Key Takeaway

Mississippi permits you to carry over up to 12 CLE credits into the next year, but carried ethics/professionalism credits count only as general credits — not toward the specific ethics requirement.