How many CLE hours are required every reporting cycle in Iowa?

In Iowa, you begin “reporting” CLE credits only after the reporting period ends (December 31). The annual CLE report becomes available after year-end, and attorneys must submit their report by March 10.

You do not file compliance partway through the year — you accumulate completed credits all year, then self-report after December 31.

Key Details

• Iowa’s CLE reporting period is calendar year (Jan 1 to Dec 31).
• Attorneys must complete 15 CLE hours per year, including 1 hour in legal ethics and 1 hour in wellness or diversity/inclusion.
• All credits must be earned by Dec 31 of each year.
• The deadline for submitting the CLE report is March 10 of the following year.
• Iowa attorneys are responsible for self-reporting via the Iowa Judicial Branch Office of Professional Regulation.
• Providers (or CLE sponsors) submit attendance to the Commission on CLE, but reporting by the attorney happens only after year-end.

Key Takeaway
In Iowa, you can only report CLE credits after the year ends (after December 31). The reporting window then opens, and you must submit your CLE report by March 10.

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.

You report CLE credits in Iowa by completing your annual CLE transcript and submitting your CLE report to the Iowa Supreme Court Commission by March 10.
You must certify that you satisfied the 15-credit requirement (including ethics and wellness/diversity) for the prior calendar year.

Overview of Iowa CLE Reporting

Iowa attorneys are required to earn 15 CLE credits each year.
These include at least 1 credit in legal ethics, and 1 credit in attorney wellness or diversity/inclusion.
The reporting period is the calendar year, ending December 31.
Attorneys may carry over excess credits into the next two reporting cycles.

Steps to Report CLE in Iowa

• Complete all 15 CLE credits, with required specialty credits, by December 31.
• Maintain your certificates, course titles, dates, and provider information for auditing.
• Access the Iowa Judicial Branch Office of Professional Regulation (via the CLE Commission’s portal).
• Complete your online transcript and submit your CLE report by March 10.
• If you earned credits through Sprout Education, verify that those hours are properly documented; where allowed, we can transmit records, but you must ensure they appear in your submission.

Key Takeaway: In Iowa, finish your 15 credit hours (including ethics and wellness/diversity) by December 31, then submit your CLE report via the judicial CLE portal by March 10. Sprout Education helps with credit record support where permitted, but compliance is ultimately your responsibility.

Yes — Iowa attorneys are required to file CLE reports electronically via the Iowa Court Commissions site.

Iowa mandates self-reporting of CLE hours using the state’s online system. ([iowacourts.gov](https://www.iowacourts.gov/opr/attorneys/attorney-practice/attorney-annual-reporting-requirements))

Details:

• Under Iowa’s rules, active attorneys must complete 15 hours of CLE per calendar year (including 1 hour of legal ethics). ([iowacourts.gov](https://www.iowacourts.gov/opr/attorneys/attorney-practice/continuing-legal-education))
• CLE reports must be filed electronically by the attorney as part of their annual reporting obligation. ([iowacourts.gov](https://www.iowacourts.gov/opr/attorneys/attorney-practice/attorney-annual-reporting-requirements))
• There is a $25 administrative fee when filing the CLE report. ([iowacourts.gov](https://www.iowacourts.gov/opr/attorneys/attorney-practice/attorney-annual-reporting-requirements))
• Attorneys may request an extension of the reporting deadline (for CLE) through the site before January 15 at no cost; after that date the extension costs $100. ([iowabar.org](https://www.iowabar.org/?blAction=showEntry&blogEntry=118452&pg=IowaBarBlog))
• The reporting deadline for the CLE report is March 1 following the year in which credits were earned. ([attorneycredits.com](https://www.attorneycredits.com/iowa-cle?srsltid=AfmBOop40SMB78K4x0gsRJn-sgDdpVAYdv59PbSs_UuL9YDcdXpMoYXt))

Key Takeaway:
Iowa supports electronic CLE reporting through the state’s online reporting system; as an attorney you file your CLE report online and pay the associated administrative fee.

Yes – Iowa provides a CLE exemption for attorneys on inactive, retired, or exempt status who are not engaged in the practice of law in Iowa. While inactive attorneys are not required to complete CLE during their inactive period, CLE requirements resume upon reactivation, and the Court or CLE Commission may impose reinstatement or catch-up obligations.

Iowa CLE Rules for Inactive Attorneys

• Exemption while inactive: Attorneys who elect inactive, exempt, or retired status and who do not practice law in Iowa are exempt from annual CLE requirements during that period.
• Reinstatement requirement: When returning to active status, attorneys must meet the CLE requirements prescribed by the Iowa Supreme Court or the Commission on Continuing Legal Education under Iowa Court Rule 41.7.
• Standard active requirement: Active attorneys must complete 15 CLE hours per calendar year, including 1 hour in legal ethics or professional responsibility, and report by March 1.
• Reinstatement CLE obligations: Depending on the duration of inactivity, reinstating attorneys may be required to complete additional CLE hours or specific courses before or soon after reactivation.
• Administrative oversight: The Office of Professional Regulation monitors status changes, exemptions, and CLE compliance through the annual attorney reporting system.

Key Takeaway

Iowa exempts attorneys on inactive, exempt, or retired status from CLE while they are not practicing law in the state. However, CLE obligations resume upon reactivation, and reinstatement may require completion of additional or catch-up credits as directed by the Court or CLE Commission.

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.