What are the CLE requirements for inactive attorneys in New York?

In New York, you don’t “report” CLE credits immediately — you certify compliance only when you file your attorney registration form following your reporting cycle. The CLE section of the registration is when your credits are reported.

You may, however, apply for accreditation of out-of-state or nonapproved courses within 30 days after attending them if needed.

Key Details

• New York operates on a biennial (two-year) reporting cycle tied to your birthday.
• You certify your CLE compliance in the CLE section of your attorney registration form, which is submitted within 30 days after your birthday in alternate years.
• You do not send certificates to the CLE Board; you are responsible for retaining them for audit for at least four years.
• If you take a course not preapproved by New York, you may submit an Application for Accreditation within 30 days after the course date.
• Once your registration form is filed, the CLE section acts as your “report” of what credits you’ve earned during the biennial period.

Key Takeaway
In New York, you formally “report” CLE credits only when you fill out your attorney registration form after your biennial cycle — not immediately after each course.

Yes — New York attorneys may request an extension of time to complete CLE requirements in cases of undue hardship or extenuating circumstances. The NYS CLE Board permits extensions of up to 90 days under its rules.

Key Provisions & Process

• Under 22 NYCRR § 1500.14, attorneys (including newly admitted ones) may petition for a waiver or modification of CLE requirements, and may request an extension for extenuating circumstances not to exceed 90 days.
• The NYS CLE Board provides an Application for Extension of Time (CLE), which must be submitted via email to the CLE office.
• The CLE Board may grant extensions “based upon undue hardship or extenuating circumstances.”
• While awaiting decision, attorneys must continue completing any remaining CLE.

What You Should Do

1. Download and complete the Application for Extension of Time (CLE) form.
2. Email the completed application to the CLE Board ([email protected]).
3. Explain your hardship or extenuating circumstances, list CLE credits earned, and propose a plan to finish the remainder.
4. Await processing, which may take 30-45 days.
5. If granted, complete and submit CLE under the extended schedule; update your attorney registration form and filing as required.

Limitations & Considerations

• The extension is discretionary — not guaranteed.
• The extension generally may not exceed 90 days, unless special circumstances justify more.
• The extension does not relieve you of the obligation to timely file your Attorney Registration form or pay required fees.
• Approval depends on the strength of your justification and documentation.
• Extensions do not alter the required CLE categories or amounts — you still must meet the full requirement under NY rules.

Key Takeaway

New York allows for a limited extension (commonly up to 90 days) to complete CLE for undue hardship or extenuating circumstances — file a CLE extension application, support it with documentation, and continue pursuing compliance even while the request is pending.

The CLE reporting deadline in New York is within 30 days after your birthday in the second year of your biennial cycle.

Attorneys must complete their CLE requirement by that same date, then certify compliance when they file their biennial attorney registration.

New York CLE Reporting Rules

• Experienced attorneys: 24 CLE credits every two years, reporting within 30 days after your birthday.
• Newly admitted attorneys: Complete 16 credits in each of the first two years and certify at registration.
• Reporting method: Certification of CLE compliance is part of the biennial registration form — no separate CLE-only filing.

Key Takeaway: In New York, your CLE reporting deadline is tied to your birthday — within 30 days after it — in the second year of your two-year cycle.

No — New York’s CLE rules do not distinguish part-time vs full-time attorneys; all attorneys subject to the program must satisfy the same requirement (unless exempt or prorated).

Under 22 NYCRR § 1500.22, experienced attorneys must complete 24 accredited CLE credit hours in each biennial reporting cycle, including at least 4 in ethics/professionalism, 1 in diversity/inclusion, and 1 in cybersecurity/privacy/data protection.

Newly admitted attorneys (in their first two years) must complete 32 credits (16 per year) in categories including ethics, skills, law practice management/areas of professional practice, and cybersecurity.

If an attorney practices law in New York for only part of a reporting cycle, a pro rata CLE requirement (1 credit per month of practice) may apply.

The CLE Board may grant waiver or modification for undue hardship or extenuating circumstances.

Key Takeaway: New York imposes the same CLE structure on all attorneys — there is no separate part-time rate — though partial‐cycle practice may trigger a prorated requirement.

No — judges in New York do not have a separate CLE requirement; they comply under the same CLE rules that apply to attorneys.

Under New York’s CLE regulations, “attorneys, judges, in-house counsel” fall within the same continuing legal education program without distinct judicial-only mandatory credits.

Details

• New York attorneys (including those serving as judges) must complete 24 credit hours of accredited CLE in each biennial reporting cycle, with at least 4 credits in ethics/professionalism, 1 credit in diversity/inclusion/elimination of bias, and 1 credit in cybersecurity, privacy & data protection.
• The CLE rules define “the practice of law” to exclude judicial or quasi-judicial functions; yet the regulatory scheme still includes judges in the CLE participant class.
• New York has a “Judicial Institute” that provides ongoing training and programs for judges, but that is not a parallel or separate CLE mandate—rather, it complements the shared CLE system.
• Judges may be subject to specialized training mandates (for example, in bail laws) under administrative orders, but these do not constitute a fully separate continuing education credit system above the CLE mandate.

Key Takeaway

In New York, judges fulfill the same CLE obligations as attorneys; there is no distinct, separate judicial CLE system.

Yes — New Jersey will accept CLE credits earned in New York so long as the New York credits satisfy New Jersey’s reciprocity conditions.
Under New Jersey’s rules, courses approved in another state that has mandatory CLE may count “through reciprocity,” provided they are the types of courses NJ allows and the credits do not exceed teaching limits.

Details:

• New Jersey’s CLE FAQ states: “Through reciprocity, New Jersey will accept credits for courses … accredited in another mandatory CLE jurisdiction …”
• The reciprocal credit applies only if the out-of-state course is accredited in that jurisdiction. If it is not so accredited, the course will not automatically qualify for reciprocity.
• There is no special fee for reciprocity in New Jersey.
• Attorneys must still comply with New Jersey’s own subject-area requirements (e.g. ethics, professionalism) and format rules (live vs alternative) when applying the out-of-state credits.
• If a course is not approved in any mandatory CLE jurisdiction, New Jersey allows attorneys to submit an individual application to seek credit.

Key Takeaway:

If your NY CLE was properly accredited, you can generally apply it in NJ via reciprocity, but you must ensure it meets NJ’s format and content rules and retain proof of accreditation.