What are the CLE requirements for inactive attorneys in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania attorneys must complete 12 CLE credit hours annually, including 2 hours in ethics, professionalism, or substance abuse prevention.

Credits are assigned to one of three compliance groups; deadlines differ by group.

Details

• Total requirement: 12 credits per compliance period.

• Specialty requirement: At least 2 hours must cover ethics, professionalism, or substance abuse topics.

• Live vs on-demand: A minimum of 6 hours must be live (in-person or live webcast); up to 6 may be from pre-recorded or asynchronous programs.

• Carryover: Live credits in excess of the requirement may carry forward for up to two compliance periods (distance learning credits do not carry).

• New attorneys: Must complete a 4-credit “Bridge the Gap” program in their first compliance period.

• Compliance groups & deadlines:
 • Group I: May 1 – April 30 (deadline April 30)
 • Group II: September 1 – August 31 (deadline August 31)
 • Group III: January 1 – December 31 (deadline December 31)

Key Takeaway: Pennsylvania requires 12 CLE hours per year with 2 in ethics, half of which must be live; excess live hours may carry over, and new attorneys have a mandatory Bridge the Gap program.

No — Pennsylvania’s CLE rules do not distinguish between part-time and full-time attorneys; all active attorneys must meet the same requirement (unless exempt or prorated under special conditions).

Pennsylvania requires active lawyers to complete 12 credit hours annually under Rule 105, including required credits in ethics, professionalism, substance abuse, and substantive/practice topics.

Details:

• The 12-hour obligation applies uniformly to all active lawyers; there is no rule that reduces the requirement based on how many hours one practices.
• Pre-recorded (on-demand) or asynchronous credits are limited to 6 hours per year; live or synchronous (live-online) credits must satisfy at least 6 hours.
• Lawyers are placed into one of three compliance groups, each with its own deadline (April 30, August 31, or December 31).
• Attorneys with Emeritus licenses (retired status) have a lower requirement of 8 hours annually.
• Newly admitted attorneys must complete a “Bridge the Gap” program (4 hours) during their first compliance period.

Key Takeaway: Being a “part-time” attorney in Pennsylvania does not change your CLE obligations — you must fulfill the full 12-credit annual requirement like any other active lawyer (except where statute provides special terms such as Emeritus or new admittees).

The CLE reporting deadline in Pennsylvania varies by compliance group: April 30, August 31, or December 31.

Attorneys must complete their 12 required credits within their assigned period and certify compliance by that same date (compliance equals reporting).

Pennsylvania CLE Compliance & Reporting

• Group I: May 1 – April 30 (deadline April 30)
• Group II: September 1 – August 31 (deadline August 31)
• Group III: January 1 – December 31 (deadline December 31)
• Adjustment window: You have 30 days after the deadline to resolve transcript discrepancies.
• Reporting method: Certification is part of the annual CLE reporting process; there is no separate later reporting window.
• Accredited providers, including Sprout Education, offer board-approved programs that can be reported toward compliance.

Key Takeaway: Your CLE completion and reporting deadlines are the same—April 30, August 31, or December 31—based on your assigned compliance group.

Yes — Pennsylvania’s CLE rules allow limited exemptions or deferrals under certain conditions, but not wholesale blanket exemptions for all attorneys.

An attorney on voluntary inactive status, those serving active military duty outside Pennsylvania, or attorneys who obtain non-resident active status may have their CLE requirements deferred or waived.

Details / Exceptions

• Inactive Status: A lawyer who switches to voluntary inactive status has CLE compliance deferred during that status.
• Active Military Duty: The CLE requirement is deferred for periods during which a lawyer is on active military duty outside Pennsylvania; upon return, the deferred credits must be met within twelve months and may not exceed twice the annual requirement.
• Non-Resident Active Status: An active Pennsylvania lawyer may request non-resident status if they neither reside nor practice in Pennsylvania (nor represent Pennsylvania clients in court); while holding that status, CLE obligations are deferred.
• Waiver / Hardship: The CLE Board can grant a waiver (full or partial) for up to one year in cases of undue hardship or circumstances beyond the lawyer’s control.
• Emeritus / Return to Active: Lawyers assuming Emeritus status are exempt from deferred CLE, and a judge returning to active status has no deferred requirement—only current year obligations apply.

Key Takeaway
Pennsylvania does not broadly exempt classes of attorneys from CLE—but provides structured exemptions or deferrals for inactive members, active military, non-resident status, and hardship situations, subject to Board approval and procedural requirements.

Yes — Pennsylvania requires attorneys to earn a minimum number of “live” credits each year (live-online or in-person).

The annual CLE rule mandates 12 total credits, of which 6 must be from live or synchronous formats; up to 6 may come from prerecorded/on-demand programs.

Details

• Attorneys must complete 12 CLE credit hours annually, including 2 in ethics, professionalism, or substance abuse.
• Exactly 6 credits must be live-online or in-person (i.e. synchronous or classroom) under current rules.
• Up to 6 credits may be earned via prerecorded (asynchronous) distance learning programs.
• Live webcasts (synchronous online courses) count as “live” for the live-credit requirement.
• Only live credits may carry forward to future compliance periods; distance learning credits do not carry forward.

Key Takeaway

In Pennsylvania, attorneys must fulfill half of their CLE credits in live (in-person or synchronous online) formats each year — there is a built-in live component.

You report CLE credits in Pennsylvania by relying on accredited providers to submit your attendance (within 30 days of the course) and by reviewing the CLE Board’s compliance notice—if it’s incorrect, you notify the Board within 30 days.
Pennsylvania operates on an annual compliance cycle with three staggered reporting deadlines depending on your assigned “compliance group.”

Overview of Pennsylvania CLE Reporting

• Lawyers must annually complete 12 CLE credit hours, including at least 2 hours in ethics, professionalism, or substance abuse.
• All active attorneys are permanently assigned to one of three compliance groups, each with a different deadline:
  • Group I – May 1 through April 30 (deadline April 30)
  • Group II – September 1 through August 31 (deadline August 31)
  • Group III – January 1 through December 31 (deadline December 31)
• Accredited providers must report attendance to the CLE Board within 30 days after the program date.
• If a provider delays or fails to report in time, meeting your credits before your deadline protects you; once the credit is posted later, you will not be considered non-compliant.
• Attorneys may carry forward live credits only (not distance learning) up to twice the annual requirement into the next two years.
• The Board issues a Final Compliance Notice after your compliance deadline. If you believe it errs, you must file a written objection with the Board within 30 days.

Steps to Report CLE in Pennsylvania

• Ensure you complete 12 CLE credits (including 2 ethics) before your compliance deadline (April 30, August 31, or December 31, per your compliance group).
• Retain your certificates, course content, provider information, dates—everything you’ll need for audit.
• Confirm or monitor that providers report your attendance to the CLE Board, which they must do within 30 days.
• After the compliance period ends, review your Final Compliance Notice from the CLE Board.
• If there is a discrepancy (missing credits, errors), submit a written notice outlining the issue within 30 days of the notice.
• If you earned credits through Sprout Education, verify our attendance reporting (where permitted) posted correctly; if not, use the objection process to correct it.

Key Takeaway: In Pennsylvania, you don’t file a detailed self-report—providers report attendance for you. Your job is to complete 12 CLE credits (including ethics) by your deadline, review your compliance notice, and dispute any errors within 30 days. Sprout Education ensures accurate reporting where allowed, but you must verify your compliance notice.