What are the CLE requirements for inactive attorneys in Utah?

No — Utah’s MCLE (CLE) rules do not provide a reduced requirement for part-time attorneys; all “active status” attorneys must satisfy the same baseline.

Under Utah’s UCJA Rule 11-604, each active status lawyer must complete 12 hours of Accredited CLE in each compliance cycle (July 1 through June 30), of which at least 6 hours must be “Verified CLE.”

Details:

• Of the 12 required hours, 1 must cover Ethics CLE and 1 must cover Professionalism & Civility CLE.
• The remaining 6 hours may be Elective CLE (which includes self-study or verified formats).
• Credits cannot be carried over into the next compliance period.
• Attorneys on inactive status are not subject to the CLE requirement while inactive.
• Emeritus attorneys have a reduced requirement (6 hours) unless they elect otherwise or work jointly with another active attorney.

Key Takeaway: In Utah, being part-time versus full-time carries no effect on your CLE duty — all active attorneys must complete the same 12-hour requirement (with verified and elective components).

Utah attorneys must complete 12 CLE credit hours each compliance cycle (July 1 to June 30), including at least 1 hour of ethics and 1 hour of professionalism/civility.

At least 6 of those hours must be Verified (live or interactive) CLE, and no credit carryover is permitted.

Details

• Total credits: 12 annually.
• Specialty credits: At least 1 credit in legal ethics and 1 credit in professionalism/civility.
• Verified CLE requirement: Minimum of 6 credits must be Verified CLE (in-person, remote group, or verified e-CLE).
• Elective CLE: The remaining 6 credits may be Verified or Elective (self-study) CLE.
• Deadline & reporting: CLE must be completed by June 30; Certificate of Compliance must be filed by July 31.
• New lawyers: Completion of the New Lawyer Training Program (NLTP) grants 12 Verified CLE hours and satisfies ethics and professionalism credit requirements during the first compliance cycle.

Key Takeaway: Utah requires 12 CLE hours annually, with 1 in ethics, 1 in professionalism, at least half Verified, no carryover, and certification by July 31.

If you miss Utah’s CLE deadline, you will incur a $100 late fee and may be administratively suspended if you don’t cure within 30 days. Utah attorneys must complete 12 CLE hours (including 1 ethics and 1 professionalism) by June 30 and file a Certificate of Compliance by July 31.

Utah CLE Deadline & Reporting

• June 30: Deadline to complete required credits.
• July 31: Deadline to file the Certificate of Compliance and pay required fees.

Penalties, Suspension & Cure

• A $100 late fee is automatically assessed for missed credits or late filing.
• After failing to cure within 30 days, the Board may petition the Utah Supreme Court for suspension.
• You may also request a hearing before the Board to dispute noncompliance before suspension is submitted.
• To reinstate, you must complete all deficient CLE hours, pay all fees, and present proof of compliance.

Key Takeaway: In Utah, missing your CLE deadline triggers a $100 late fee, a 30-day opportunity to cure, and possible suspension if the deficiency remains unresolved.

Yes — Utah’s MCLE rules provide a few specific exemptions or alternative compliance paths for certain lawyers under Rule 11-616 and the New Lawyer Training Program (NLTP), but exemptions are limited and must be claimed.

Some attorneys on active status but not residing in or practicing Utah, or new admittees with prior practice elsewhere, may be exempt from parts of the NLTP, and there are provisions for inactive status and remote practice qualification.

Details / Exceptions

• Lawyers on active status who reside out of Utah and do not practice Utah law may be exempt from the NLTP requirement.
• A new admittee who practiced law for at least two years in another jurisdiction may request NLTP exemption under Rule 14-808(d).
• Lawyers on inactive status are exempt from active MCLE requirements until returning to active status.
• Rule 11-616 allows exemption or special treatment for lawyers on active status who are not practicing law in Utah or performing volunteer work in remote locations.
• Lawyers on active emeritus status still have partial CLE obligations, but may use alternative compliance methods under Rule 11-604/11-616.
• The MCLE Board may grant deferrals, waivers, or accommodations for hardship or special circumstances.

Key Takeaway
Utah does not broadly exempt large classes of attorneys, but it does allow limited exemptions or alternate paths for nonresidents, experienced incoming admittees, inactive status, and inactive or remote practitioners — those exemptions must be claimed under the established rules.

Yes — you can submit (or certify) CLE compliance online in Utah via the Practice Portal and by filing a Certificate of Compliance when needed.

Course providers are responsible for reporting attendance through their Provider Portal within 30 days.

Details:

• Providers of CLE must submit attendance via the Utah MCLE Provider Portal within 30 days after a course.
• Attorneys may use the Practice Portal to view their CLE transcript, pay the compliance fee, and submit a Certificate of Compliance if their transcript is incomplete.
• The deadline to complete CLE hours is June 30, and the deadline to file the Certificate of Compliance (and fee) is July 31.
• If your transcript does not reflect all CLE hours you completed, you must submit records of attendance along with the Compliance Certificate.

Key Takeaway
Yes — Utah allows online CLE reporting via provider portals and lets attorneys certify compliance (including submitting missing credits) through the Practice Portal and Certificate of Compliance process.

No — Utah does not allow carryover of CLE credits.
The Utah CLE Board’s Attorney FAQ clearly states: “Utah does not allow carry-over credits from previous reporting periods.”

Details & nuances

• Utah attorneys must earn 12 credit hours every compliance year, including 1 ethics hour and 1 professionalism hour.
• The FAQ confirms that all CLE must be earned within the same reporting year — no credits may be carried into future years.
• CLE summaries (e.g. NBI, Lawline) similarly note “carryover credits: attorneys may not carry over credits into the next reporting period.”
• A proposed rule change in 2025 would introduce carryover permissions, but as of now it remains a proposal, not adopted.

Key Takeaway
In Utah, you cannot carry over any CLE credits — you must complete all required credits within the current reporting period.