In Utah, CLE credit “counts” when it is approved (accredited) by the Utah Supreme Court Board of MCLE under Rule 11, via both verified/live and elective/self-study activities.
Active attorneys must complete 12 credit hours per year, including at least 1 hour of legal ethics and 1 hour of professionalism.
Qualifying CLE activities
- Verified CLE (Live) — in-person CLE, Remote Group CLE, or verified e-CLE (synchronous, interactive) — at least 6 of the 12 required hours must be this type.
- Elective CLE / Self-study — recordings, webinars, computer programs, reading, writing, teaching, etc. — the remaining hours may be from these elective formats.
- Teaching, writing, lecturing, or publishing legal materials (when approved) count as elective CLE under Rule 11-613.
- Pro bono legal service may also qualify under Rule 11-619.
- Out-of-state CLE may be recognized if the Board deems it meets Utah standards.
Limits, required allocations & rules
- No carryover: unused CLE hours cannot be carried into the next compliance period.
- At least 1 hour must be in legal ethics, and at least 1 hour must be in professionalism & civility each year.
- Verified (live) hours must total at least 6 of the 12.
- CLE programs must be accredited; attorneys can apply for accreditation of otherwise non-approved CLE using a Utah individual application.
- CLE time is measured in 60-minute credit hours, rounding down to the nearest half hour.
- Reporting: attorneys must complete CLE by June 30 and file a Certificate of Compliance by July 31.
Key Takeaway: In Utah, you can satisfy your 12-hour annual CLE through a mix of verified/live (minimum 6) and elective/self-study programs (up to 6), including teaching or writing when approved, but you must include ethics and professionalism credits, cannot carry over hours, and must use accredited and verifiable activities.