What is the grace period for CLE reporting in Maryland?

Maryland does not currently require attorneys to complete or report CLE credits. Mandatory MCLE has not been adopted.

Maryland does not currently require attorneys to complete CLE, so there is no CLE reporting deadline in Maryland.

The courts’ informational pages confirm that CLE for Maryland lawyers remains voluntary.

Key Takeaway: In Maryland, you don’t need to report CLE—there is no mandatory CLE reporting deadline.

No — Maryland currently has no mandatory CLE (MCLE) requirement, so the question of carrying over credits does not apply.

There is no rule authorizing CLE, let alone carryover, since CLE is voluntary in Maryland at present.

Details & nuances

• The Maryland Courts’ website confirms that attorneys can carry over “up to 100 percent, or 12 hours, of CLE in excess of the 12-hour minimum, from one reporting period to the next” — but that is only in a proposed system, not one currently in force.
• The proposal would include carryover of subject-area credits (ethics, DEI, health & wellness) so long as they are reflected in the carried hours.
• As of now, the ABA’s jurisdiction summary states that Maryland attorneys “do not have MCLE requirements.”
• Advocacy and reports are underway toward adopting mandatory CLE, but nothing has been enacted to date.

Key Takeaway

Maryland does not presently allow—or require—CLE credits at all, so carryover is not operative.

Maryland attorneys are not currently required to complete any CLE credits under state law. The Maryland Supreme Court is actively considering implementing a mandatory CLE requirement but has delayed a decision.

Current Status: No Mandatory CLE

• No MCLE rule presently applies to Maryland attorneys
• Continuing education is voluntary at this time

Proposed Plan Under Review

• A workgroup’s 2023 report proposed 12 hours annually—including ethics, diversity/equity/inclusion (DEI), and mental health/wellness
• The Supreme Court has postponed any implementation until at least spring 2026

Professional Competence Obligation

• Maryland attorneys remain bound by the competence obligation in the Rules of Professional Conduct
• Voluntary CLE is encouraged, but not currently mandated

Key Takeaway: There is no CLE hour requirement in Maryland at present, but a mandatory structure may be adopted in the future.

No — Maryland has no mandatory CLE requirement at present, so there is no rule imposing in-person or live webcast CLE. The state has studied adopting mandatory CLE, but as of now, compliance is voluntary.

Maryland CLE Status

• There is no requirement for attorneys to complete CLE as a condition of licensure or upkeep of the bar.
• A workgroup recommended a future rule requiring 12 CLE hours annually, but that has not been enacted.
• Because CLE is voluntary, there is no regulatory language defining whether live webcast or in-person formats would be required or preferred under a mandate.

Key Takeaway: Because Maryland does not impose mandatory CLE, there is no obligation to attend live or in-person programs; any future rules would need to specify format requirements.

No CLE activities currently count toward a mandatory requirement in Maryland, because Maryland has no mandatory CLE credit requirement.

However, many attorneys undertake CLE voluntarily to maintain competence, reputation, and insurance relationships.

Voluntary CLE in Maryland

• Because there is no mandate, there is no formal list of approved activities or credit-counting rules in Maryland.
• In practice, CLE providers may grant internal certificates for live seminars, webinars, self-study, written materials, or teaching efforts, but those serve only as evidence of voluntary education, not mandatory credit.
• Some legal groups (e.g. Maryland Judiciary) have studied and proposed a future requirement of 12 hours annually (including ethics, DEI, mental health), but no rule has been adopted.
• Because CLE is voluntary, there is no requirement for reporting, audits, carryover limits, or mandatory accreditation in Maryland.

Key Takeaway: In Maryland there is currently no mandatory CLE regime, so nothing officially “counts” toward CLE—it’s entirely voluntary until the Supreme Court adopts a mandate.