What is the reporting format for CLE in Louisiana?

In Louisiana, you cannot “report” CLE credits (i.e. file your compliance) until after the calendar year ends on December 31. After year-end, attorneys must submit their credits or exemption by January 31.

Credit accumulation is ongoing during the year, but the reporting “window” only opens after December 31 when the MCLE Committee accepts submissions.

Key Details

• The MCLE compliance period in Louisiana is the calendar year (January 1 to December 31).
• Attorneys must complete 12.5 CLE hours each year, including at least 1 hour in ethics and 1 hour in professionalism.
• Course sponsors must submit attendance records (via attendance cards or certification) to the MCLE Committee within 30 days of the activity.
• For self-study (technological transmission) courses, attendees must submit certification to the provider within 14 days, and then the provider must forward it to MCLE within 14 days.
• The deadline to file your CLE credits or an exemption is January 31 following the compliance year (i.e. after Dec 31).

Key Takeaway
In Louisiana, you can only report CLE compliance after the December 31 deadline — the reporting “window” opens in January, and your submission must be made by January 31.

Louisiana attorneys are required to complete 12.5 CLE credit hours per year, including at least 1 hour in ethics and 1 hour in professionalism.

All credits must be earned by December 31 and reported by January 31 of the following year.

Details

• Maximum self-study/computer-based limit: 4 hours annually.

• Live requirement (for most attorneys admitted prior to recent changes): At least 8.5 hours must be in live or in-person programs.

• Carryover: Attorneys may carry over up to 8 credits (but not ethics or professionalism credits) to the next year.

• Newly admitted attorneys: They must complete 12.5 hours between admission year and next calendar year, and 8 of those hours must concern ethics/professionalism/law office management.

• Reporting: Sponsors submit attendance to the MCLE Committee; attorneys must verify their transcript and file any exemptions or corrections by January 31.

Key Takeaway: Louisiana requires 12.5 CLE hours annually, with 1 in ethics, 1 in professionalism, limits on online hours, carryover of general credit only, and special rules for newly admitted attorneys.

You report CLE credits in Louisiana by reviewing your preliminary MCLE transcript and submitting any missing records to the Louisiana State Bar Committee on MCLE by January 31.
Completion of the required 12.5 credit hours (including ethics and professionalism) must be done by December 31 to qualify for that year’s submission.

Overview of Louisiana MCLE Reporting

Louisiana attorneys must complete 12.5 MCLE credits each calendar year, including at least 1 hour in ethics and 1 hour in professionalism.
Up to 4.0 hours may be earned through computer-based (technologically assisted) courses; at least 8.5 hours must be in live, in-person instruction.
Sponsors must issue attendance cards and submit them to the LSBA MCLE Committee; you cannot submit your own attendance card.
The MCLE Committee sends each attorney a preliminary compliance transcript by early December. Attorneys must review and, if necessary, report missing credits or request corrections by January 31.
If noncompliance or deficiency is not corrected, disciplinary or administrative actions may follow.

How to Report CLE in Louisiana

• Complete 12.5 credit hours (including 1 ethics hour and 1 professionalism hour) by December 31.
• Retain your CLE attendance records, program names, dates, sponsors, and attendance cards.
• Sponsors will collect your attendance card at the program and submit it to the LSBA MCLE Committee—do not send cards yourself.
• As the year ends, check your preliminary transcript (mailed or accessible online) and confirm it accurately reflects your completed credits.
• By January 31, notify the MCLE Committee of any missing credits or corrections using the designated form.
• If you earned credits through Sprout Education, verify that we have submitted the necessary attendance data (when permitted) and confirm that those credits are included on your MCLE transcript.

Key Takeaway: In Louisiana, complete your 12.5 required CLE credits by December 31, rely on sponsors to submit attendance cards, and confirm your preliminary transcript. Any corrections to your record must be reported to the MCLE Committee by January 31. Sprout Education supports accurate reporting where allowed, but final reconciliation is your responsibility.

Yes — in Louisiana you can report CLE late by paying a delinquency penalty and submitting the missed credits, subject to fixed deadlines. Late reporting triggers a $150 delinquency fee (plus additional penalties if you have prior noncompliance).

Here is how Louisiana handles late CLE reporting:

• CLE credits must be earned by December 31, and attorneys must report them to their transcript by January 31.
• If you fail to report by January 31, you will be assessed a delinquency penalty of $150.
• If you have been noncompliant in prior years (within five years), an additional $50 per prior noncompliant year penalty may apply.
• You must make up any missing credit hours as soon as possible.
• If noncompliance continues, the MCLE Committee forwards your noncompliant status to the Supreme Court; after 60 days, if no compliance is shown, you may be certified as ineligible to practice law.
• An attorney certified ineligible may later seek reinstatement by submitting required CLE documentation and paying a nonwaivable reinstatement fee of $100 (in addition to delinquent fees).

Key Takeaway
Yes — Louisiana permits late reporting of CLE if you pay the delinquency fee and submit the missing credits by the cure deadlines, but persistent noncompliance may lead to ineligibility to practice until reinstated.

Yes — Louisiana allows carryover of excess CLE, up to 8 credits, but only for general credits (not ethics or professionalism).

This carryover is recognized in the MCLE Committee’s rules and Louisiana CLE FAQs.

Details & nuances

• The LSBA MCLE FAQs state: “Carry forward credits are considered IN-PERSON credits.” — which implies that carried credits must satisfy in-person format limitations.
• The LSBA Reporting Requirements page clarifies: “Additional online hours will not carry over.”
• The LSU CLE FAQ states plainly: “A maximum of eight (8) credit hours earned in a calendar year may be carried forward to the next calendar year — no farther. No carry forward of Ethics and Professionalism is allowed.”
• According to PLI’s CLE description, “a maximum of 8 general credits can be carried over; ethics and self-study credits cannot be carried over.”
• Louisiana’s annual CLE requirement is 12.5 hours (including 1 in ethics and 1 in professionalism).

Key Takeaway

Louisiana law allows up to 8 general CLE credits to carry into the next year — but not ethics, professionalism, or credits earned online beyond allowed limits.

Yes — Louisiana’s CLE rules (Rule XXX) explicitly exempt several categories of attorneys, including nonresidents not practicing in Louisiana, active military, certain public officials, federal judges, attorneys age 65 or older, and attorneys on emeritus status (effective 2026).

Details / Exceptions

• Nonresident / nonpracticing: Members residing outside Louisiana and not engaged in Louisiana practice are exempt.
• Undue hardship / mitigating circumstances: Attorneys can seek exemption if compliance would impose undue hardship (disability, illness, or similar circumstances).
• Active duty military: Members on full active duty service in the U.S. armed forces are exempt.
• Public officials: The Governor and Governor-elect of Louisiana and members of U.S. Congress are exempt.
• Age 65+: Members age 65 or older are exempt, with limited CLE still required for judges, magistrates, or hearing officers.
• Judges / Federal judicial officers: All federal judges and magistrates are exempt.
• Restricted / non-practicing within state: Louisiana-licensed members who reside in the state but are not practicing may qualify for restricted status and waiver of CLE.
• Emeritus status (effective Jan 1, 2026): Members on emeritus status under Supreme Court Rule XVIII will be exempt under Rule XXX.

Additional Notes

• Attorneys claiming exemption must file the MCLE Exemption Statement form by January 31 for the prior year.
• Grounds listed on the form include nonpractice, new admission, active military, hardship, or disaster.
• Financial hardship alone is not sufficient.
• The Louisiana Supreme Court is considering eliminating the blanket age 65+ exemption for attorneys still in full-time practice, effective 2026.

Key Takeaway
Louisiana offers multiple CLE exemptions for nonresidents, military, certain public officials, older members, judges, and emeritus attorneys — but attorneys must formally claim the exemption, and the age-based exemption is expected to change in 2026.