What is the reporting format for CLE in Vermont?

Vermont attorneys must complete 24 CLE credit hours every two years, including 2 hours in ethics, 1 hour in attorney wellness, and 1 hour in diversity & inclusion.

In their first year, newly admitted Vermont lawyers also must complete 15 credits in Vermont practice & procedure by the end of that year (some may be counted toward the general 24-hour requirement).

Details

• Reporting period: 2 years, ending June 30.
• Specialty credits: 2 hours in ethics; 1 hour in wellness; 1 hour in diversity/inclusion.
• Moderated / interactive requirement: At least 12 credits must be from programs that are moderated or include interactivity.
• Carryover: Credits earned in the second year of the reporting period may carry over.
• First-year requirement: Newly admitted attorneys must complete 15 hours on Vermont practice/procedure within one year of admission; at least 9 of those must come from moderated or interactive programs.

Key Takeaway: Vermont requires 24 CLE hours biennially, with core ethics, wellness, and diversity requirements, interactive content minimums, and a special 15-hour requirement in the first year for new lawyers.

In Vermont, attestations of CLE compliance can only start after your two-year reporting period ends on June 30. Attorneys must certify their CLE compliance by July 1 following that date.

CLE credits earned during the reporting period are tracked (or self-entered) as they occur, but your formal “reporting” window opens after June 30.

Key Details

• Vermont attorneys must complete 24 CLE credit hours every two years, including 2 ethics, 1 wellness, and 1 diversity/inclusion hour.
• Credits must be completed by June 30 of the compliance period.
• Attorneys certify compliance by July 1 following the June 30 deadline.
• The Vermont Bar’s CLE Tracking system allows attorneys to add or view programs throughout the year, reflecting them in the appropriate reporting cycle.
• For newly admitted attorneys, there are additional requirements (15 hours in Vermont practice) that must be completed within one year of admission.

Key Takeaway
In Vermont, you may accrue and record CLE credits throughout the two-year cycle, but the earliest formal reporting (certification) opens after June 30 — and you must submit by July 1.

You report CLE credits in Vermont by completing your required credits by June 30 and submitting a CLE Compliance Report / Certification by July 1 following the end of your two-year cycle.
Vermont attorneys self-certify compliance on the form; accredited providers also submit attendance, but final responsibility rests with the attorney.

Overview of Vermont CLE Reporting

• Vermont requires 24 CLE hours every two years, including at least 2 hours in ethics, 1 hour in attorney wellness, and 1 hour in diversity & inclusion.
• At least 12 of those 24 hours must come from Moderated Programming or Non-Moderated Programming with Interactivity (live or interactive formats).
• Attorneys may carry over credits earned in the second year of their reporting period into the next cycle.
• Newly admitted attorneys must complete 15 hours of Vermont practice & procedure courses (approved by the Board) within one year of admission; these count toward the general CLE requirement.
• The Vermont Rules for Mandatory Continuing Legal Education provide that failure to file or deficient filing triggers notice of noncompliance; the attorney then has 14 days to respond by filing corrections, a makeup plan, or an answer before further disciplinary steps.

Steps to Report CLE in Vermont

• Complete your 24 CLE hours (meeting ethics, wellness, diversity, and interactive-format minimums) by June 30 of the second year of your cycle.
• Retain your certificates, course agendas, provider information, and documentation of attendance.
• Check that approved providers have submitted your attendance (when they are required to do so).
• Use the CLE Compliance Report / Certification form (supplied by the Board) to certify that you met the requirements.
• Submit your Certification by July 1.
• If your compliance is late, or the form is deficient, respond within 14 days by filing corrections, makeup plans, or answers as required.
• If you earned credits through Sprout Education, check that we submitted appropriate attendance data (where permitted) and confirm that those credits are included in your report before you certify.

Key Takeaway: Vermont attorneys must fulfill 24 CLE hours biennially, certify via the Compliance Report by July 1, and respond promptly if any notice of noncompliance arises. Sprout Education assists with attendance reporting where allowed, but verifying and certifying your credits remains your duty.

Vermont allows a grace period until November 15 for attorneys who miss the June 30 CLE deadline, during which they must complete a Makeup Plan and file proof of compliance.

Vermont CLE Deadlines & Grace Period

• June 30: Deadline to complete required credits and certify compliance.
• November 15: Final date to complete the approved Makeup Plan and submit certification.

Makeup Plan & Suspension Risk

• If you miss the June 30 deadline, you must submit a Makeup Plan and pay a $50 plan fee.
• You must complete the deficiency and file certification by November 15.
• Failure to comply by November 15 may lead to administrative suspension until full compliance is shown.

Key Takeaway: Vermont gives attorneys until November 15 to cure CLE deficiencies under a Makeup Plan — that is the functional grace window beyond the standard reporting deadline.

Yes — Vermont permits carryover of CLE credits, but only those earned in the second year of a biennial cycle.
Under Vermont’s MCLE Rules, credits earned in Year 2 that exceed the required total may roll into the next cycle; credits from Year 1 may not carry over.

Details & nuances

• Vermont’s “Rules for Mandatory Continuing Legal Education” do not explicitly state the carryover rule in the published text, but Vermont CLE policy summaries confirm: “Credits may be carried over from the second year of an attorney’s reporting period.”
• Vermont requires 24 credit hours every two years, including at least 2 ethics, 1 wellness, and 1 diversity & inclusion credit.
• The carryover only applies to credits earned in the second year (i.e. after satisfying the first year’s requirement).
• Vermont Bar Association’s CLE tracking and policy pages mention the carryover practice via their CLE tracking tools.

Key Takeaway
Vermont allows carryover only for excess CLE earned in the second year of a two-year cycle — first-year credits never carry forward.

Yes — Vermont requires that most CLE credits be earned through live or interactive formats. Attorneys must complete 24 CLE hours every two years, of which at least 18 must be from moderated or interactive programming (in person, webcast, teleseminar); only up to 6 may be non-moderated/self-study.

Vermont CLE Format Requirements

• Total requirement: 24 credit hours every two years, including 2 in ethics, 1 in attorney wellness, and 1 in diversity & inclusion.
• Live/interactive minimum: At least 18 hours must be “moderated programming or non-moderated programming with interactivity as a key component” (this includes in-person, live webinars, teleseminars).
• Non-interactive cap: Up to 6 hours may be non-moderated programming without interactivity (i.e. pure self-study).
• First-year attorneys: Of the 15 CLE hours required for new admittees, at least 9 must be from moderated or interactive formats.

Key Takeaway: In Vermont, attorneys cannot satisfy the majority of CLE by pure self-study — at least 18 of 24 hours must be earned via live or interactive formats (which include in-person or live webcast).