Deadlines & Penalties

A CLE deficiency notice is an official notification sent by a state bar or MCLE board when an attorney has not completed or reported the required CLE credits by the deadline. It alerts the attorney to the deficiency and provides a cure period before penalties or suspension are imposed.

What It Includes

• The number of CLE credits still outstanding.
• Categories of credits missing (e.g., ethics, professionalism, specialty).
• Deadlines for curing the deficiency (often 30–60 days).
• Instructions for submitting proof of compliance and paying late fees.

Key Takeaway: A CLE deficiency notice is the bar’s formal warning that you are out of compliance, giving you a final chance to fix missing credits before fines or suspension take effect.

No — Hawaii’s CLE scheme does not include a general extension mechanism for reporting; instead, after the deadline, you may cure noncompliance during an audit period (with fees).

Hawaii attorneys self-report their CLE on the annual registration and, if audited, may submit proof of completion within 60 days of notice along with payment of any late fee.

Detailed Explanation

• Under RSCH Rule 22 and Hawaii CLE Regulations, active attorneys must complete at least 3 CLE credit hours by

If you miss Tennessee’s CLE deadline, you’ll face noncompliance fees ($100 initially, rising to $200) and risk suspension if you don’t establish compliance by the mid-year deadline. Attorneys must earn their CLE hours by December 31 and file their Annual Report Statement (or Affidavit of Compliance) by March 31.

Tennessee CLE Deadlines & Reporting

• December 31: Deadline to earn required CLE hours.
• March 31: Deadline to submit the ARS or claim exemption; noncompliant attorneys then incur a $100 noncompliance fee.
• June 1: Deadline to establish compliance (report hours or file affidavit) before the $200 continuing noncompliance penalty is imposed.
• August 10: Last day to file compliance records to avoid inclusion on the Supreme Court suspension order.

Penalties, Suspension & Reinstatement

• A $100 noncompliance fee is assessed to attorneys who remain noncompliant after March 31.
• If noncompliance persists, a $200 continuing noncompliance penalty is imposed as of June 1.
• By July 1, a draft suspension order is submitted to the Supreme Court for noncompliant attorneys.
• If the attorney fails to file compliance by August 10, the Supreme Court may enter a final suspension order; active attorneys are charged a $500 suspension fee.
• To reinstate, the attorney must complete all deficient CLE hours, pay all fees, and file proof of compliance.
• An attorney may request waiver of noncompliance or suspension fees if they can show exceptional relief.

Key Takeaway: In Tennessee, missing your CLE deadline triggers stepped penalties and deadlines — from a $100 fee to a $200 continuing penalty — culminating in referral for suspension unless you timely cure your deficiency, pay fees, and file proof of compliance.

No — Georgia’s CLE rules treat all active attorneys alike; there is no special reduced requirement for part-time attorneys.

Georgia requires active members to complete 12 CLE credit hours annually, including 1 hour in ethics and 1 hour in professionalism.

Details:

• Attorneys aged 70 or older are exempt from the CLE requirement.
• Trial attorneys must earn 3 hours of trial credit within

You report CLE credits in Minnesota by entering your attendance through the OASIS system or submitting an Affidavit of CLE Compliance by August 31 of your reporting period.
Minnesota attorneys are required to complete 45 CLE hours every three years, with specialty minimums for ethics, elimination of bias, and mental health/substance use.

Overview of Minnesota CLE Reporting

Minnesota licensed lawyers must complete 45 credit hours in their three-year cycle, including at least 3 hours in ethics, 2 hours in elimination of bias, and 1 hour in mental health/substance use.
Each attorney is assigned one of three reporting categories; the compliance deadline is June 30, and reporting must be completed by August 31 via OASIS or affidavit.
Under Rule 9 of the CLE Board, the affidavit (if used) must include required specialty credits and, for paper filing, a $10 processing fee.
A late filing after August 31 incurs a $75 late fee regardless of whether an extension was granted.
Attorneys are encouraged to report CLE attendance continuously through OASIS as events are completed, rather than waiting until the end of the reporting cycle.

Steps to Report CLE in Minnesota

• As you attend an approved CLE course, log into your OASIS attorney record and report the

You report CLE credits in Georgia by submitting an annual affidavit (or report) to the Commission on Continuing Lawyer Competency via the Georgia Bar’s CLE portal by January 31.
This certification reflects CLE hours earned during the prior calendar year, ending December 31.

Overview of Georgia CLE Reporting

Georgia attorneys must complete 12 CLE hours each year, including at least 1 hour in ethics and 1 hour in professionalism. Trial attorneys must also complete 3 hours in trial practice.
CLE programs may be live, webcast, or prerecorded distance learning; there is no longer a limit on how many distance learning hours may apply.
Attorneys may carry forward a limited number of excess credits: up to 12 general credits, 2 ethics, 2 professionalism, and 3 trial hours.

Steps to Report CLE in Georgia

• Complete your required 12 hours (including the mandatory ethics and professionalism hours, and

Illinois offers a grace period extension if you miss the June 30 credit deadline: request and pay a $100 extension by July 31, which gives until October 31 to complete credits and until November 30 to report compliance. Without that grace extension, noncompliance actions may begin.

Illinois Grace Process & Deadlines

• June 30: Deadline to complete CLE credits.
• July 31: Deadline to request grace period extension and pay the $100 late-fee.
• October 31: Final date to complete credits under the grace extension.
• November 30: Deadline to report compliance (or exemption) and pay any late fees.

Consequences & Risks

• If no grace extension is requested by July 31, a higher $250 late fee may be assessed.
• If compliance is not reflected by October 31 or the report is not filed by November 30, your name may be removed from the Illinois attorney roll under Rule 796(e).

Key Takeaway: In Illinois, the “grace period” is a grace extension — if you request it and pay $100 by July 31, you gain until October 31 to finish CLE and until November 30 to report; missing those steps risks fees or removal from the roll.

Indiana does not provide a grace period for CLE reporting. Attorneys must complete and report all credits by December 31 of their compliance year, and late submissions require payment of additional fees.

Indiana CLE Rules & Timelines

• December 31: Deadline to complete and report CLE credits.
• No automatic extension or grace period is available.
• Late submissions may be accepted only with applicable late fees.

Penalties & Consequences

• Attorneys who fail to comply are considered noncompliant.
• The Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission may impose penalties.
• Continued noncompliance may lead to suspension until requirements are met.

Key Takeaway: Indiana requires CLE compliance and reporting by December 31 with no grace period — attorneys who miss the deadline must pay late fees and risk suspension if they remain noncompliant.

The CLE reporting deadline (affidavit filing) in Arizona is September 15 each year.

The annual Arizona CLE compliance period runs from July 1 through June 30.

Arizona CLE Deadlines & Reporting

• Compliance Period: July 1 – June 30
• Completion Deadline: June 30
• Reporting Deadline:

The CLE reporting deadline in Virginia is December 15 (at 4:45 p.m. EST).

Attorneys must complete all required MCLE credits by October 31, then report them by December 15.

Virginia MCLE Compliance & Reporting

• Reporting period: November 1 through October 31
• Completion deadline: October 31 each

No — California’s MCLE rules do not create a separate CLE regime for part-time vs full-time attorneys; all active attorneys must satisfy the same baseline, subject to proportional reduction if their active status changes.

All active licensees must complete 25 MCLE hours every three years (with required subtopics) unless they qualify for exemption or proportional requirement.

Details:

• At least 12.5 of the 25 hours must be “participatory” (live or interactive).
• Up to 12.5 hours may be self-study, but

The grace period for CLE reporting in Colorado is until January 31 following the December 31 compliance deadline. Attorneys must complete CLE by December 31, but they have until January 31 to self-report their credits.

Colorado CLE Reporting Window

• December 31: Deadline to finish all required CLE credits in your compliance period.
• January 31: Final date to file your CLE affidavit or report for that period.

Late Filing & Make-Up Options

• If reports are filed after January 31, a late fee is imposed.
• Attorneys may file a Make-Up Plan by January 31 to cure deficiencies by May 31.
• If Make-Up Plan is accepted, full compliance and submission must occur no later than June 14.

Key Takeaway: Colorado gives attorneys a one-month grace period after December 31 — until January 31 — to report CLE, with late fees applying beyond that and a Make-Up Plan option available for deficiencies.

The CLE reporting deadline in Idaho is February 1 following the compliance period.

Idaho attorneys must complete 30 approved credits by December 31 of their three-year period and then submit their Certificate of Compliance by February 1.

Idaho CLE Reporting Rules

• Completion Deadline: December 31 at end of reporting period (30 total credits required)
• Reporting

You report CLE credits in Kansas via provider or attorney reporting, with a requirement to complete credits by June 30 and have them posted by July 31.
Kansas operates on an annual cycle and uses an online transcript (MyKSCLE) system to record CLE compliance.

Overview of Kansas CLE Reporting

Under Kansas Supreme Court Rule 804, active attorneys must complete 12 CLE credit hours per year, including 2 hours in ethics and professionalism. An attorney may carry over up to 10 unused general attendance credits (ethics credits cannot carry over as ethics). Providers or attorneys must report attendance in the form and manner prescribed by the Office of Judicial Administration.

The Kansas CLE FAQ indicates that providers automatically report full-duration attendance and that credits should appear on your

Alaska requires 12 CLE credit hours each calendar year. At least 3 hours must be in ethics, the earning window runs January 1–December 31, and reports are due February 1.

Annual CLE Requirements in Alaska

• Total requirement: 12 credit hours per calendar year
• Ethics requirement: 3 credit hours
• Earning window: January 1–December 31
• Reporting deadline: February 1 (first deadline under the new rule is February 1, 2026)

Credit Format and Carryover

• Credits may be earned through live or technology-delivered programs
• Carryover: up to 12 credits from the previous reporting period (earned but not claimed in the prior year)

Exemptions

• New admittees are exempt from reporting in the year of admission

Provider Support

• Sprout Education tracks credits and supports reporting where applicable

Key Takeaway: Alaska requires 12 CLE hours annually, including 3 ethics hours, with reporting due February 1.

Yes — in Oregon, attorneys may request an extension (or relief) in limited circumstances if hardship or extenuating conditions prevent timely compliance. The Oregon State Bar’s MCLE FAQ indicates that extensions are available for severe medical or financial hardship under Rule 8.12.

Oregon MCLE Deadlines & Reporting

• The reporting (compliance) deadline for completing CLE credits is April 30 of the reporting year.
• Attorneys have until May 31 to submit their MCLE transcript.
• Failure to complete credits by April 30 (without extension) results in a $200 fine, and missing transcript submission by May 31 may trigger administrative suspension effective August 1.

Authority & Conditions to Request an Extension

• Extensions may be granted for financial hardship or severe medical issues.
• The authority lies in Rule 8.12, which allows substituted compliance, partial waiver, or exemption for hardship or extenuating circumstances.
• The applicant must contact the Bar’s MCLE Program Manager with a written request explaining the hardship.

What You Should Do

1. Evaluate whether your hardship qualifies (medical, financial, etc.).
2. Draft a written request citing Rule 8.12, detailing your hardship, and proposing a completion plan.
3. Contact the Oregon State Bar MCLE office (e.g., via the MCLE Program Manager) promptly.
4. If granted, complete CLE and submit your transcript under the extended schedule.
5. Maintain documentation supporting your hardship claim (medical records, financial ledgers, etc.).

Limitations & Considerations

• Approval is discretionary — not every request is accepted.
• The extension addresses the reporting/compliance deadline rather than altering CLE requirements.
• You must act promptly — late requests are less likely to succeed.
• Even under extension, failure to satisfy the conditions may still lead to penalties or other consequences.

Key Takeaway
Oregon allows attorneys to seek an extension under Rule 8.12 for CLE reporting in cases of severe hardship — you must submit a timely, documented request to the Bar, but relief is discretionary.

In Washington, you can begin entering CLE credits into your MCLE transcript as soon as you complete a qualifying activity (especially for courses that require self-reporting). Providers and attorneys may submit credits before the end of the cycle.

However, you cannot formally certify your CLE compliance until after the reporting period ends (December 31). The deadline to certify your credits is February 1 of the following year.

Key Details

• Washington attorneys must complete 45 MCLE credit hours every three years.
• All credits must be earned by December 31

It depends on the state — in many jurisdictions no, ethics credits do not roll over, while in others yes, but typically only in limited quantity or after conversion to general credits.
Here is how it works in selected states (always check your jurisdiction’s rules):

• Washington: You may carry over a maximum of 15 total credits into the next period; of those, up to 2 may be ethics credits. https://www.wsba.org/docs/default-source/legal-community/committees/mcle-board/carry-over-cle-credits_jptr-qp.pdf
• New Mexico: Up to 2 ethics credits may roll over. https://www.sbnm.org/Licensing-Regulatory/Minimum-Continuing-Legal-Education/Rules-Deadlines-and-Resources
• Connecticut: You may carry over 2 credits, including ethics credits. https://www.jud.ct.gov/mcle/MCLE_FAQs.htm
• Nebraska: Ethics or professional responsibility credits may not roll over; only general credits in excess may be carried. https://nebraskajudicial.gov/supreme-court-rules/chapter-3-attorneys-and-practice-law/article-4-mandatory-continuing-legal-education-lawyers/section-1-mandatory-continuing-legal-education-lawyers-rules/%C2%A7-3-4014-cle-requirement
• California: No carryover of excess credits is permitted; the rule specifically states there is no carryforward of credit hours. https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Attorneys/MCLE-CLE/FAQ?AFMID=1567&QuestionID=303

Key Takeaway:
Whether ethics credits roll over is not uniform — in some states they can roll over in limited amounts (sometimes converting to general credits first), in others they cannot roll over at all. Always refer directly to your state’s CLE rules.

If you miss Arizona’s CLE deadline, you may incur late fees and face summary suspension if not brought into compliance. Arizona attorneys must complete 15 hours (including 3 ethics) by June 30 and file an affidavit by September 15; failure to file by December 15 triggers possible suspension.

Arizona MCLE Cycle & Reporting

• July 1–June 30: CLE educational year.
• September 15: Deadline to file the affidavit certifying CLE compliance.

Late Fees & Suspension Risk under Rule 45

• Delinquent Compliance Fees assessed based on date credits or affidavit are late: $33 through $166 tiers.
• Delinquent Filing Fees for late affidavits: $133 to $200 depending on how late.
• Affidavits unfiled by December 15 may subject the attorney to summary suspension.
• If audited, disallowed CLE hours can render you noncompliant; you’ll have 45 days to cure.

Key Takeaway: Arizona enforces escalating late fees and potential summary suspension for failure to file the CLE affidavit by December 15 under Rule 45 — timely compliance is critical.

Tennessee provides a reporting grace window through March 31 following the December 31 CLE deadline. Attorneys who miss December 31 may still complete required CLE and submit their affidavit by March 31 to avoid suspension.

Tennessee CLE Timeline

• December 31: Deadline to complete all required CLE hours.
• January 1: $100 noncompliance fee is assessed for attorneys who did not complete CLE.
• March 31: Last date to file an exemption or affidavit remedying deficiencies and to pay the noncompliance fee.

After March 31

• Attorneys still noncompliant by May 31 incur additional “continuing noncompliance” fees if deficiencies or fees remain uncorrected.
• On July 1, the Commission prepares a draft suspension order for attorneys who failed to remedy noncompliance by May 31.

Key Takeaway: Tennessee effectively offers a grace period through March 31 after year-end to cure CLE deficiencies and submit compliance, but failure to act by that date can lead to more severe fees and suspension actions.