Iowa

Attorneys in Iowa certify CLE compliance annually through the Iowa Judicial Branch CLE online reporting portal. The compliance period runs on a calendar-year basis, and attorneys must complete required credits by December 31 and certify compliance by March 10 of the following year.

Iowa CLE Reporting Format

• Completion deadline: All required CLE credits (15 hours, including 1 ethics and 1 wellness or diversity/inclusion credit) must be earned by December 31.
• Reporting deadline: Attorneys must log in to the Iowa Judicial Branch CLE portal and certify compliance by March 10 of the following year.
• Online certification: Reporting is done electronically — no written or mailed form is required.
• Provider submissions: CLE sponsors may report attendance to the Commission, but attorneys are responsible for confirming that all earned credits appear accurately before certification.
• Audit documentation: Attorneys must retain attendance certificates and course records for at least three years in case of audit.

Key Takeaway

In Iowa, attorneys certify CLE compliance annually via the Judicial Branch’s online CLE portal by March 10, following a December 31 completion deadline.

No — Iowa does not require all CLE to be in person; live webcasts and recorded or distance formats are permitted under Iowa’s rules. Iowa allows attorneys to satisfy their CLE requirement using internet-based delivery methods, provided the program meets standards for live or recorded distance activities.

Annual CLE Requirements in Iowa

• Total requirement: 15 credit hours per calendar year, including 1 hour in legal ethics.
• Compliance period: January 1 to December 31.

Live & Distance Learning Rules

• Iowa Court Rule chapter 42 defines “live webcast” as a CLE activity delivered in real time over the internet to remote participants.
• Previously recorded programs also qualify, subject to approval and the rules for distance learning.
• Iowa rules allow all CLE credits to be taken via webcasts or recorded courses, as long as those courses are approved under Iowa’s standards.

Key Takeaway: Iowa attorneys may fulfill their full CLE obligation via live webcast or recorded courses; in-person attendance is not required so long as the programs comply with Iowa’s distance learning rules.

Iowa attorneys must complete 15 CLE credit hours per calendar year, including 1 hour in legal ethics and 1 hour in attorney wellness or diversity/inclusion.

The CLE requirement is set by Iowa Court Rule 41.3 and reported to the Iowa Commission on CLE by March 10.

Details

• Total: 15 hours each year.

• Ethics: At least 1 of the 15 hours must be in legal ethics.

• Wellness /

The CLE reporting deadline in Iowa is March 10 each year.

Iowa attorneys must earn the required credits by December 31 and then self-report their CLE compliance by March 10.

Iowa CLE Reporting & Requirements

• Completion Deadline: December 31 of the calendar year.
• Reporting Deadline: March 10

Yes — Iowa permits carryover of excess CLE credits, up to 2 succeeding years, but with restrictions on applied categories.

Iowa attorneys may carry forward unused CLE credits earned to the next two calendar years, but carryover “ethics, diversity & inclusion, and wellness” credits can only count toward the general 15-hour requirement, not toward the specific subcategory minimums.

Details & nuances

• Iowa Court Rule 41.3 requires 15 CLE hours per calendar year, including at least 1 ethics hour and 1

Yes — Iowa allows attorneys who do not practice law in Iowa to apply for a certificate of exemption, and permits waivers or extensions for hardship or extenuating circumstances.

Under Iowa Court Rules (Chapter 41, Rule 41.7), an attorney who is not engaged in practice in Iowa may be granted an exemption; the CLE Commission may also grant waivers or extensions.

Details / Exceptions

• Certificate of Exemption for Non-Practicing Attorneys: If a member of the Iowa bar “is not engaged in the

No — Iowa does not require a minimum number of in-person (physical classroom) CLE hours.

The rule permits attorneys to satisfy their full 15-hour annual requirement through approved programs delivered via live webcasts, on-demand formats, or traditional in-person classes.

Details

• Iowa attorneys must complete 15 CLE credit hours each calendar year, including 1 hour in legal ethics and 1 hour in

You report CLE credits in Iowa by completing your annual CLE transcript and submitting your CLE report to the Iowa Supreme Court Commission by March 10.
You must certify that you satisfied the 15-credit requirement (including ethics and wellness/diversity) for the prior calendar year.

Overview of Iowa CLE Reporting

Iowa attorneys are required to earn 15 CLE credits each year.
These include at least 1 credit in legal ethics, and 1 credit in attorney wellness or diversity/inclusion.
The reporting period is the calendar year, ending December 31.
Attorneys may carry over excess credits into the next two reporting cycles.

Steps to Report CLE in Iowa

• Complete all 15 CLE credits, with required specialty credits, by December 31.
• Maintain your

No — judges in Iowa are governed by the same CLE rules as attorneys; there is no separate CLE regime exclusively for judges.

Under Iowa Court Rule 41.3 and related regulations, all active status attorneys (including judges) must complete 15 hours of continuing legal education annually, with one hour of ethics and one hour in attorney wellness or diversity/inclusion.

Details

• Iowa’s CLE program is universal: it applies to “lawyer and judges” for reporting.
• The rule text (Chapter 41)