Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE)
Attorney members of the State Bar of California must take 25 hours of approved MCLE every 3 years. SMCBA offers MCLE to all its members who are in the legal profession. These MCLE classes will enhance the member’s professional ability to practice law, and knowledge of law, including the obligations and professional standards as a member of the State Bar of California.
We offer our members exclusive online registration for MCLE events. Also, each January SMCBA holds a 7 hour MCLE event entitled “Funky Credit Day” where members can obtain those hard to find credits, such as, Ethics, Elimination of Bias and Competence Issues.
Check out our calendar for upcoming MCLE events!
The State Bar of California
Minimum Continuing Legal Education
| GROUP 1 (A-G) Group 1 members with last names beginning with A-G. Compliance period: 2/1/22 – 1/31/25 Reporting Deadline: 2/1/2025 |
GROUP 2 (H-M) Group 2 members with last names beginning with H-M. Compliance period: 2/1/21 – 1/31/24 Reporting Deadline: 2/1/2024 |
GROUP 3 (N-Z) Group 3 members with last names beginning with N-Z. Compliance period: 2/1/20 – 1/31/23 Reporting Deadline: 2/1/2023 |
Total hours required every three years: 25 hours
- Members must fulfill at least half of their MCLE requirement with activities approved for “participatory” MCLE credit.
- Maximum “self-study” hours: 12.5 hours
- While all attorneys are required to complete 25 hours of MCLE every three years, the total hours must now include no less than seven hours as follows:
- Legal Ethics: 4 hours (required)
- Competence Issues (formerly known as Prevention, Detection and Treatment of Substance Abuse or Mental Illness): 1 hour (required).
- Recognition and Elimination of Bias in the Legal Profession and Society: 2 hours (required). Of the two hours, at least one hour must focus on implicit bias and the promotion of bias reducing strategies.
Please note, the new implicit bias education requirement is effective January 1, 2022 and will begin applying to attorneys in MCLE compliance group 3 who must report compliance for the period ending on January 31, 2023.
Record Keeping
Attorneys are responsible for tracking their own hours and report compliance to the State Bar of California at the end of their three-year compliance period. It is very important that you collect and keep your records of attendance in MCLE activities and self-study. You are required to keep these records for at least a year from the time you reported.
SMCBA members can view and download SMCBA Course certificates by logging in to their SMCBA profiles. Click here to view the Instructions on How to Print MCLE Certificates.
Visit the State Bar of California’s Requirements page for credit details, exemptions and modified requirements.
MCLE Tracker
SMCBA now offers a way for you to store all your MCLE certificates in one place! Our new CLE Tracking feature, allows you to view, upload, and store all your MCLE certificates in your SMCBA membership portal, including self-study and other independently earned MCLE (outside of SMCBA). As usual, all your SMCBA course certificates will show up on your portal upon confirmation of attendance. Follow these steps to track and upload certificates in your SMCBA account.
The State Bar of California provides Personal MCLE Log form you can download and use to keep track of your credit hours.
MCLE Compliance
All attorneys (except those on voluntary inactive status) must report MCLE compliance by submitting a statement of compliance to the State Bar of California. Compliance may be reported online through the State Bar’s My State Bar Profile. Due dates are based on the attorney’s compliance group. Visit the State Bar’s MCLE Compliance page for more information. Need help? View State Bar’s Guide on how to use My State Bar Profile.