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How many CLE hours does a lawyer need?
It depends on your state. California, for example, asks active lawyers for 25 hours in their three-year compliance periods, with a few exceptions. The ABA says some states count a CLE hour as 60 minutes and some as 50.
By State Cert GuideChecked against the sources listed below.
The steps, in order
Find your jurisdiction
The state that licenses you
Read its CLE rule
Hours, period and topics
Check the credit hour
60 or 50 minutes
Keep your certificates
Proof of each course
Steps: find the jurisdiction that licenses you, read its CLE rule, check how it counts a credit hour, and keep your certificates.
What the sources say
What does one state ask for?
In California, with a few exceptions, all active State Bar licensees must complete 25 hours of MCLE in their three-year compliance periods and file a report with the State Bar. Your state's rule may differ.
www.calbar.ca.gov · checked Nov 13, 2026 (opens agency website)
How long is one CLE hour?
It depends on the state. The ABA's MCLE page, in an Internet Archive copy saved in October, says MCLE states divide a program's running time by either 60 or 50 minutes. A 90-minute program may earn 1.5 hours in a 60-minute state and 1.8 hours in a 50-minute state.
Archived copy (Internet Archive, Oct 2026) · checked Nov 13, 2026 (opens source website)
Which states use the 50-minute hour?
The ABA's MCLE page, in an Internet Archive copy, lists Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, West Virginia and Wisconsin as 50-minute jurisdictions.
Archived copy (Internet Archive, Oct 2026) · checked Nov 13, 2026 (opens source website)
Where do I read my state's rule?
The ABA's MCLE page, in an Internet Archive copy, lets you pick your state or jurisdiction to view its CLE rules.
Archived copy (Internet Archive, Oct 2026) · checked Nov 13, 2026 (opens source website)
Where people go wrong
- You round the way you expect. The ABA says each jurisdiction has its own rounding rules for credit.
- You carry the California figure to another state. The ABA says jurisdictions differ on rounding and on the length of a credit hour, so check your own state's rule.
- You assume every ABA program earns credit. The ABA says some programs or sessions at its in-person events are not eligible for credit.
Questions
What is the ABA Model Rule for CLE?
The ABA says its Standing Committee on Continuing Legal Education developed the Model Rule for Minimum Continuing Legal Education. Your state's own rule is the one that applies to you.
Do states check that lawyers finished their CLE?
In California, yes. The State Bar says it audits compliance with MCLE requirements. Keep your certificates.
Who reports to the State Bar in California?
All attorneys except those on voluntary inactive status. They report MCLE by sending the State Bar a statement.
Your next step
Read your state's CLE rule, then check how it counts a credit hour before you buy a course.
Sources we read
- www.calbar.ca.gov › mcle · read Nov 13, 2026
- web.archive.org › mcle · read Nov 13, 2026
Who publishes this guide
State Cert Guide is an independent guide to what each state requires. If a fact on this page is wrong, tell us and we fix it.