Frequently Asked Questions

Icon for Question: How are courses on Nacle.com accredited?

National Academy of Continuing Legal Education is a CLE provider accredited by the California State Bar, Provider #11481. You can find our CLE provider listing on the California Bar website at: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/cert_detail.aspx?PID=11481&SpecCode=.

Icon for Question: What are the CLE requirements for California attorneys?

California attorneys must complete a minimum of 25 credit hours of approved continuing legal education activities every 3 years including at least 4 hours of Ethics, 1 hour of Substance Abuse Prevention and 2 hours of Elimination of Bias. Additionally, at least one of the hours in Elimination of Bias must be an approved Implicit Bias program.

At least 12.5 of the credit hours must be in a "Participatory" format. The remaining hours can be in a self-study format.

**The State Bar of California is implementing changes to the MCLE course requirements effective October 1, 2023. Beginning with the compliance period ending January 31, 2025, licensees will be required to also complete and report compliance on the following new subfields:

  • Technology in the Practice of Law (one credit)
  • Civility in the Legal Profession (one credit)
  • Competence (Increased from one credit to two)
Icon for Question: What part of my requirement can I satisfy with you?

California attorneys may earn all 25 hours with the National Academy of Continuing Legal Education. Our Online and iOS/Android App platforms are automatically deemed participatory and our Audio CDs, DVDs, USB Stick, and MP3/MP4 downloaded courses may also be taken in participatory form as well.

Icon for Question: What are my compliance and reporting deadlines?

California attorneys are assigned a compliance group based on the first letter of their last name.

  • Attorneys with last names beginning with A-G are assigned to Group 1 whose current compliance period is 2/1/2022-1/31/2025
  • Attorneys with last names beginning with H-M are assigned to Group 2 whose current compliance period is 2/1/2021-1/31/2024
  • Attorneys with last names beginning with N-Z are assigned to Group 3 whose current compliance period is 2/1/2020-1/31/2023

The deadline to report your compliance is on 2/1, one day after your compliance deadline.

California attorneys are assigned to a compliance group only once and always remain in that same group, even if the member subsequently changes his/her last name.

Icon for Question: Am I allowed to carry over excess credits taken from one compliance period to the next?

California MCLE rules do not allow carryover. Credit for participating in a CLE activity may not be earned forward from one compliance period to another.

Icon for Question: Are there any recent changes to the CA MCLE rules?

The State Bar of California has increased its Elimination of Bias requirement from one credit to two, with one credit focusing on Implicit Bias. California attorneys are still required to take a minimum of 25 total credits. This rule goes into effect starting with attorneys whose compliance period ends on 1/31/23.

The State Bar of California is implementing changes to the MCLE course requirements effective October 1, 2023. Beginning with the compliance period ending January 31, 2025, licensees will be required to also complete and report compliance on the following new subfields:

  • Technology in the Practice of Law (one credit)
  • Civility in the Legal Profession (one credit)
  • Competence (Increased from one credit to two)
Icon for Question: How do I report my MCLE compliance once I have completed my courses?

Members are required to comply online under “My State Bar Profile” www.calbar.ca.gov by attesting under penalty of perjury that the member has complied with the education requirement or is exempt and the nature of the exemption. Attorneys who are unable to comply online must contact the State Bar’s Member Services Center 888-800-3400.

Icon for Question: I am a paralegal in California, can I take your courses?

CA paralegals are required to take 15 CLE credits every 2 years. CA paralegals can take any of our courses to satisfy their MCLE requirement.

Icon for Question: How can I contact the MCLE department in my state?

State Bar of California
180 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA 94105-1639
(t) 415-538-2100
(f) 415-538-2180
mcle.calbar.ca.gov

Icon for Question: See our full California MCLE Rules
To see full California MCLE Rules please go to our California MCLE Rules Page.
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