Frequently Asked Questions

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

National Academy of Continuing Legal Education has been approved for accredited sponsor status by the Washington State Board of Mandatory Continuing Legal Education. All courses offered by the National Academy of Continuing Legal Education have been directly approved by the WSBA.

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

Washington attorneys are required to take 45 credit hours every 3 years including 6 credit hours of Ethics and 15 credit hours in the area of Law and Legal Procedure. The reporting cycle is from January 1st through December 31st every 3 years and each member must certify compliance by Feb 1st. *Beginning with the reporting period that runs from 2023-2025, WA attorneys must complete 1 credit hour that focuses on the category of equity, inclusion and the mitigation of bias.

Icon for Question: What part of my requirement can I satisfy with you?

Washington attorneys can earn all 45 CLE credit hours with us using our DVDs, Audio CDs, USB Stick, Online, and iOS/Android App courses.

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

Washington attorneys may carry over a maximum of 15 credits including a maximum of 2 Ethics credits for a period of 36 months.

Icon for Question: I am a Newly Admitted Attorney, what is my requirement?

Newly admitted members are exempt from reporting CLE credits for the year of their admission and the following calendar year. For example, if you were admitted in 2018, you would not report for the reporting period of 2016-2018 even though you are in Group 3. You would first report at the end of the 2019-2021 reporting period. Members admitted in 2019 will first report at the end of the 2020–2022 reporting period. When new members report at the end of their first reporting period, they may claim all CLE credits earned on or after their date of admission to the WSBA.

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

WSBA members are divided into three MCLE reporting groups based upon year of admission.
Group 1: Admitted through 1975, 1991, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2022
Group 2: Admitted in 1976 through 1983, 1992, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2020, 2023
Group 3: Admitted in 1984 through 1990, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2018, 2021

The CLE deadline for Group 1 is Dec 31, 2025, for Group 2 is Dec 31, 2023 and for Group 3 is Dec 31, 2024. The deadline for reporting is Feb 1.

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

The Washington Supreme Court entered an order (NO. 257-A-1349) adopting the MCLE Board’s suggested amendment, effective September 1, 2022. The amendment to APR 11 requires, per each three-year reporting period, that each licensed legal professional complete at least one (1) ethics credit in the topic of equity, inclusion, and the mitigation of both implicit and explicit bias in the legal profession and the practice of law. For more details view the FAQ here: https://www.wsba.org/docs/default-source/licensing/mcle/faq-on-new-ethics---equity-credit.pdf?Status=Master&sfvrsn=bc7d10f1_13.

Icon for Question: I am a LPO/LLLT, what is my MCLE requirement?

Limited License Legal Technicians (LLLT) and Limited Practice Officers (LPO) are required to take 30 approved MCLE credits every applicable three-year reporting period, including, at least 15 law and legal procedure credits and 6 ethics credits. All 30 credit hours can be taken with us using our DVDs, Audio CDs, USB Stick, Online, and iOS/Android App formats.

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

WA State Board of CLE
1325 4th Ave
Seattle, WA 98101-2539
(t) 206-733-5987
(f) 206-727-8313
https://www.wsba.org/for-legal-professionals/mcle

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