Temporary Rule Change: Lawyers in the 2018-2020 reporting period were granted a 1-year extension for reporting for the 2018-2020 compliance period. Attorneys in that compliance group have a shortened 2-year reporting period for 2022-2023.
Total credit hours: 45.00 credit hours every 3 years.
Effective 9/1/2022, 1.00 of the ethics/professional responsibility credits must be in equity, inclusion, and the mitigation of both implicit and explicit bias in the legal profession and the practice of law.
All 45.00 credit hours may be taken as live or self study programs.
Deadline to Complete CLEs: December 31
Reporting Deadline: February 1
Reporting Period: 3 years
Active status attorneys in Washington must complete 45.00 CLE credits every 3 years to maintain good standing with the Washington State Bar.
LLLTs and LPOs must complete 30.00 CLE credits every 3 years.
Washington attorneys must complete all 45.00 required credits by December 31 in their reporting year. Attorneys must certify compliance with their WA CLE requirements by February 1 of the following year.
The CLE reporting period in Washington is 3 years and ends on December 31 of your reporting year. You can refer to this chart or log in to your WA MCLE account to confirm your reporting period.
CLE sponsors will report your attendance at live courses. Attorneys are responsible for tracking and reporting self study courses. You can report self study credit through the Washington MCLE online system.
You must certify your CLE credits by February 1 following your reporting period. You can certify your credits online through the Washington State Bar website or by mailing the forms in your license renewal packet. If you opted for paperless communication, you will not receive a license renewal packet.
Washington attorneys, LLLTs, and LPOs can carry over 15.00 CLE credits to the next reporting period. This may include up to 2.00 ethics/professional Responsibility credits.
There is no limit to the number CLE credits you can complete with self study courses.
Washington attorneys, LLLTs, and LPOs must complete 6.00 ethics/professional responsibility credits every 3 years.
Effective September 1, 2022, 1.00 of the 6.00 ethics credits must be in equity, inclusion, and the mitigation of both implicit and explicit bias in the legal profession and the practice of law.
Yes. You may only earn 8.00 CLE credits in one calendar day.
No. In-program attendance verification is not required.
Newly admitted attorneys are exempt from reporting CLE credits during the calendar year in which they were admitted to practice law in Washington.
Yes. If you complete credits during your year of admission, those credits will be applied to your first compliance period.
Your first reporting period ends on December 31 of the third calendar year after you were admitted to the Washington State Bar.
No. There are no special CLE requirements for newly admitted Washington attorneys.
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