Montana CLE Requirements

Active status attorneys in Montana must complete 15.00 CLE credits (including 2.00 professional fitness and integrity credits) every year to maintain good standing with the State Bar of Montana.

The reporting deadline is March 31 each year. The Montana Commission on Continuing Legal Education will send out a preliminary report after March 31. You have until May 15 of each year to make corrections. You can always check your transcript online.

The Montana CLE reporting period is 1 year and ends on March 31 every year for all attorneys.

NBI reports your credit to the Montana Commission of CLE.

Montana attorneys must self submit and satisfy their yearly CLE credit requirements to the Montana Commission of CLE. NBI will send you a verified certificate of completion for your records, but you must confirm that your CLE credits have been posted to your account.

Experienced attorneys can fulfill their Montana CLE requirement by completing courses approved and accredited by the Montana Commission of Continuing Legal Education. Examples of accepted course formats include:

Live CLE (Minimum 10.00 Hours)

• Live Webinars
• Live Seminars
• Interactive Seminars
• Teleconferences

Self-Study (Maximum 5.00 Hours)

• OnDemand/Online CLE Courses
• DVDs
• Audio Recordings

Montana attorneys can carry over 30.00 CLE credits from live courses for two reporting periods. Credits earned from self-study or other methods cannot be carried over.

Professional fitness and integrity credits will first be applied to substantive credits before being carried over. Up to 4.00 professional fitness and integrity credits from live courses may be carried over after you meet your 15.00 credit requirement.

Attorneys in Montana can earn a maximum of 5.00 CLE credits with self-study courses or other courses that are not interactive.

In-program attendance verification is required for downloadable courses.

• State Contact Information:
  • Address: Montana Commission of Continuing Legal Education 33 S. Last Chance Gulch Ste 1B, P.O. Box 577, Helena, MT 59624
  • Phone Number: (406) 442-7660
  • Email Address: CLE@montanabar.org
  • Website: https://www.montanabar.org/Membership-Regulatory/Mandatory-Continuing-Legal-Education/Attorneys

• Montana CLE Additional Resources
  • Rules for CLE
  • Attorney FAQ
  • Approved Sponsors

Newly admitted attorneys in Montana do not need to report CLE credits during the reporting period when they are admitted to the bar. The reporting period is April 1 through March 31. For example, if an attorney is admitted in July 2024, the first reporting period is April 1 - March 31, 2025.

Although newly admitted attorneys are not required to report Montana CLE credits for the duration of the reporting period in which they are first admitted, any NBI CLE credits earned after admission to the State Bar of Montana can be carried over. Examples of accepted course formats include:

Live CLE (Minimum 10.00 Hours)

• Live Webinars
• Live Seminars
• Interactive Seminars
• Teleconferences

Self-Study (Maximum 5.00 Hours)

• OnDemand/Online CLE Courses
• DVDs
• Audio Recordings

Yes. Although you are not required to report Montana CLE credits for the duration of the reporting period that you are admitted, any CLE credits earned after you are sworn-in and admitted to the State Bar of Montana can be carried over.

The reporting period for all Montana attorneys ends March 31 every year. However, you are exempt from CLE reporting requirements during the reporting period that you are in when you are admitted to the bar. The date that you are admitted to the bar is the date that you are sworn-in (not the date that you passed the bar exam).