Although attorneys are still responsible for the same amount and types of MCLE credit, the State Bar of California has restructured its compliance reporting periods for all three compliance groups of California attorneys. This transitional restructuring was put in place to give every group time to catch up to newly added civility and technology credit requirements without disrupting the underlying 25-hour curriculum attorneys have followed for years. One correction worth flagging up front: Group 1's transitional reporting deadline was actually April 1, 2025, not March 30 as some earlier summaries reported. And as of this writing, Group 3's deadline has already passed — that group's transitional cycle closed on March 30, 2026, meaning they've now moved into their first standard 36-month cycle. Here's the current, complete picture for all three groups, along with a full breakdown of what California MCLE requirements actually require.

California's New MCLE Compliance Groups and the 38-Month Transition

To accommodate new civility and technology credit requirements added to the MCLE program, the State Bar of California temporarily extended each compliance group's cycle to 38 months instead of the usual 36. Once each group's transitional cycle ends, that group returns to a standard 36-month compliance period, starting the day after their transitional deadline and ending 36 months later.

Group 1 (last names A-G)

Group 1's 38-month cycle ended March 29, 2025, with a reporting deadline of April 1, 2025. Group 1 has since entered its first standard 36-month cycle, running from March 30, 2025, through March 29, 2028, with a reporting deadline of March 30, 2028.

Group 2 (last names H-M)

Group 2's 38-month cycle runs from February 1, 2024, through March 29, 2027, with a reporting deadline of March 30, 2027. This is the only group still mid-cycle under the extended transitional timeline.

Group 3 (last names N-Z)

Compliance Group 3's 38-month cycle ran from February 1, 2023, through March 29, 2026, with a reporting deadline of March 30, 2026 — a deadline that has now passed. Group 3 attorneys who reported on time are now in their first standard 36-month cycle, running through March 29, 2029.

Attorneys stay in the same compliance group permanently, based on the last name on file when they were first admitted, even if that name later changes.

How Many MCLE Credit Hours Do California Attorneys Need?

California's MCLE requirements call for 25.00 credit hours every three-year compliance period. Those 25 hours break down into several mandatory specialty categories, with the remainder available as general credit:

• 4.00 credits in legal ethics

• 2.00 credits in competence issues — at least 1.00 hour must address Prevention and Detection Competence, and the other hour may address wellness competence topics such as attorney wellness, substance abuse, and stress management

• 2.00 credits in elimination of bias — at least 1.00 hour must specifically address implicit bias and the promotion of bias-reducing strategies

• 1.00 credit in technology in the practice of law

• 1.00 credit in civility in the legal profession

The remaining roughly 15 hours can come from general credit or specialty credits in any approved subject area. Legal professionals practicing across nearly every field in California ultimately complete the same baseline structure, regardless of practice area.

Participatory vs. Self-Study Credit

California MCLE requirements distinguish between two formats. Participatory courses include live in-person CLE courses, live webinars, CLE-accredited podcasts, and OnDemand CLE courses — anything where attendance or engagement is actively monitored. Self-study courses include downloadable courses, CDs, DVDs, and books, where completion is self-affirmed rather than monitored.

At least 12.50 of your 25.00 required hours must come from participatory credit. Specialty credits — ethics, competence, bias, technology, and civility — can be earned through either format, but no more than 12.50 hours total may come from self-study during a given compliance period. In practice, this means most attorneys end up mixing the two: leaning on live webinars or in-person seminars for the participatory minimum, then rounding out the rest of their 25 hours with whatever combination of formats fits their schedule.

Carryover: A Common Misconception

Unlike many other states, California does not allow attorneys to carry over credits from one compliance period to the next. If you complete more than 25 hours during your three-year cycle, those extra hours simply don't transfer forward — every compliance period starts from zero. This is one of the most frequently misunderstood aspects of California MCLE requirements, and it's worth planning around rather than assuming you can "bank" hours the way you might in another jurisdiction.

New Attorney Training Program: A Separate Requirement for Newly Admitted Attorneys

Every newly admitted attorney in California must complete the New Attorney Training Program (NATP) — a separate 10-hour online requirement, distinct from standard MCLE, due by the last day of the month of the attorney's one-year anniversary as a State Bar licensee. There are no attorney exemptions from this particular requirement; every new licensee must complete it, including those who later move to inactive status. Newly admitted attorneys also carry a proportional MCLE requirement during their first compliance period, scaled to the number of months they've held active status.

NATP hours can be applied toward your regular MCLE requirement if completed within your applicable compliance period, so the training isn't necessarily extra work layered on top of your 25 hours — it's foundational coursework that can satisfy part of it. The courses are accessed through My State Bar Profile, and missing the one-year deadline triggers a late fee, with further escalation to involuntary inactive status if the training still isn't completed after a follow-up notice.

Reporting Your MCLE Compliance

California is a self-reporting jurisdiction. If you're not an NBI member, you're responsible for tracking your own MCLE credits and certifying compliance — either by completing an attestation through My State Bar Profile during your group's applicable Attorney Annual Renewal period, or by submitting an MCLE Compliance Form. NBI members and subscription holders get the benefit of having NBI report their participatory credit to the State Bar of California directly, though it's still worth confirming your record reflects everything you've completed.

NBI sends a Verified Certificate of Completion by email after each course, and the State Bar may request certificates of attendance and self-study records if your compliance is ever audited — retain these for at least a year after reporting. Only approved providers can issue credit that counts toward California MCLE requirements; the State Bar is the sole entity authorized to approve both providers and the courses they offer.

Other Compliance Considerations: Exemptions and Pro Bono Credit

Not every licensee follows the standard 25-hour cycle. Attorneys on voluntary inactive status generally don't need to report MCLE compliance at all, and certain other attorney exemptions apply depending on circumstances like active military service or specific categories of judicial service — though active status attorneys without a qualifying exemption are expected to comply on the standard schedule.

California also allows MCLE credit for certain pro bono work performed through a qualifying legal services project, giving attorneys another path to fill part of their general credit requirement while contributing to access-to-justice efforts — a detail worth knowing if community service is already part of your practice. None of these exceptions change the underlying 25-hour structure for attorneys who don't qualify; they simply give a subset of licensees additional flexibility in how, or whether, they complete it.

How NBI Can Help You Meet California's MCLE Requirements

NBI offers numerous California CLE courses to help attorneys satisfy every category of the state's MCLE program, whichever compliance group you fall into. Need participatory credit? We have California-accredited live webinars and live in-person CLE courses. Prefer self-study? Choose from more than 1,500 OnDemand courses, including California-specific options covering legal ethics, elimination of bias, technology, civility, and competence issues.

Frequently Asked Questions About California MCLE Compliance

What are California's MCLE compliance groups?

California assigns every licensed attorney to one of three compliance groups based on the first letter of their last name: Group 1 (A–G), Group 2 (H–M), and Group 3 (N–Z). Each group reports on a staggered three-year cycle.

When is my MCLE reporting deadline?

It depends on your compliance group. Group 1's current cycle runs through March 29, 2028 (report by March 30, 2028). Group 2's transitional cycle runs through March 29, 2027 (report by March 30, 2027). Group 3's transitional cycle ended March 29, 2026 (reported by March 30, 2026), and that group is now in a new cycle running through March 29, 2029.

How many CLE credit hours do California attorneys need?

25.00 hours every three years, including 4 hours of legal ethics, 2 hours of competence issues, 2 hours of elimination of bias, 1 hour of technology in the practice of law, and 1 hour of civility in the legal profession.

Can I carry over extra MCLE credits to my next compliance period?

No. California does not permit carryover of MCLE credit hours between compliance periods, regardless of how many extra hours you've completed.

What is the New Attorney Training Program?

A separate 10-hour online training requirement for newly admitted attorneys, due within one year of admission. It's distinct from standard MCLE, though completed hours can count toward your regular requirement if earned within your compliance period.

How do I report my MCLE compliance?

Through self-reporting on My State Bar Profile during your compliance group's Attorney Annual Renewal period, or by submitting an MCLE Compliance Form. NBI subscribers have their participatory credit reported on their behalf.

Can I complete all my MCLE hours through self-study?

No. At least 12.50 of your 25 hours must be participatory credit. A maximum of 12.50 hours may come from self-study formats.

Are any attorneys exempt from MCLE requirements?

Attorneys on voluntary inactive status generally don't need to report, and other limited attorney exemptions exist depending on individual circumstances. Most active status attorneys, however, are expected to comply on the standard schedule.

Stay Ahead of Your California MCLE Requirements

Keeping track of compliance groups, credit categories, and reporting deadlines is a lot to manage on top of an active practice — and getting it wrong can mean late fees or worse. NBI's library of California CLE courses covers every required specialty category, in both participatory and self-study formats, so you can complete your 25 hours accurately and on time, whichever compliance group you're in. Visit NBI's California CLE Requirements page today to start building a plan around your group's deadline, and let NBI help you stay compliant without the last-minute scramble.

Looking for more information about CA CLE Rules? Check out our comprehensive California CLE Requirements page.