February 28th is the final day for South Carolina attorneys to complete their CLE credits for the year. Fortunately, there's still time to get the credits you need to remain in compliance. Here's a brief reminder of what credits you need, and how to report them.

SC CLE Requirements

Under South Carolina Appellate Court Rules, active members of the South Carolina Bar must complete 14.00 hours of mandatory continuing legal education every year. The program is administered by the Supreme Court of South Carolina through its Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization, not by the Bar itself — the South Carolina Bar produces and sponsors CLE programming, but compliance and accreditation run through the Commission. The governing regulations — formally titled the Regulations for Mandatory Continuing Legal Education for Judges and Active Members of the South Carolina Bar — break those 14 hours down as follows:

• 2.00 hours of Legal Ethics/Professional Responsibility (LEPR), required every year

• 1.00 hour of Substance Abuse/Mental Health (SA/MH credit), required once every two years rather than annually

A minimum of 6.00 of your 14 hours must come from live programs. A maximum of 8.00 hours may be earned through alternatively delivered programs — live webinars, live webcasts, teleconference courses, or OnDemand content that meets the Commission's interactivity standards.

Reporting SC CLE Credits

NBI reports your attendance directly to the Supreme Court Commission on CLE — formally the Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization — on your behalf. You can verify your credits have posted by checking your transcript on the SC CCLE website.

Compliance is due by February 28, but your report of compliance and annual filing fee are due by March 1. Miss that date and you'll be assessed a late fee on top of the standard filing fee; miss the April 15 cure deadline entirely and you risk administrative suspension from the practice of law. It's a tight window, but a manageable one if you start now rather than waiting until the last week of February.

SC CLE Accredited Courses

Still need credits? There's still time. NBI offers over 350 South Carolina-accredited courses across multiple practice areas, including Live Online Seminars, Live Webinars, Fast Track Live Webinars, and OnDemand Courses. All of these formats meet the Commission's accreditation standards for alternatively delivered programs, meaning they're interactive and a faculty member is available to answer questions during the course.

Carryover Rules

Already have the credits you need for this reporting year? South Carolina allows attorneys to carry over up to 14.00 CLE credits into the next compliance year, of which a maximum of 2.00 credits can be Legal Ethics/Professional Responsibility credits. Two categories don't carry forward, though: Substance Abuse/Mental Health credit and credit earned through alternatively delivered courses both have to be used in the year they're earned. Judicial members follow a separate carry-forward limit, covered below.

Newly Admitted Attorneys and the Essentials Series

Newly admitted attorneys are exempt from the standard MCLE requirements during the reporting year in which they're first admitted to the South Carolina Bar. That grace period comes with a separate obligation, though: before the end of their first required reporting year, newly admitted attorneys must complete the Essentials Series course administered by the South Carolina Bar, on top of their regular CLE once that first exemption year ends.

Judicial CLE and Reinstatement

A few other groups follow slightly different rules under the same regulatory framework. Judicial members are subject to their own Judicial Continuing Legal Education (JCLE) requirement — a minimum of 15 hours per calendar year, with up to 30 excess hours allowed as carry-forward credit into the next year, double the standard attorney carry-forward limit. And attorneys returning to active status after suspension or a period of inactive status should expect reinstatement to come with its own CLE catch-up requirement, on top of meeting whatever standard hours apply going forward.

Frequently Asked Questions About South Carolina CLE Requirements

How many CLE credits do South Carolina attorneys need each year?

Active members of the South Carolina Bar must complete 14.00 hours of mandatory continuing legal education annually, including 2.00 hours of Legal Ethics/Professional Responsibility.

When is the Substance Abuse/Mental Health credit due?

SA/MH credit is required once every two years rather than annually — 1.00 hour total across that two-year window.

When is South Carolina's CLE compliance deadline?

Credits must be completed by February 28, with your report of compliance and filing fee due by March 1.

What happens if I miss the March 1 filing deadline?

You'll be assessed a late fee. If your report still isn't filed by April 15, you risk administrative suspension under South Carolina Appellate Court Rules.

Can I carry over CLE credits to next year?

Yes. Up to 14.00 credits can carry forward, including a maximum of 2.00 LEPR credits. SA/MH credit and alternatively delivered credit cannot be carried over.

What do newly admitted attorneys need to complete?

Newly admitted attorneys are exempt from standard MCLE requirements during their first reporting year, but must complete the Essentials Series course administered by the South Carolina Bar before that first year ends.

Does NBI report my CLE credits to the Commission?

Yes. NBI reports your attendance directly to the Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization, and you can confirm your credits posted through the SC CCLE website.

Do judges follow the same CLE rules as attorneys?

No. Judicial members complete Judicial Continuing Legal Education (JCLE) instead, which requires at least 15 hours per calendar year and allows up to 30 hours of carry-forward credit — a higher cap than the standard attorney carryover.

Don't Let the Deadline Catch You Off Guard

Whether you need live hours, ethics credit, or your two-year SA/MH requirement, NBI has the accredited South Carolina courses to get you across the finish line before February 28. Browse our full course catalog, or visit our SC CLE Requirements page for the complete breakdown — and check your transcript today to make sure nothing's slipping through the cracks.