Arizona CLE Requirements

In Arizona, active status attorneys must complete 15.00 CLE credits (including 3.00 hours in professional responsibility) every year to maintain good standing with the State Bar of Arizona. Active members who reached age 70 before January 1, 2009, as well as court personnel subject to the Council on Judicial Education and Training (COJET) are exempt.

Arizona attorneys must complete all 15.00 required credits by June 30 each year. Attorneys have until September 15 each year to report their CLE credits using the Affidavit provided by the State Bar of Arizona. Filing online is the preferred method.

The reporting period is 1 year and runs from July 1 to June 30 for all attorneys.

Arizona attorneys may satisfy their CLE requirements with credits in different categories.

The categories and annual requirements or restrictions for each is as follows:

• Interactive: minimum 10 hours
• Self-Study: maximum 5 hours
• Teaching: maximum 10 hours
• Writing: maximum 10 hours
• Law School Courses: courses taken after admission only; maximum 10 hours
• Bar Review/Refresher Course: courses taken after admission for purposes of review or for preparing for another state's bar exam; maximum 5 hours

Arizona attorneys must report MCLE courses on their annual affidavit which may be obtained by going to the State Bar of Arizona.

Experienced attorneys can fulfill their Arizona CLE requirement by completing accepted course formats. Examples of accepted course formats include:

Live/Interactive CLE (Minimum 10.00 Hours)

• Live in Person courses
• Web-cast-offered in real time with ability to ask questions of the presenters
• Teleconferences
• Online with ability to respond to prompts.

Self-Study

• Computer based or online CLE programs that are not interactive.
• Audio reproductions or viewing video reproductions.

Arizona attorneys can carry forward 15.00 CLE hours to the next reporting period. This includes up to 3.00 professional responsibility hours. Certified Specialists may carry forward 5.00 hours of advanced credit, 3.00 of which can be professional responsibility credits.

You can earn a maximum of 5.00 CLE hours with self-study courses.

Yes. In-program attendance verification is required for interactive CLE credit.

• State Contact Information:
  • Address: 4201 N. 24th Street Suite 100, Phoenix, AZ 85016-6266
  • Phone Number: 602-252-4804
  • Email: mcle@staff.azbar.org

• Arizona MCLE FAQs: Arizona MCLE FAQ Page

• Arizona MCLE Rules & Regulations:
  • State Bar of Arizona MCLE Regulations
  • State Bar of Arizona MCLE Requirements and Deadlines
  • Arizona Supreme Ct. Rule 45, Mandatory Continuing Legal Education
  • Arizona Bar's Affidavit Filing Instructions Page

Attorneys admitted to the State Bar of Arizona between January 1 and June 30 are exempt for that reporting period. Attorneys admitted between July 1 and December 31 must complete 10.00 CLE hours, including 2.00 professional responsibility by June 30 of that reporting period.

Newly admitted members are required to attend the State Bar's professionalism course within the first year of admission or registration, unless exempted (Rule 34(n) Ariz. R. Sup. Ct.).

Examples of accepted formats include:

Live/Interactive CLE (Minimum 10.00 Hours)

• Live in Person courses
• Web-cast-offered in real time with ability to ask questions of the presenters
• Teleconferences
• Online with ability to respond to prompts.

Self-Study (Maximum 5.00 Hours)

• Computer based or online CLE programs that are not interactive.
• Audio reproductions or viewing video reproductions.

Yes. if you completed CLE courses before you were required to report hours, you may carry over up to 15.00 hours to the next reporting period. Hours earned through the State Bar of Arizona (such as for your required New Admittee Professionalism Course) are automatically reported.

The reporting period ends for all attorneys on June 30th. However, if you were admitted in the first half of the year (January 1 through June 30), you are exempt from Arizona CLE reporting requirements for that reporting period. If you are admitted in the second half of the year (July 1 through December 31), you have a reduced requirement (10.00 hours) for your first reporting period.

Yes. Newly admitted active attorneys residing in Arizona must complete a New Admittee Professionalism Course within 1 year of admission.

Arizona attorneys in their first year of practice are considered newly admitted attorneys.