Missouri CLE Requirements

In Missouri, active status attorneys must complete 15.00 CLE credits every reporting period (July 1 - June 30) to maintain good standing with The Missouri Bar. Judges and commissioners of the family court division must complete 6.00 credits in family court issues and law (these may count toward the 15.00 credit total).

Missouri attorneys must complete 3.00 credits every reporting period in ethics, professionalism or malpractice prevention, which may include professionalism, substance use, mental health, legal or judicial ethics, malpractice prevention, explicit or implicit bias, diversity, inclusion, or cultural competency. However, 1.00 credit must be in explicit or implicit bias, diversity, inclusion, or cultural competency.

Specialty credits must be earned through courses approved for live credit.

Missouri attorneys must complete all 15.00 required credits by June 30 each year. Attorneys must report their credits to The Missouri Bar by July 31.

The reporting period is 1 year and runs from July 1 to June 30 for all attorneys. New attorneys are exempt for the duration of the reporting year that they are admitted.

Attorneys must file their annual report of compliance with Missouri CLE credits on The Missouri Bar website. You can also check your transcript and report credits online throughout the year.

Experienced attorneys can fulfill their Missouri CLE requirement by completing courses approved and accredited by The Missouri Bar. Examples of accepted course formats include:

Live CLE

• Webinars
• CLE classes in Live Traditional classroom

Self-Study

• OnDemand courses
• Videotape or Audiotape

You can carry over up to 15.00 CLE live credits for one reporting period. You cannot carry over CLE credits earned from self-study courses.

You may carry over up to 3.00 total ethics, professionalism, or malpractice prevention credits (which can include only 1.00 credit in explicit or implicit bias, diversity, inclusion, or cultural competency). However, ethics, professionalism, or malpractice prevention credits may only be used to satisfy part of your total 15.00-hour requirement in the year that they are earned.

Ethics, professionalism, or malpractice prevention credits that are carried over can be used to satisfy the ethics requirement under Missouri Supreme Court Rule 15(a)(1)-(2), but they do not apply to your general 15.00 credit requirement for that reporting period.

Specialty credits more than the above limits will not be carried over.

Attorneys in Missouri can earn a maximum of 6.00 CLE credits with self-study courses. You may not satisfy specialty credit requirements (ethics, professionalism, malpractice prevention, or elimination of bias credits) with self-study courses.

No. In-program attendance verification is not required.

• State Contact Information:
  • Address: The Missouri Bar, 326 Monroe Street, Jefferson City, MO 65102
  • Phone Number: (573) 635-4128
  • Fax Number: (573) 635-2811
  • Email: mobar@mobar.org
  • Website: www.mobar.org
• Missouri CLE FAQ Page
• Missouri CLE Rules

Newly admitted attorneys in Missouri are exempt from CLE reporting requirements for the reporting year in which they are admitted to The Missouri Bar.

New attorneys are exempt in the reporting year in which they are initially licensed to practice law in MO.

You may only carry over Missouri CLE credits in excess of 15.00 hours in a reporting year. So, if you earn less than 15 hours during the time you are exempt, those hours will not carry over.

If you take ethics, professionalism, or malpractice prevention credits during your exemption period, you may carry those over to your first reporting period to meet the ethics requirement, but note that those do not count toward your 15.00 CLE requirement.

You are exempt from Missouri CLE reporting requirements for the duration of the reporting period in which you were admitted. Your first reporting period begins on July 1 following your date of admission to The Missouri Bar and ends on June 30 the following year.

No. New attorneys do not have any special CLE requirements in Missouri.