Pennsylvania CLE Requirements

In Pennsylvania, attorneys must complete 12.00 CLE credits (including 2.00 ethics credits) each year by the deadline for their assigned Compliance Group to maintain good standing with the Pennsylvania Bar. There are exceptions for members of the judiciary, active duty military lawyers, newly admitted lawyers, and lawyers with voluntary inactive status and non-resident active deferral status.

The reporting period is 1 year.

There are three Compliance Groups, with the following deadlines:

• Group 1 - April 30
• Group 2 - August 31
• Group 3 - December 31

You are permanently assigned to a compliance group when you are admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar. You can check your CLE status on the Pennsylvania CLE Board website.

NBI reports your credit to the The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board.

Pennsylvania attorneys must maintain records sufficient to establish compliance with the CLE requirement in the event of a dispute with the final compliance report. The recommendation from the Board is that you maintain those records for three (3) years. The MyPACLE account access is intended to assist in tracking of courses and credits.

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

Regular Course

• In Person Events

Distance Learning Live /Synchronous

• Live Webcast

Distance Learning Pre-Recorded/Asynchronous

• OnDemand Courses

You can earn a maximum of 6.00 Pennsylvania CLE credits with distance learning courses.*

* Until further notice, due to Covid-19, the cap on distance learning credits earned through live online seminars and live webinars has been eliminated. There is still a limit of 6.00 credit hours for pre-recorded online courses.

Pennsylvania attorneys may currently carry over up to 24.00 credits earned from live in-person courses for two successive compliance periods. The rule allows you to carry up to twice the annual credits required. You may carry over ethics and substantive credits. Any excess ethics credits will fulfill substantive credits requirements before being carried over to the following year.

Distance learning CLE credits cannot be carried over.

Only credits through live-online and in-person/classroom courses taken during this period may carry forward (up to two compliance periods).

Yes. In-program attendance verification is required for OnDemand courses.

• State Contact Information:
  • Address: PA CLE 601 Commonwealth Ave., Suite 3400, PO Box 62495, Harrisburg, PA 17106-2495
  • Phone Number: (717) 231-3251
  • Email Address: khoffner@pacle.org
  • Website: www.pacle.org

• Nebraska CLE Additional Resources
  • Attorney FAQ
  • Bridge the Gap
  • Rules and Regulations

Newly admitted attorneys in Pennsylvania are exempt from Pennsylvania Bar CLE requirements for up to 2 years after their admission to the bar. Newly admitted attorneys must also complete the Pennsylvania Bridge the Gap program.

Newly admitted attorneys in Pennsylvania are exempt from Pennsylvania Bar CLE requirements for up to 2 years after their admission to the bar. Newly admitted attorneys must also complete the Pennsylvania Bridge the Gap program.

Newly admitted attorneys may carry over up to 24.00 CLE credits earned during this time into the next two compliance periods. Examples of accepted course formats include:

Regular Course

• In Person Events

Distance Learning Live /Synchronous

• Live Webcast

Distance Learning Pre-Recorded/Asynchronous

• OnDemand Courses

Yes. Although you are not required to meet CLE requirements during your first year, up to 24.00 CLE credits earned during that time will carry over for up to 2 compliance periods.

You are permanently assigned to a compliance group when you are admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar. You can check your CLE status on the Pennsylvania CLE Board website.

• Depending on your compliance group, you have a grace period of up to 2 years after admission to the bar before you must report Pennsylvania CLE credits.
• You must complete your first 12.00 CLE credits (including the Bridge the Gap credits) by the deadline for your compliance group (either April 30, August 31, or December 31) the year after you were admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar.

Yes. All new attorneys in Pennsylvania must complete the Pennsylvania Bridge the Gap program by the end of the compliance period after their grace period.

No. The Pennsylvania Bridge the Gap requirement is for attorneys new to the practice of law.

Yes. The Pennsylvania Bridge the Gap courses provide attorneys with information specific to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.