South Carolina CLE Requirements
Required South Carolina CLE Credits
every
1.00 Substance Abuse/Mental Health (required every two years)
A minimum of 6.00 credit hours must be taken as live in-person programs.
A maximum of 8.00 credit hours must be taken as alternatively delivered programs.
South Carolina CLE Reporting Deadlines
Reporting deadline: March 1
Reporting period: 1 Year
NBI reports your credit to the South Carolina Commission on CLE and Specialization.
South Carolina
General South Carolina Continuing Legal Education Credit Requirements
How many CLE credits do you need in South Carolina, and what types of CLE credit do you need?
In South Carolina, active status attorneys must complete 14.00 CLE credits every year to maintain good standing with the South Carolina Bar.
In addition, South Carolina attorneys must complete 2.00 legal ethics/professional responsibility credits every year and 1.00 CLE credit in Substance Abuse/Mental Health every two years.
Substance Abuse/Mental Health credit does not count toward ethical considerations credit, but it does count as general CLE credit.
When is the South Carolina CLE reporting deadline?
South Carolina attorneys must report all 14.00 CLE credits by March 1.
How long is the South Carolina CLE compliance period, and when does it end?
The South Carolina compliance period is 1 year and runs from March 1 through the last day of February the following year.
How do I report my South Carolina CLE credits?
NBI reports your credit to the South Carolina Commission on CLE and Specialization.
You can check your CLE credits online at the South Carolina Bar website.
How can Experienced South Carolina Attorneys fulfill the South Carolina CLE requirements in compliance with format of delivery regulations?
Experienced attorneys can fulfill their South Carolina CLE requirement by completing courses approved and accredited by the South Carolina Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization. Examples of accepted course formats include:
Live CLE (Minimum 6.00 Hours)
Alternatively Delivered (Maximum 8.00 Hours)
- Live webcasts
- OnDemand
- Teleconference
How many South Carolina CLE credits can I carry over?
South Carolina attorneys may carry over 14.00 CLE credits to the next compliance year, of which a maximum of 2.00 CLE credits can be legal ethics and professional responsibility credits. Substance Abuse/Mental Health credits and credit for alternatively delivered programs cannot be carried over.
How many South Carolina CLE credits can I earn with alternatively delivered courses?
Attorneys can earn up to 8.00 hours of their South Carolina CLE requirements with alternatively delivered courses.
Is in-program attendance verification required to receive South Carolina CLE credit?
Yes. In-program attendance verification is required for OnDemand courses.
Additional CLE resources for South Carolina Attorneys
- State Contact Information:
- Physical Address: South Carolina Bar, 950 Taylor St., Columbia, SC 29201
- Mailing Address: South Carolina Bar, P.O. Box 608, Columbia, SC 29202
- Phone Number: 800-799-6653
- Website: https://www.scbar.org/
- South Carolina CLE FAQs
Are you newly admitted to the South Carolina Bar? Here’s what you need to know:
What are the South Carolina CLE requirements for newly admitted attorneys?
Newly admitted attorneys in South Carolina are exempt from CLE requirements for the reporting year in which they are admitted to the bar. New attorneys must complete an Essential Series course during their first compliance period, which begins on March 1 after admission.
Are you newly admitted to the South Carolina Bar? Here’s what you need to know:
Newly admitted attorneys in South Carolina are exempt from CLE requirements for the reporting year in which they are admitted to the bar. They must complete the Essential Series course offered by the South Carolina Bar. Credits earned from NBI courses during this exemption period may not be carried over into the first reporting period.
Can I carry over credits I completed during my year of admission to the South Carolina State Bar?
No. Except for the South Carolina Bar's Essential Series credits, CLE hours earned during the reporting year in which they were admitted cannot be carried forward to their first reporting year.
When does my first reporting period for South Carolina end?
Your first reporting period begins on March 1 after you were admitted to practice law in South Carolina and ends on the last day of February the following year.
Are there any special credit requirements for new attorneys in South Carolina?
Yes. Before the end of their first required reporting year, newly admitted members must complete an Essentials Series course administered by the South Carolina Bar.
Hours earned by attendance at an Essentials Series course will be applied to the attorney's first required reporting year. Members who live and practice outside of South Carolina may take an Essentials Series course online. Otherwise, attorneys must complete the in-person course in Columbia.
Are any new attorneys exempt from taking the Essentials Series course?
Yes. The following newly admitted members are exempt from completing an Essentials Series course:
- Members called to active military duty and who elect to become Military Members under 410(h)(1)(E), SCACR.
- Inactive members who remain inactive through the end of the first required reporting year.
- Members who have been admitted to practice law in another jurisdiction for at least two (2) years prior to admission in South Carolina.
- Members who took the South Carolina Bar's Bridge the Gap Program prior to March 2013.
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