General West Virginia Continuing Legal Education Credit Requirements
In West Virginia, active status attorneys must complete 24.00 CLE credits (including 3.00 Ethics which may include Legal Ethics, Office Management, Attorney Well-Being, and/or Elimination of Bias) every 2 years to maintain good standing with the West Virginia State Bar.
Yes. Training that enhances an attorney’s ability to use legal technology—such as e-discovery tools, cybersecurity for law firms, or case management software—can qualify for general CLE credit if it meets the educational standards. Several NBI courses cover these fields.
West Virginia attorneys must complete all 24.00 required credits by June 30 of even-numbered years. Attorneys must report their CLE credits by July 31 of even-numbered year.
The West Virginia CLE reporting period is 2 years and ends on June 30 of even-numbered years for all attorneys.
The CLE reporting period ends June 30 of even-numbered years, and credits must be reported by July 31. If you are not compliant by July 1, the West Virginia MCLE Commission issues a notice of noncompliance.
Attorneys have until October 1 to correct deficiencies or show that they were in compliance with enough CLE hours / credits by the original deadline.
- Any credits reported after July 31 incur a $200 late fee.
- If compliance is not achieved by October 1, the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia may administratively suspend your license to practice law.
- To regain active status after suspension, you must complete all outstanding CLE credits, pay the $200 late fee (if not already paid), and pay a $200 reinstatement fee.
- If you have been suspended before for CLE noncompliance, an additional $50 per prior suspension applies, up to a maximum of $500.
NBI reports your credit to the West Virginia MCLE Commission.
To confirm credits that have been submitted and to add them to your transcript, view the “Awaiting your approval” section at the bottom of your transcript at the West Virginia State Bar Membership Portal.
Experienced attorneys can fulfill their West Virginia CLE requirement by completing courses approved and accredited by the West Virginia MCLE Commission. Examples of accepted course formats include:
Live CLE (Minimum 12.00 Hours)
- Interactive Webcast
- In Person Courses
Pre-Recorded (Maximum 12.00 Hours)
You may carry over 6.00 CLE credits to the next reporting period. You may not carry over any credits in ethics, office management, attorney well-being, or elimination of bias in the legal profession.
You may earn a maximum of 12.00 CLE credits with pre-recorded courses or in-house activities.
No. In-program attendance verification is not required.
Teaching or writing legal articles may qualify for CLE credit under certain conditions.
Some states allow attorneys to earn credits for pro bono work, and this may be applicable in West Virginia.
Yes. In West Virginia, certain mentoring activities that involve structured, approved educational content can qualify for CLE credit. Both the mentor and mentee may be eligible for credit if the program meets the state’s accreditation standards.
Not necessarily. West Virginia accepts courses from providers that meet the state’s accreditation guidelines, even if they’re not formally pre-approved, as long as proper documentation is submitted for credit review.
- State Contact Information:
- Address: The West Virginia State Bar, 2000 Deitrick Boulevard, Charleston, WV 25311-1231
- Phone Number: (304) 553-7220, Toll Free: 866-989-8227
- Website: https://wvbar.org/
- West Virginia CLE Rules and Helpful Resources
Are you newly admitted to the West Virginia State Bar? Here’s what you need to know:
All new attorneys must complete a mandatory Bridge the Gap program within 24 months of admission to the West Virginia State Bar. Bridge the Gap courses can be used to satisfy CLE requirements.
If you are admitted to the West Virginia State Bar in the first 12 months of the 2-year reporting period, you must complete 12.00 CLE credits by the end of the reporting period. Those credits must include 3.00 credits in ethics, office management, attorney well-being, or elimination of bias in the legal profession.
If you are admitted in the second 12 months of the reporting period, you are exempt for that reporting period.
If you are admitted to the West Virginia State Bar in the first 12 months of the 2-year reporting period, you must complete 12.00 CLE credits by the end of the reporting period. Those credits must include 3.00 credits in ethics, office management, attorney well-being, or elimination of bias in the legal profession. If you are admitted in the second 12 months of the reporting period, you are exempt for that reporting period. Examples of accepted course formats include:
Live CLE
- Interactive Webcast
- In Person Courses
Pre-Recorded
All new attorneys must complete a mandatory Bridge the Gap program within 24 months of admission to the West Virginia State Bar. Bridge the Gap courses can be used to satisfy CLE requirements.
Yes. If you are exempt from West Virginia CLE reporting requirements during your first year of practice because you were admitted in the second 12 months of the reporting period, any CLE credit you earn during that time (after admission) can be carried over to your first reporting period.
If you were admitted in the first 12 months of the reporting period and earn more than the 12.00 required CLE credits for your first reporting period, any CLE credits earned (after admission) may be carried over to the next reporting period.
The reporting period for all West Virginia attorneys ends June 30 in even-numbered years. If you are admitted to the West Virginia State Bar during the first 12 months of the reporting period, your reporting period ends on June 30 of the first even-numbered year after you were admitted.
If you were admitted to the West Virginia State Bar during the second 12 months of the reporting period, you are exempt from that reporting period. Your first reporting period begins on the first July 1 after your date of admission to the bar and ends on June 30, two years later.
Yes. New West Virginia attorneys must complete a Bridge the Gap program within 24 months of the date they were admitted to the West Virginia State Bar. The Bridge the Gap program is sponsored by the West Virginia State Bar and is offered twice a year.