MCLE Annual Compliance–General Information and FAQs

All Active and Emeritus attorneys must complete a minimum of 12.0 hours of CLE out of which 2.0 hours must be ethics/professionalism credit and 4.0 hours must be live credit. Attorneys licensed under Rules of the Supreme Court of Virginia Part 1A, Rule 1A:5 Part 1 are considered Active attorneys and must complete the annual MCLE requirement.

Yes, all credits should be reported promptly and no later than December 15. Hours earned in excess of the minimum 12.0-hour requirement will carry forward to the next CLE period. A maximum of 12.0 hours including 2.0 ethics hours and 4.0 live hours will carry over to the next year.

No, but you are welcome to take and report CLE to your record.

No, Rule 17(C)(4) states that attorneys who do not certify attendance at well-being programs are not subject to the penalties in Rule 13.2.

Follow the reporting procedures detailed in the next section for reporting a pending course to your record. Do not rely on credit from pending programs for your compliance. Complete approved courses to ensure your requirement is fulfilled by October 31.

Always follow the CLE provider’s instructions for requesting your certificate of attendance to avoid any confusion or noncompliance with your CLE requirement. If you believe your form includes incorrect information, contact the course provider directly.

Yes, all hours must be completed by 11:59 p.m. ET October 31 to meet the course completion deadline.

The noncompliance fee is assessed for failure to complete the MCLE requirement by October 31. The MCLE department is not responsible for the content advertised on CLE sponsor websites especially for courses pending approval. If you are completing courses close to the deadline and have any questions or concerns about whether a program will meet your requirement, contact the MCLE department directly to confirm course approval information.

You may submit an Attorney Application for CLE Course Approval Form 4 to seek credit for the course. However, you should complete approved programs close to the October 31 course completion deadline to ensure your requirement is met because there is no guarantee that a course will be approved for the hours you need. By completing and reporting approved courses, you meet your requirement timely and put yourself in a position to accrue carryover credit from other courses that you’ve attended.

Yes, active duty lawyers stationed outside of Virginia in a combat zone may seek relief under the SCRA for MCLE obligations by providing a copy of their orders to the VSB. Please contact the MCLE Department at (804) 775-0577 or [email protected] for specific requirements. (50 U.S.C. App. §§501-596, Public Law 108-189)

Option 1: Report the course directly to your record using the online certification system which is open until 4:45 p.m. ET December 15. Certificates for courses that cannot be reported online should be attached to the MCLE Form 1 End of Year Report and mailed or emailed to the MCLE department.

Option 2: Attach completed and signed certificates of attendance to your MCLE Form 1 End of Year Report and mail your paperwork to the MCLE department for processing. Be sure to allow sufficient lead time or use an express mail service close to MCLE deadlines. Check your online record to ensure receipt and proper posting of your submission.

Always review your online record for the most up-to-date information first. If your online record displays all courses completed during the CLE period and the information is accurate, simply keep the Form 1 for your records. Forms do not need to be returned to our office if you do not have any changes to make to your record.

If any information is inaccurate or missing, make corrections or report additional courses via the Form 1.

The MCLE Form 1 End of Year Report is added to the member portal each November. It is also sent by email to attorneys who have not reported the required hours by November 1. The 60-Day Notice of Impending Suspension is mailed in January and must be mailed to the attorney’s address of record. If you are at risk for suspension, you may need to coordinate with your office to ensure you receive the physical form.

Use the MCLE Form 1 End of Year Report to report any course pending approval. If the sponsor provided a certificate of attendance, attach it to the Form 1, too. If you do not have a certificate, write all course information on the front of the Form 1 and return to the MCLE department. Forms must be received by 4:45 p.m. ET December 15.

Use the MCLE Form 1 End of Year Report to report any course pending approval. If the sponsor provided a certificate of attendance, attach it to the Form 1, too. If you do not have a certificate, write all course information on the front of the Form 1 and return to the MCLE department. Forms must be received by 4:45 p.m. ET December 15.

Yes. The reporting deadline applies to all attorneys and for all hours completed or taught in the previous CLE period. The $100 late filing fee will be required to report courses after December 15 even if you are compliant with the MCLE requirement.

Use the Form 1 to make corrections to your CLE record. Attach certificate(s) of attendance for any course(s) you needed corrected on your record. Form 1s with corrections must be received by 4:45 p.m. ET December 15.

Use the Form 1 to report your attendance at any approved program that cannot be reported directly to your record online. Write all course information on the front of the report and return it to our office to be received no later than 4:45 p.m. ET December 15.

If your license is suspended for not completing the MCLE requirement and/or failing to pay MCLE delinquency fees you will need to do the following.

1. Pay any outstanding MCLE delinquency fees and the MCLE Reinstatement fee. Attorneys who have previously received administrative suspensions for MCLE noncompliance will also be assessed a $50 Additional Reinstatement fee for each prior suspension (not to exceed $500).
2. Report any remaining CLE hours to fulfill the requirement. Once all hours are reported and fees are paid, your license will be reinstated.

Once all hours are reported and fees are paid, your license will be reinstated.

The MCLE reporting period runs from November 1 to October 31. Deadlines are posted year round on the main MCLE page and on the MCLE Records tab in the member portal.

Attorneys are exempt from the MCLE requirement for the period in which they are first admitted. Hours earned during the exemption period can be reported to your CLE record and the hours will carry forward to the next completion period. A maximum of 12.0 hours including 2.0 ethics hours and 4.0 live hours may be carried forward.

CLE providers will issue a Certificate of Attendance Form 2 upon completion of an approved program. Certify your attendance online at the VSB Portal or mail certificates to the MCLE office. If a sponsor does not supply the certificate, you should contact the MCLE department to confirm that the program is approved and to receive further instructions. Attorneys are encouraged to certify attendance as soon as possible and well before the December 15 reporting deadline.

Yes, the course is currently approved for 5.0 hours of CLE which includes 5.0 ethics hours and 5.0 live hours. Please contact the Bar Programs & Engagement department for all other questions about this program: [email protected].