California MCLE Requirements: What Attorneys Need to Know

California's MCLE requirements are among the most detailed in the country. It's not just about hitting a total credit count — you have to make sure you've covered several specific categories, and it's easy to reach your deadline with a gap you didn't see coming.

Here's the full picture.

California CLE Requirements

California attorneys must complete 25 CLE credits every three years. But the total hours are only part of the story. Within those 25 credits, you need:

• 4 hours of legal ethics

• 2 hours of elimination of bias (including at least 1 hour on implicit bias)

• 2 hours of competence topics (including at least 1 hour on prevention and detection)

• 1 hour of technology in the practice of law

• 1 hour of civility in the legal profession

Additionally, 12.5 of the credits must be participatory (CLEcast credits are).

That's 10 hours in required specialty categories before you even touch general credits. Pull up your transcript and check each box — it's common to be short on a specialty category even when your total looks fine.

When Is Your Deadline?

California uses a compliance system with deadlines staggered by last name. Your reporting group determines when your three-year cycle ends and when your compliance report is due.

• Last names A–G (compliance Group 1):  report March 30, 2028.

• Last names H–M (compliance Group 2): report March 30, 2027.

• Last names N–Z (compliance Group 3): report March 30, 2029.

  
  

Check the California MCLE Reporting Period Chart on the State Bar website for more details.

Get Your Credits With CLEcast

CLEcast videos are accredited by the State Bar of California. Whether you need to handle your ethics requirement or want access to the full library, we have options:

• California 2026 Package — $125: 25 required credits in one bundle, including 4 ethics credits, 2 implicit bias credits, 1 competence credit, and 1 civility credit. Accredited and on-demand for your convenience.

• California Ethics + Specialty Package — $65: Just need your specialty hours covered? This bundle has all 8 required specialty credits — ethics, implicit bias, competence, and civility — in one place.

• Full Library Package — $149: Access every CLEcast video for 12 months. You get to choose which videos you watch.

• Individual videos start at $20 if you only need a specific credit or two to finish strong.

Every purchase supports community nonprofits.

When you get your credits from CLEcast, your money goes somewhere that matters. Buy a package and choose which cause to support.

Still deciding? Try our free half-credit ethics CLE — no credit card required.

Browse California-accredited CLEs at CLEcast.net/ca

CLEcast: Learn. Earn. Give back.