MCLE Compliance in 2025: Navigating New Requirements for California Attorneys

Compliance with Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) is essential for California attorneys. MCLE requirements help you maintain an active status with the California Bar, uphold professional ethics, and ensure you deliver high-quality client service. 

As of 2025, the California requirements have evolved, with updated deadlines and newly introduced content areas. It’s the right moment to assess your progress and plan ahead.

The Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) offers California-specific programs that are practical, relevant, and designed to help attorneys meet these updated requirements. Below, we’ve outlined the 2025 requirements, key deadlines, and actionable strategies to help you stay compliant and elevate your legal practice.

Updated 2025 MCLE Requirements

The State Bar of California’s notable changes to MCLE requirements and compliance cycles for 2025 affect attorneys across all compliance groups. Here’s what you need to know:

Extended Compliance Cycles

To support the rollout of new MCLE requirements, the California Bar extended compliance cycles from 36 to 38 months. This one-time adjustment gives attorneys extra time to meet updated content requirements, such as new credits in technology and civility. 

It also allows MCLE providers like CEB (Continuing Education of the Bar) to realign course offerings. The extension standardizes the reporting schedule across compliance groups and sets the stage for a return to the regular 36-month cycle in future periods.

Group 1 (A–G):

• Compliance Period Ends: March 29, 2025
• Reporting Deadline: April 1, 2025
• Note: This group is in a one-time 38-month cycle

Group 2 (H–M):

• Compliance Period Ends: March 29, 2027
• Reporting Deadline: March 30, 2027
• Note: Also in a temporary 38-month cycle

Group 3 (N–Z):

• Compliance Period Ends: March 29, 2026
• Reporting Deadline: March 30, 2026
• Note: Includes a 38-month cycle extension as well

Standard California MCLE Requirements

Active attorneys must complete 25 hours of MCLE every three years, with specific subfield requirements:

• At least 12.5 hours must be participatory (CEB Practice Guides are your trusted, verified partner for California legal education).
• 4 hours in Legal Ethics.
• 2 hours in Elimination of Bias (including 1 hour on implicit bias and bias-reducing strategies).
• 2 hours in Competence (1 hour on prevention and detection).
• 1 hour in Technology.
• 1 hour in Civility.

These updates ensure that attorneys remain adaptable to evolving legal standards while addressing critical topics like ethics, bias, and technology in practice.

How to Navigate Your Requirements Efficiently

Meeting your requirements comes easily with CEB MCLE California-focused programs. You fulfill your credits while gaining practical insights to enhance your practice. Here’s how to approach your 2025 compliance:

1. Choose the Right California Program for Your Needs

CEB offers a variety of programs tailored to California attorneys. Whether you prefer on-demand courses or live events, our programs are designed to fit your schedule and practice area. 

Some of the programs include:

CLE Passport: Ideal for firms or individual attorneys, this package provides unlimited access to CEB’s MCLE library, covering all required subfields like Legal Ethics, Elimination of Bias, and Competence.

CoursePass: A cost-effective option for attorneys who want a specific number of credits, offering a bundle of topical courses relevant to their practice. Use CEB’s online catalog to filter courses by subfield (e.g., implicit bias or technology) to ensure you meet all requirements in one go.

2. Leverage Participatory Credits

At least 12.5 of your 25 required hours must be participatory, meaning your attendance is verified by a provider. CEB’s programs, whether in-person, live webinars, or interactive online courses, qualify as participatory credit.

You can confirm your participation through:

• Signing in at the event (electronic sign-ins count).
• Receiving a certificate of attendance from CEB, which you should retain for at least one year post-reporting in case of an audit.
• Self-study credits (up to 12.5 hours) are also an option for flexibility. Listening to approved audio recordings or completing self-assessment tests can count toward self-study, but ensure the activity is State Bar-approved.

Key MCLE Penalties to Watch

Missing an MCLE deadline can lead to penalties or even administrative inactive status, rendering you ineligible to practice law. Failure to report by these deadlines incurs a $103 late fee. 

If you remain non-compliant 60 days after a Non-Compliance Notice, you’ll face a $308 reinstatement fee and be placed on administrative inactive status until you comply. 

Falsifying compliance declarations can lead to disciplinary action, so accuracy is crucial. You could set calendar reminders for your reporting deadline and use CEB’s MCLE tracking tools to monitor your progress throughout the compliance period.

Special Considerations for New Attorneys

If you’re a newly admitted attorney, you must complete the State Bar’s 10-hour New Attorney Training Program within one year of admission. These hours can count toward your regular MCLE requirements if completed within your compliance period. 

For example, an attorney admitted in January 2025 must finish the training by January 31, 2026, or face a $75 late penalty.

Exemptions and Proportional Requirements

Certain attorneys may be exempt from MCLE requirements, including:

• Full-time employees of the State of California or the U.S. government who don’t practice law outside their employment.
• Full-time professors at accredited law schools.
• Officers and elected officials of California.

If you’re partially exempt or were inactive for part of the cycle, you can calculate a proportional requirement. For instance, an attorney active for 15 months in a 36-month cycle needs 11 hours, including 2 hours in Legal Ethics and 1 hour in Elimination of Bias.

“Note: Some categories may require a minimum of 1 hour, even if prorated. Check with the California Bar for your specific requirements.”

Practical Tips to Stay Compliant in 2025

• Track your hours early: Use CEB’s online tools or download a personal MCLE log to record your hours as you go. Retain certificates of attendance for at least one year post-reporting.
• Plan for subfields: Prioritize courses that cover Legal Ethics, Elimination of Bias, and Competence to avoid last-minute scrambles.
• Consider speaking or teaching: You can earn participatory credits by speaking at an approved MCLE event (4x your speaking time for the first presentation) or teaching a law school course (12x the course credits, except for subfields).

Why Choose CEB for Your MCLE Needs?

CEB stands out as the premier provider for California attorneys, offering nuanced, state-specific content that goes beyond generic CLE providers. Here’s why attorneys trust CEB:

• California-Focused Content: Our programs are designed by California experts, ensuring relevance to your practice and compliance with State Bar requirements.
• Flexible Learning Options: Choose from on-demand videos, live webinars, or in-person events to fit your schedule.
• Comprehensive Resources: Access our MCLE library, which is updated weekly with new courses, to stay ahead on topics like implicit bias, technology, and civility.

Get Started with CEB MCLE Today

Whether you’re completing your 25 hours of MCLE or looking to sharpen your skills, Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) makes it easy. Our California-specific content helps you meet California MCLE requirements with courses designed by attorneys, for attorneys.

With CEB’s fixed pricing and unlimited access, you can preview, sample, and choose the right programs for your practice before spending valuable time. Call us at 1-800-223-3444 for personalized assistance and request a demo to see how we can support your legal education journey.