What Are the CLE Requirements for Alabama Attorneys?
Unless exempt, Alabama attorneys must complete at least 12 MCLE credit hours every calendar year, including 1 hour of ethics or professionalism, finishing by December 31.
The Alabama State Bar MCLE Commission administers the state's CLE rules, and the annual compliance report is due February 15.
On-demand programs count for no more than 6 of the 12 hours, self-study earns no credit, and up to 12 excess hours carry forward to the next year only.
New lawyers owe a 3-hour professionalism course within 12 months of admission.
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At a glance
The Alabama State Bar MCLE Commission, which administers the MCLE rulebook (August 2025 revision).
At least 12 MCLE credit hours each calendar year, unless exempt.
The calendar year: hours due December 31, compliance report due February 15.
1 of the 12 hours must be ethics or professionalism; the August 2025 rulebook we read names no separate bias, wellness or technology requirement.
On-demand (not real-time) programs count for no more than 6 of the 12 credits; self-study earns no credit.
Exempt for the rest of the year of admission; a 3-hour professionalism course is due within 12 months of admission.
A $100 Late Filing Fee for certifying the report after February 15; a $100 Late Compliance Fee if deemed non-compliant.
How many CLE hours does Alabama require?
Unless exempt, Alabama attorneys must complete at least 12 MCLE credit hours each calendar year, including 1 hour of ethics or professionalism, by December 31.
The Alabama State Bar MCLE Commission administers the MCLE rules, and the rulebook in force is the August 2025 revision.
The 12 hours are an annual minimum under the rule, not a multi-year total.
“Each attorney subject to these rules shall complete a minimum of 12 hours of approved continuing legal education annually, 1 hour of which shall be on ethics or professionalism.”
What specialty credits are required (ethics, bias, wellness, tech)?
Alabama's named specialty requirement is a single hour: 1 of the 12 annual credits must be on ethics or professionalism.
The August 2025 rulebook our research read names no separate bias, wellness or technology requirement — that is a gap in what we reviewed, not a finding that no such category exists anywhere in the rules.
Credit categories can change, so confirm the current requirements with the MCLE Commission before you plan a compliance year around a non-ethics credit.
When is the deadline and how do you report?
The CLE year is the calendar year, and the hours — including the ethics or professionalism hour — must be complete by December 31.
Reporting runs on its own schedule: the annual compliance report is due February 15, and an attorney who certifies the report after that deadline pays a $100 Late Filing Fee.
Our research recorded the report deadline and its fee but not the mechanics of filing, so confirm how Alabama wants the report filed with the MCLE Commission.
“Any attorney who certifies his or her annual report of compliance after the February 15 deadline shall pay a $100 Late Filing Fee.”
What are the rules for newly admitted attorneys?
A newly admitted Alabama lawyer is exempt from the annual MCLE requirement for the rest of the year of admission.
The exemption does not remove everything: within 12 months of being admitted to the Alabama State Bar, every lawyer subject to the rules must complete a 3-hour course in professionalism.
Once that first partial year ends, the 12-hour annual requirement applies as it does to other attorneys, subject to the rule's exemptions.
“Within twelve months of being admitted to the Alabama State Bar, every lawyer subject to these Rules shall complete a three-hour course in professionalism.”
Can you complete CLE online or on demand?
Format matters in Alabama.
On-demand programs — those not offered in real time — count for no more than 6 of the 12 annual credits, so the balance of a year's hours has to come from other formats.
Interactive live webcasts count as live programs rather than on-demand ones.
Self-study is a hard line: Alabama awards no MCLE credit for self-study programs.
Questions about whether a specific course qualifies belong with the MCLE Commission.
“On-demand programs, which are not offered in real-time, shall be subject to the 6-credit hour limit.”
Can you carry over Alabama CLE hours, and who is exempt?
Up to 12 hours above the annual minimum — including 1 ethics hour — may be carried forward for credit in the succeeding year, and one year only: excess hours do not bank indefinitely.
Our research records two more exemptions in the rulebook.
Attorneys become exempt in the year they turn 65 or start receiving Social Security benefits, whichever comes first.
And lawyers who live and keep their principal office in another mandatory-CLE state and comply with that state's CLE requirements are exempt from Alabama's rules — except the reporting requirement and the professionalism course.
“A maximum of 12 hours, including 1 ethics hour, more than the minimum annual requirement may be carried forward for credit in the succeeding year.”
What happens if you miss the deadline?
Missing the cycle carries the consequences the rulebook records.
Certifying the annual report after February 15 costs a $100 Late Filing Fee.
An attorney deemed non-compliant for the year pays a $100 Late Compliance Fee.
And a deficiency plan must be completed by March 1 — the pages we read do not describe what the plan involves, so ask the Commission.
Fees and process can change, so confirm the current schedule with the MCLE Commission.
“Any attorney who is deemed non-compliant shall pay a $100 Late Compliance Fee.”
What This Page Does, and Doesn’t, Cover
This page summarizes the Alabama court rules, board and bar pages and other sources listed below, as read for this state-by-state CLE requirements series, current as of October 2026.
It is not a substitute for the instructions the Alabama State Bar MCLE Commission publishes.
For the rest of the picture in Alabama, see bar admission rules in Alabama.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Alabama have mandatory CLE?
Yes.
Unless exempt, Alabama attorneys must complete at least 12 MCLE credit hours each calendar year, including 1 hour of ethics or professionalism, by December 31.
The Alabama State Bar MCLE Commission administers the rules under its August 2025 rulebook, and the annual compliance report is due February 15.
How many Alabama CLE hours can be on demand?
No more than 6 of the 12 annual credits may come from on-demand programs — those not offered in real time.
Interactive live webcasts count as live programs, so they are not subject to the 6-credit cap.
Self-study is stricter still: Alabama awards no MCLE credit for self-study programs at all.
Do extra CLE hours carry over in Alabama?
Yes, within limits.
Up to 12 hours above the annual minimum — including 1 ethics hour — may be carried forward for credit in the succeeding year.
The carryover runs one year only, so excess hours do not bank indefinitely; hours not applied in that succeeding year cannot be carried further.
When is the Alabama CLE report due?
The CLE year ends December 31, when the hours must be complete, and the annual compliance report is due February 15.
Certifying the report after February 15 triggers a $100 Late Filing Fee, and an attorney deemed non-compliant for the year pays a $100 Late Compliance Fee.
Who is exempt from Alabama CLE?
Our research records three exemptions in the rulebook.
Attorneys become exempt in the year they turn 65 or start receiving Social Security benefits, whichever comes first.
Lawyers who live and keep their principal office in another mandatory-CLE state and comply with its CLE are exempt except for reporting and the professionalism course.
Newly admitted lawyers are exempt for the rest of their admission year but owe a 3-hour professionalism course within 12 months.
More Alabama Resources
Sources
- Alabama State Bar MCLE Rule Book (August 2025 revision) (retrieved 2026-10-02)
Sourced from the documents listed above.
Verified October 2026.
This is career information, not legal advice.
Confirm current rules with the Alabama State Bar MCLE Commission.