Meet Your Annual Alabama MCLE Requirement
Alabama attorneys are required to complete 12.0 Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credit hours each calendar year, including 1.0 hour of ethics or professionalism. The deadline to earn these credits is December 31 (MCLE Rule 3 and MCLE Reg. 7.2).
Key Points:
- Ethics Credit: 1 hour must be in ethics or professionalism (counts toward the 12-hour total).
- New Attorneys: Newly admitted attorneys must complete the Mandatory Professionalism Seminar, earning 3 credits (MCLE Rule 9).
- Live Requirement: At least 6 hours must be from live programs. Live webinars count as “live” and do not apply toward the 6-hour on-demand cap.
- On-Demand Cap: Maximum of 6 hours per year may come from online, on-demand programs.
- Correction Deadline: If you receive a Notice of Non-Compliance, you have until February 15 to correct your transcript.
Tracking & Reporting Your CLE Credits
You can view your Alabama CLE transcript for the current and past years by logging into the Alabama State Bar Member Portal.
Reporting Notes:
Course sponsors, including Trial Guides, have 30 days to report your attendance for approved courses.
If a program is not pre-approved, you can request credit through either:
Trial Guides – Request credit here
Alabama State Bar – Submit an Application for MCLE Course Accreditation with a timed agenda, speaker bios, and the $25 processing fee. (Must be submitted within 60 days after the program year ends.
Exemptions & Waivers
Out-of-State Attorney Exemption (MCLE Reg. 2.7): Attorneys who reside and practice in another MCLE-required state may claim exemption by providing proof of compliance in their home state. Instructions are available on the Alabama Bar website.
Hardship Waiver: Attorneys facing undue hardship or extenuating circumstances may apply for a waiver by submitting the MCLE Waiver Request Form.
Alabama CLE Accreditation Guidelines
To be eligible for Alabama MCLE credit:
- Designed for Attorneys – Must be primarily for lawyers, with significant practical or intellectual content (MCLE Rule 5.A.2).
- Accepted Topics – Substantive legal issues, practice management, professional responsibility, or ethical obligations (MCLE Rule 5.A.3).
- Qualified Instructors – Must be presented by individuals with appropriate expertise (MCLE Rule 5.A.5).
- Written Materials – Required high-quality materials must be provided to participants at or before the course (MCLE Rule 5.A.6).
- No Advertising During the Program – Sponsors cannot market their services during CLE presentations (MCLE Regulation 4.4).
- Reasonable Cost – Program cost must match content and delivery type (MCLE Rule 5.A.8).
- Recorded/Electronic Courses – Require a live instructor for interaction and Q&A during broadcasts (MCLE Rule 5.B).
- On-Demand/Online Courses – Must have random monitoring and allow participant questions via email within a reasonable time (MCLE Rule 5.C).
- No Self-Study Credit – Self-study is not accepted for MCLE in Alabama (MCLE Rule 5.D).
Finish Your Alabama CLE – Flexible Options Available
Trial Guides offers live accredited webinars and on-demand CLE programs that meet Alabama MCLE requirements.
- Fulfill your 6 live hours with interactive webinars
- Convenient on-demand courses (up to 6 hours/year)
- Ethics and professionalism courses included
- Certificates available immediately upon completion
If you would like MCLE credit in Alabama for a Trial Guides CLE course not previously approved, please request credit here.