Updated: Aug. 31, 2022

MCLE Requirements for Lawyer Licensure

Lawyers, administrative law judges, and house counsel licensed under Washington Supreme Court Admission and Practice Rule (APR) 8(f) must complete:

  • 45 approved MCLE credits in total every applicable three-year reporting period, including:
    • At least 15 law and legal procedure credits
    • At least 6 ethics credits
  • You may carry over to the next reporting period up to 15 excess credits, including 2 ethics and professional responsibility credits.  
  • You cannot earn more than 8 credits in a day.

Deadlines

  • Earn credits by Dec. 31 of the third year of your reporting period.
  • Certify credits by Feb. 1 of the year following your reporting period.

Late Fees

  • A late fee will be assessed if you complete your credit requirements after Dec. 31, or if you certify after Feb. 1. The MCLE late fee starts at $150 and increases in increments of $300 for each consecutive late reporting period.

Using the MCLE Online System

Login to your MCLE Online System account to:

  • View your roster
  • Search for approved courses
    • via the Find CLEs link on the My Activities tab
  • Report an activity
    • Click Add an Activity button on your dashboard.
    • Click the appropriate activity type button and then follow on screen prompts.
  • Comity
    • Submitting a Comity Certificate to Washington: Lawyers licensed in Oregon, Idaho, or Utah can submit a Comity Certificate of MCLE compliance from that respective state to satisfy MCLE compliance in Washington in lieu of earning MCLE credits. Lawyers can log into the MCLE Online System and submit a Comity Certificate and pay the required $25 comity fee. In order to be valid, Comity Certificates cannot have been issued more than 6 months prior to the submission date. If you are due to report in the state you are obtaining the Comity Certificate from, please be sure to become MCLE compliant in that state before acquiring the Comity Certificate.
    • Requesting a Comity Certificate from Washington: Lawyers can log into the MCLE Online System and request a Comity Certificate through the Request Comity Certificate link on the left side of the screen. The Washington Comity Certificate can be submitted in Oregon, Idaho, or Utah to satisfy that state’s MCLE requirements (subject to each state’s acceptance). The Comity Certificate requires a $25 fee and will be available for download for 6 months from the issue date.

    NOTE: Your Washington state and comity state reporting periods do not need to be identical to use comity for MCLE compliance. The Comity Certificate must show that you are currently MCLE compliant in that state. If you have questions about comity states accepting a Washington state-issued Comity Certificate, please reach out to that relevant state bar directly.