California bar pro bono requirements are aspirational, not mandatory. No attorney in the state has to perform any minimum number of free legal hours to keep a license in good standing. What California does require, beginning with the 2026 licensing cycle, is that every active attorney report how many pro bono and reduced-fee hours they performed the year before. The professional target the State Bar points attorneys toward is 50 hours per year.
The 50-Hour Aspirational Standard
Business and Professions Code section 6073 says every attorney authorized to practice in California “is expected to make a contribution” of voluntary pro bono legal services.1California Legislative Information. California Code BPC 6073 “Expected” is the operative word. It signals a professional norm rather than a binding duty. The State Bar’s own guidance sets the target at 50 hours per year, drawn from ABA Model Rule 6.1 and the State Bar’s Pro Bono Resolution, and calls that figure “aspirational and not a requirement.”2The State Bar of California. Frequently Asked Questions About Pro Bono
Section 6073.2 uses the same framing, stating that “every lawyer should aspire to fulfill their individual commitment to provide pro bono legal services each year and contribute financially to California legal aid organizations.”3California Legislative Information. California Code BPC 6073.2 “Should,” not “shall.” No attorney faces discipline, license consequences, or fee penalties for performing zero pro bono hours.
What Counts as Pro Bono Work
Section 6073.1 defines qualifying pro bono service as legal work provided, or enabled, without expectation of payment beyond expense reimbursement, delivered to any of three categories:4California Legislative Information. California Code BPC 6073.1
- Indigent individuals, meaning people whose income is at or below 125 percent of the federal poverty threshold, or who qualify for Supplemental Security Income or free services under programs such as the Older Americans Act.5Justia Law. California Code BPC 6210-6228 – Funds for the Provision of Legal Services to Indigent Persons
- Charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental, or educational organizations working on matters that primarily address the needs of people of limited means.
- Those same types of organizations in matters that further their organizational mission, even when the work is not directly poverty-focused.
The statute separately recognizes “reduced fee legal services,” meaning work delivered at a substantially reduced rate to people who qualify as low-income, very low income, or extremely low income under state income limits.4California Legislative Information. California Code BPC 6073.1 Reduced-fee work is not the same as pro bono, but attorneys report both under the new rule. Legal services written off as bad debts do not count.
Financial Contributions as an Alternative
Section 6073 gives attorneys who cannot take on direct service another path: they may “instead fulfill his or her individual pro bono ethical commitment, in part, by providing financial support to organizations providing free legal services to persons of limited means.”1California Legislative Information. California Code BPC 6073 The statute suggests the donation, at minimum, approximate the value of the hours of pro bono work the attorney would otherwise have performed. Firms can pool contributions collectively rather than counting attorney by attorney.
Mandatory Reporting Starting in 2026
The change that affects every active California attorney is reporting, not service. Beginning with the 2026 licensing fee cycle, every active licensee must report pro bono and reduced-fee hours through the My State Bar Profile when paying annual fees.3California Legislative Information. California Code BPC 6073.2 For the 2026 cycle, the reportable period is January 1 through December 31, 2025, and the filing deadline is March 30, 2026.6The State Bar of California. Frequently Asked Questions: Mandatory Pro Bono Reporting
Two numbers are reported: total hours of pro bono legal services performed during the preceding calendar year, and total hours of reduced-fee legal services provided to low-income individuals, nonprofit organizations, or public law libraries.3California Legislative Information. California Code BPC 6073.2 The State Bar may include a “decline to answer” option for attorneys who do not track hours or prefer not to say.
The reported data is confidential and exempt from California’s Public Records Act. The State Bar may publish aggregated and anonymized reports drawn from the data and must retain the underlying information for at least five years.3California Legislative Information. California Code BPC 6073.2
What Happens If You Don’t Report
Section 6073.2 says failure to comply with any provision of the reporting requirement “is not grounds for disciplinary or administrative recourse.”3California Legislative Information. California Code BPC 6073.2 The State Bar’s FAQ confirms the same reading.6The State Bar of California. Frequently Asked Questions: Mandatory Pro Bono Reporting The legislature built this as a data-collection tool, not an enforcement mechanism. Because the field appears inside the annual license renewal workflow, most attorneys will encounter it as a routine step regardless.
Who Is Exempt From Reporting
Three groups do not have to report at all:3California Legislative Information. California Code BPC 6073.2
- Attorneys employed by organizations primarily engaged in providing pro bono legal services, including qualified legal services projects, support centers, legal aid organizations, and nonprofit public benefit corporations.
- Full-time employees, officers, or elected officials of the State of California, its political subdivisions, or the federal government.
- Attorneys whose employers prohibit them from performing pro bono work, provided they declare the prohibition on their State Bar profile when paying annual fees.
The Pro Bono Practice Program
Attorneys who would otherwise let their licenses go inactive but want to keep doing free legal work can use the Pro Bono Practice Program, set out in State Bar Rules 3.325 through 3.330.7The State Bar of California. Rules of the State Bar Title 3, Pro Bono Practice Program The program lets a qualifying attorney maintain active status only for volunteer legal services.
To qualify, an attorney must be in good standing with no pending disciplinary charges and no record of public discipline in the three years before applying. Certification is annual. A certified attorney can provide legal services only through a designated pro bono legal services provider and cannot take on other work requiring active status. The recommended minimum is 100 hours of pro bono service per year, and the supervising organization must provide adequate support and supervision. Pro bono practice attorneys still have to meet California’s Minimum Continuing Legal Education requirements.7The State Bar of California. Rules of the State Bar Title 3, Pro Bono Practice Program
Malpractice Coverage for Volunteers
Professional liability is a common practical concern for attorneys considering pro bono work. Most established legal aid organizations in California carry malpractice insurance that covers their volunteers while handling cases through the program. Before accepting a matter, ask the sponsoring organization whether its policy extends to volunteer attorneys. Whether your own firm’s malpractice policy covers outside pro bono work depends on the specific policy language, so check with your carrier if you plan to handle cases independently rather than through an organized program.