Florida Bar members can complete all 30 required continuing legal education hours without paying a course fee. Free Florida CLE is available through LegalFuel, several Bar sections and committees, and pro bono service credit, and every hour is self-reported through the MyFloridaBar Member Portal.
LegalFuel: The Largest Free Source
LegalFuel is the Florida Bar’s practice resource center and the single biggest source of no-cost CLE for members. The platform hosts more than 100 hours of on-demand webinars covering general, ethics, and technology credits.1LegalFuel. LegalFuel – The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center No registration is required to start watching.
LegalFuel does not issue certificates of completion because the Florida Bar does not require them. You take the course number from the description on the site and enter it into the member portal yourself.2LegalFuel. LegalFuel CLE FAQs
Free Courses From Bar Sections and Committees
The Florida Bar maintains a dedicated free CLE page that lists every no-cost provider and program available to members. Sections currently offering free programming include the Administrative Law Section, Public Interest Law Section, Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, Labor and Employment Law Section, and the Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism. Committees contributing free content include the Legal Needs of Children Committee, the Government Advocacy Committee, and the Student Education and Admission to the Bar Committee.3The Florida Bar. Free CLE
The specific courses rotate, so check the page every few months rather than expecting the same catalog each visit.
Third-Party Webinars
Legal research platforms, practice management software companies, and other private vendors sometimes offer free webinars that qualify for Florida credit. These often focus on technology or law office efficiency, which can help fill the 3-hour technology requirement. Before signing up, confirm the course has been approved by the Florida Bar and has an assigned course number you can report. If a course has not been pre-approved, you would need to submit an individual evaluation request, and there is no guarantee the Bar will accept it.
Pro Bono Service Now Earns CLE Credit
Since December 30, 2024, Florida attorneys can earn general CLE credit for pro bono legal service at a one-to-one ratio, up to a maximum of 5 credits per three-year reporting cycle.4Supreme Court of Florida. SC2024-0964 Opinion Only service performed after the effective date counts, and monetary donations to legal aid organizations do not qualify.5The Florida Bar. Florida Lawyers May Now Report Pro Bono Hours for CLE Credit Online
Pro bono credits apply only to the general category. They cannot be used to satisfy the ethics, professionalism, or technology subcategories. Even so, 5 credits represents a sixth of the full requirement.
What Your Free Hours Need to Cover
Every Florida Bar member must complete 30 credit hours every three years, and the free hours you find have to land in the right places.6The Florida Bar. Frequently Asked Questions About CLE Requirements Within the 30 total:
- At least 5 hours must cover legal ethics, professionalism, substance abuse, or mental health and wellness.
- As part of those 5 hours, you must complete the 2-credit Florida Legal Professionalism course produced by the Bar and approved by the Supreme Court of Florida.
- At least 3 hours must cover approved technology topics.
The remaining hours can be general CLE in any approved subject.6The Florida Bar. Frequently Asked Questions About CLE Requirements Excess credits do not carry into the next cycle, so there is no benefit to going over. LegalFuel’s catalog covers all three categories, which is why members can build a complete cycle without leaving the platform.
Reporting Free Credits Through the Member Portal
Florida attorneys self-report every CLE credit through the MyFloridaBar Member Portal.7The Florida Bar. General CLE Info and Requirements The Bar does not track completions automatically. The process:
- Find the course number. On LegalFuel, it appears in the course description. In a live program, the presenter usually announces it.2LegalFuel. LegalFuel CLE FAQs
- Log into the portal with your member credentials and open the CLE reporting section.
- Enter the course number. Most of the fields, including provider name and credit breakdown, populate automatically.
- Confirm the hours are allocated to the correct categories (general, ethics, technology) before you submit.
Certificates of completion are not needed. The course number is the record. Questions about a specific entry can go to the CLE Department at clemail@floridabar.org or 850-561-5842.2LegalFuel. LegalFuel CLE FAQs
What Happens If You Don’t Finish in Time
An attorney who does not complete the 30 hours by the end of the reporting cycle becomes a delinquent member. Under Rule 1-3.4, a delinquent member is prohibited from practicing law in Florida and loses all privileges of good standing.8The Florida Bar. Rules Regulating The Florida Bar – Chapter 1 The Bar notifies you by email and regular mail.
If the delinquency is not resolved within 60 days, the matter is referred to the Attorney/Consumer Assistance Program, which can initiate disciplinary proceedings. Reinstatement then requires filing a petition and paying a reinstatement fee.9The Florida Bar. New Process Makes It Easier for CLE Delinquent Members to Apply for Reinstatement Given that the full requirement can be met at no cost, a delinquency is an avoidable expense.