Maryland does not have mandatory continuing legal education. CLE requirements in Maryland remain voluntary, making it one of only five U.S. jurisdictions without a credit-hour mandate as of 2026. That said, keeping your Maryland law license in good standing still requires finishing several annual tasks on time, and missing them can get you decertified from practice.
Is Mandatory CLE Coming to Maryland?
Not on any set timeline. A workgroup appointed by the Supreme Court of Maryland recommended adopting a mandatory CLE rule, and on December 19, 2024, the Court voted to keep considering it along with a lighter alternative that would have required attorneys to report voluntary CLE rather than complete a set number of credits. On April 28, 2025, the Court postponed consideration of both options until further notice.1Maryland Courts. A Report on Mandatory CLE in Maryland
No implementation date exists, and any adopted rule would be announced through official Maryland Courts channels before taking effect. Online summaries that cite specific rule numbers as if a requirement were already in place are describing the proposal, not current law.
What Maryland Attorneys Must Do Each Year
Even without CLE, maintaining an active Maryland license involves four annual obligations:2Maryland Courts. Attorney Compliance Requirements
- Pay the Client Protection Fund assessment. The current amount, set by the Supreme Court of Maryland, is $20.3Maryland Courts. Attorneys – Frequently Asked Questions
- File a Pro Bono Legal Service Report summarizing your pro bono work and contributions during the prior fiscal year (July 1 through June 30). This is a reporting requirement; Maryland does not mandate a minimum number of pro bono hours.
- Submit the IOLTA report on the status of any attorney trust accounts. Every attorney admitted to practice must file this report, including attorneys who do not hold client funds or maintain a trust account.4Maryland Courts. IOLTA Reporting Requirement
- Keep your contact information current in the Attorney Information System. Missing a notice because of outdated information will not excuse a late filing.
Deadlines and How to File
Everything runs through the Attorney Information System (AIS), Maryland’s online portal for attorney records. On or before July 10 each year, the Administrative Office of the Courts sends a single electronic notice through AIS opening the compliance cycle. You then have until September 10 to pay the CPF assessment and file both the pro bono and IOLTA reports.5Maryland Courts. Attorney Information System
The pro bono and IOLTA reports must be completed online through AIS. You can pay the CPF assessment online or mail a check with an invoice printed from your AIS account. Save your confirmation after each item. If a dispute arises later about whether you filed on time, that documentation is your proof.
What Happens If You Miss the September 10 Deadline
Missing the deadline triggers a decertification process that can bar you from practicing law in Maryland. After September 10, the AOC notifies each defaulting attorney electronically that continued failure to file may result in a Supreme Court order prohibiting them from practice.6New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Rule 19-503 Reporting Pro Bono Legal Service
If you still haven’t filed by February 10 of the following year, the AOC prepares a certified list of defaulting attorneys and submits a proposed Decertification Order to the Supreme Court. Once the Court is satisfied that proper notice was given, it enters the order. Every attorney named is then prohibited from practicing law in Maryland until recertified.6New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Rule 19-503 Reporting Pro Bono Legal Service
Decertification is not a disciplinary sanction, but the practical effect is the same. While decertified, you cannot represent clients, appear in court, or hold yourself out as a Maryland attorney.
Getting Recertified
Recovery from a reporting-based decertification is relatively simple. File the outstanding report, and the AOC notifies the Supreme Court and requests a Recertification Order. When the Court enters that order, your authorization to practice is restored.6New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Rule 19-503 Reporting Pro Bono Legal Service
After recertification, you are not required to disclose the decertification when asked whether you have been the subject of a disciplinary or remedial proceeding. Any work you performed while decertified, however, can create separate problems. Filing a short online report is far simpler than untangling the consequences of practicing without authorization.
If You Have Stopped Practicing
Switching to inactive or retired status excuses you from all annual assessments and reporting. To make the switch, you must first be current on everything, then submit a notarized Affidavit of Inactive/Retired Status to the Client Protection Fund office. The original notarized affidavit must arrive by August 31 of the current fiscal year. Attorneys admitted in December have until March 31.3Maryland Courts. Attorneys – Frequently Asked Questions The window to request the change runs from July 1 through August 31. Inactive or retired status preserves your eligibility to return to active practice later without seeking readmission to the bar.
Voluntary CLE
The absence of a mandate does not mean CLE is irrelevant in Maryland. The Maryland State Bar Association offers courses on substantive legal topics, and the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland partners with the MSBA to provide free or discounted CLE slots to attorneys who accept pro bono case referrals or work at legal services organizations. Many national CLE providers offer Maryland-specific programming as well.
If the Supreme Court eventually adopts a CLE requirement, keeping records of any voluntary courses you complete now could prove useful, particularly if a carryover provision is included in whatever rule is ultimately adopted. Attorneys who are also licensed in states that already require CLE, including Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York, may already be completing credits that would count under a future Maryland rule, since the workgroup’s recommendation was to align Maryland with those neighboring jurisdictions.1Maryland Courts. A Report on Mandatory CLE in Maryland