Every active attorney licensed in New Jersey must complete 24 credits of continuing legal education every two years to stay eligible to practice. The New Jersey CLE requirements, set by Court Rule 1:42-1 and administered by the Board on Continuing Legal Education (BCLE), include five credits in ethics and professionalism, at least two of which must cover diversity, inclusion, and elimination of bias (DIEB), plus one credit in a technology-related subject. The remaining 18 credits are electives.1NJ Courts. Notice and Order – Continuing Legal Education – Amendments to Court Rule R. 1:42-1 and CLE Regulations
Hitting 24 total credits is not enough on its own. If you fall short in any subcategory — ethics, DIEB, or technology — you are still non-compliant, even with a full credit count.
When You Have to Report
New Jersey splits attorneys into two compliance groups based on birth date. If your birthday falls between January 1 and June 30, you are in Group 1 and report in even-numbered years. If your birthday falls between July 1 and December 31, you are in Group 2 and report in odd-numbered years.2New Jersey Courts. Continuing Legal Education Requirement for Lawyers Admitted to the New Jersey Bar in 2026
Each cycle runs a full 24 months. You certify compliance through the Annual Attorney Registration and Billing system at the end of your period.
Rules for Newly Admitted Attorneys
Your first compliance period has extra structure. BCLE Regulation 201:2 requires newly admitted attorneys to earn at least 16 of their 24 credits in foundational New Jersey practice areas, drawn from at least six of 12 designated subjects:3New Jersey Courts. Board on Continuing Legal Education Regulations
- Basic estate administration
- Basic estate planning
- Civil or criminal trial preparation
- Family law practice
- Real estate closing procedures
- Attorney trust and business account fundamentals
- Landlord/tenant practice
- Municipal court practice
- Law office management
- Administrative law
- Labor and employment law
- Workers’ compensation law
One of those subjects is mandatory for every new admittee: attorney trust and business account fundamentals, worth at least one credit. The remaining eight credits in the first cycle can be any approved CLE topic.
How You Can Earn Credits
New Jersey accepts credits from live in-person courses, live webcasts, and alternative verifiable learning formats such as prerecorded or on-demand programs. Attorneys who live or work in New Jersey on a regular basis cannot earn more than 12 of the 24 required credits through alternative formats.3New Jersey Courts. Board on Continuing Legal Education Regulations
Two exceptions relax that cap. If you live and work in another mandatory CLE jurisdiction that permits 100 percent of credits through alternative formats, New Jersey matches that policy through reciprocity. And if you neither reside nor work in New Jersey on a regular basis for the whole cycle, or a physician certifies that you cannot attend live courses, you can meet the full 24 credits through alternative formats.
One point catches attorneys off guard. New Jersey does not award credit for teaching, lecturing, writing, mentoring, or pro bono work. Teach a CLE course and the attendees get credit; you do not.
Carryover
Earn more than 24 credits in a cycle and you can carry up to 12 excess credits into the next one under BCLE Regulation 201:3.3New Jersey Courts. Board on Continuing Legal Education Regulations The 12-credit ceiling means you cannot bank a full cycle and skip the next one.
Reciprocity for Multi-State Attorneys
BCLE Regulation 201:4 gives 1:1 credit for courses approved in any other mandatory CLE jurisdiction. Three credits earned in New York or Pennsylvania count as three credits in New Jersey.3New Jersey Courts. Board on Continuing Legal Education Regulations
Two limits matter. You still have to meet New Jersey’s five-credit ethics minimum separately, even if your other state has no ethics requirement. And DIEB credits transfer only if the other state also mandates diversity, inclusion, and elimination of bias coursework; a DIEB-labeled course from a state without that mandate will not count toward your DIEB requirement here. Reciprocity also does not cover the foundational courses required of newly admitted attorneys under Regulation 201:2.
Exemptions
Under BCLE Regulation 202:1, a small group of attorneys is fully exempt:4NJ Courts. Who Is Exempt From Having to Take CLE
- Attorneys admitted to practice for 50 years or more in New Jersey or any jurisdiction.
- Attorneys age 75 or older, regardless of years in practice.
- Attorneys in full-time military, VISTA, or Peace Corps service for the entire compliance period.
- Attorneys fully retired from practicing law for the entire compliance period.
The retirement exemption is strict. “Fully retired” means for the whole two-year cycle. Handling even occasional legal work during the period disqualifies you.
Hardship Waivers and Extensions
Regulation 202:2 allows the BCLE to waive requirements when there is clear and convincing evidence of undue hardship or circumstances beyond your control, defined to include severe medical conditions, natural disasters, family emergencies, financial hardship, or other compelling reasons.3New Jersey Courts. Board on Continuing Legal Education Regulations Regulation 202:3 offers a simpler path: an extension of time, reviewed case by case with no precedential effect. Both must be in writing and certified as true under penalty of perjury. If the Board grants a waiver, it can attach additional CLE requirements when the waiver period ends.
What Happens If You Fall Short
The New Jersey Supreme Court periodically issues orders declaring non-compliant attorneys ineligible to practice. In a recent order, each attorney on the ineligibility list was barred from practicing until they submitted a completed compliance-reporting form, copies of all attendance certificates showing they met the CLE requirement, any unpaid noncompliance fees, and a $100 reinstatement fee.5NJ Courts. Order – Attorney Ineligibility for CLE Noncompliance 2025
The ineligibility list is published as an attachment to the court’s order, so clients and colleagues can see it. If you can tell you are going to fall short, an extension request filed before the deadline is far better than sorting out ineligibility after the fact.
How to Certify
You report compliance through the Annual Attorney Registration and Billing system on the New Jersey Courts website. Before logging in, pull together the title of each course, the approved provider’s name, the completion date, and the credit type for each course (general, ethics, DIEB, or technology). Keep certificates of attendance handy to cross-check your entries.
Certification happens alongside the annual registration fee, which is $267 for 2026 for attorneys admitted between five and 49 years.6NJ Courts. New Jersey Attorney Electronic Registration and Payment for 2026 Check the compliance box, confirm your credit breakdown, and submit. Save the digital receipt and confirmation email. The BCLE requires you to keep records and documentation demonstrating you met the requirement if questions come up later.1NJ Courts. Notice and Order – Continuing Legal Education – Amendments to Court Rule R. 1:42-1 and CLE Regulations