If you were recently admitted to the New York bar, you must complete 32 credits of transitional continuing legal education within your first two years, divided into 16 credits each year across set categories. The NY CLE requirements for newly admitted attorneys are stricter than those for experienced attorneys in two ways: the category distribution is fixed for each year, and most self-study and on-demand formats are off-limits without prior Board approval.
When You Count as Newly Admitted
Your newly admitted period runs for the full two years following your admission ceremony. The clock starts on your admission date and ends on the second anniversary of that date. The classification applies regardless of where you live or whether you are actively practicing, as long as you hold a New York bar admission and do not qualify for an exemption.1Legal Information Institute. 22 NYCRR 1500.12 – Minimum Requirements
Once those two years are up, you move to the experienced attorney cycle, which has different totals, different categories, and more flexible formats. Everything below applies only while you are still in the newly admitted window.
Annual Credit Breakdown
Each of your two years requires 16 credits distributed the same way. You cannot front-load one category in year one and skip it in year two; each year must independently satisfy every minimum.1Legal Information Institute. 22 NYCRR 1500.12 – Minimum Requirements
- Ethics and professionalism: 3 credits per year, 6 over the cycle
- Skills: 6 credits per year, 12 over the cycle
- Law practice management, areas of professional practice, and/or cybersecurity general: 7 credits per year, 14 over the cycle
Diversity, inclusion, and elimination of bias credits are required for experienced attorneys but not for newly admitted attorneys. You can take those courses if you want, but they will not fill any part of the 32-credit transitional requirement.2New York Courts. As a Newly Admitted Attorney, Am I Required to Earn Diversity, Inclusion and Elimination of Bias CLE Credit Hours as Part of My Newly Admitted Attorney CLE Requirement?
Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Data Protection
If you were admitted on or after July 1, 2023, at least one of your 32 credits must be in cybersecurity, privacy, and data protection.3New York State Unified Court System. Cybersecurity, Privacy and Data Protection FAQs This credit does not add to your total; it comes out of the existing category buckets. A course labeled “general” counts toward the 7-credit professional practice bucket. A course labeled “ethics” counts toward your 3-credit ethics requirement instead, up to a maximum of three ethics-category cybersecurity credits over the full cycle.4New York State Unified Court System. 22 NYCRR 1500.12 – Minimum Requirements
Approved Formats
This is where newly admitted attorneys get tripped up. Self-study, pre-recorded video, audio programs, and on-demand online courses cannot be used for transitional CLE credit without prior permission from the CLE Board.1Legal Information Institute. 22 NYCRR 1500.12 – Minimum Requirements In practice, that means live in-person courses and fully interactive webinars with real-time participation are the safe defaults for every category.
Skills and ethics credits are the most format-sensitive. If you are looking at an on-demand or self-paced course, confirm with the provider that the specific program has been approved by the CLE Board for newly admitted transitional credit before you sign up. A course that would count for an experienced attorney will not necessarily count for you.
Carrying Credits Over
If you finish more than 16 credits in your first year, up to 8 excess credits can move into your second-year requirement. Once your second year is satisfied, up to 6 excess credits from year two can carry into your first experienced-attorney reporting cycle.5New York State Unified Court System. Newly Admitted Attorneys: An Overview of New York’s Continuing Legal Education Requirement
Two things do not carry over: ethics and professionalism credits, and cybersecurity ethics credits. Extra ethics courses in year one will not bank toward year two. Plan your ethics credits to land exactly at three per year and put any surplus effort into skills or professional practice, which do transfer.
Pre-Admission Credits
You can earn up to 16 transitional CLE credits between your law school graduation date and your bar admission date. Accredited courses taken during that gap can be applied to your newly admitted requirement, which is useful if there were several months between passing the bar exam and being sworn in.
Who Is Exempt
Not every newly admitted attorney owes 32 credits. If you do not practice law in New York at any point during your two-year cycle, you are exempt entirely. “Practicing law” means giving legal advice or providing legal representation to a specific person or entity in the public or private sector; performing judicial or quasi-judicial functions does not count.6Legal Information Institute. 22 NYCRR 1500.5 – Waivers and Exemptions
Three other groups are also exempt: full-time active-duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces or New York military service; attorneys with offices outside New York who are temporarily admitted to handle a specific case; and attorneys who certify they are retired from the practice of law. Being exempt does not affect your good standing or your ability to resume practice later.5New York State Unified Court System. Newly Admitted Attorneys: An Overview of New York’s Continuing Legal Education Requirement
Hardship Waivers
If you cannot complete your credits because of illness, personal emergency, or other extenuating circumstances, you can apply to the CLE Board for a waiver or modification. A waiver excuses the requirement; a modification accepts partial completion or grants other exceptions.7New York Courts. Waiver or Modification of CLE Requirements While the application is pending, you can still sign the CLE certification on your biennial registration and submit it with the fee; if the Board grants your request, a separate update form corrects your record.
Records and Reporting
Every accredited course gives you a Certificate of Attendance. Keep every one for at least four years from the date of the course.8Legal Information Institute. 22 NYCRR 1500.13 – Reporting Requirements
When your biennial attorney registration comes due, you certify on the registration statement that you completed the full 32 credits in the correct distribution and that you have retained the supporting documentation. The biennial registration fee is $375, payable online by credit card, debit card, or eCheck.8Legal Information Institute. 22 NYCRR 1500.13 – Reporting Requirements If the Board audits you, you have to produce certificates for every credit you claimed. An attorney who cannot produce records in an audit is treated the same as one who never completed the credits. Keep both electronic and physical copies.
If You Fall Short
New York does not impose a set fine or automatic suspension for missed CLE credits. The names of noncompliant attorneys are referred to the appropriate appellate division, which decides what action to take, ranging from a warning to more serious discipline depending on the circumstances and the extent of the deficiency.
The immediate problem is administrative. You cannot truthfully certify compliance on your biennial registration if you have not finished your credits, and registration is how the state confirms your good standing. A CLE gap can hold up your ability to practice until it is resolved. If you can see the shortfall coming, apply for a waiver or modification before the deadline rather than letting the registration date pass.