What should I do if I have not completed my CLE credits by the June 30 completion deadline at the end of my two-year reporting period?

Your completion deadline is June 30 at 11:59 PM Central Daylight Time at the end of your two-year reporting period -- even-numbered years for A-M compliance last names and odd-numbered years for N-Z compliance last names. By this date and time, you must finish all hours due in that two-year reporting period. If you do not meet the June 30 deadline, your transcript will not reflect a report of “complied,” even if you finished your hours just past midnight on July 1 or a few days or weeks into July.

The best option: request a grace period extension on the Board's website and pay the $100 late fee by the July 31 credit reporting deadline. With that report and payment, you automatically receive a grace period extension until October 31 to finish your credits and a report of compliance must be entered for you based on your transcript no later than November 30. When you submit that request, you pay the lower $100.00 timely non-compliance fee, instead of the higher $250.00 late fee assessed for not reporting by July 31. The Court sets those fees so staff cannot waive them.

Here are the steps to request a Grace Period Extension to October 31 to complete your credits, submitted no later than your July 31 credit reporting deadline:

Click here to go to our website’s attorney page. On the right side of that page, log in with your ARDC number and password.
- Click here to retrieve your ARDC number from the ARDC website
- Reset password: click Forgot/Create Password link directly below the password box
When you are logged in, you will see your name, ARDC number, compliance status, and details about your next deadlines.

Click on the "My MCLE" button that appears on that page after logging in.

In the column titled "Reporting Period Detail," click the green box "Request Grace Period Extension".

On the page titled "Request Grace Period Extension," read the information about requesting the grace period extension and paying the $100 late fee with that report. To make this request and pay the fee, click "Yes".

If you do not want to request the extension and pay the late fee with that request, click "No".

After you click "Yes," the page titled "Select Fees for Payment" will display. Read the information about payment, including there are no refunds or cancellations of the $100.00 late fee once you have requested the grace period extension and paid the late fee.

Click the box indicating your current reporting period followed by the words "Timely Req. for Grace Period Extn".

Next, you can choose to cancel or you will select your payment method - select "Pay selected fees by check" or "Pay selected fees by credit card".
- If you select "Pay selected fees by credit card," you will enter your payment information on the next page and hit "Submit". Payment by credit card is virtually instantaneous.
  
  Your payment confirmation is presented on the next page. A confirmation is sent to your email address on file, but you can enter another address to send a copy there.
- If you select "Pay selected fees by check" to pay by mailing or delivering a check:
  1. print the PDF invoice generated when you choose "Pay selected fees by check" and include that invoice with your check payment; and
  2. allow at least 10 business days for U.S. Mail - it may take longer. Payment is not applied to your account until the MCLE Board receives the check. If the Board does not receive your check and apply it to your account by the July 31 deadline, you will be assessed the $250.00 late fee.
    
    Please consider a credit card payment or overnight delivery if you want the payment received and processed sooner.

Credits earned in the grace period first apply to the just completed two-year reporting period. Excess hours can go to the (now) current reporting period that began July 1.

To locate this FAQ again, enter this FAQ number in the search FAQ box: A435.