Attorney Licensing
Membership Status
Each member of the Alabama State Bar must annually purchase either an Occupational License or a Special Membership. All licenses and memberships expire on September 30th of each year and must be renewed annually for an attorney to be considered an active member in good standing. Additional details, including the differences between the Occupational License and Special Membership are below.
You can pay your license fee, Client Security Fund dues and section dues (if any) online in one place! Visit your Dashboard and click “Consolidated Fee Invoice.”
If you need to update your member information, please go to your Member Dashboard and make the request there via the “Update Profile” button towards the top of the page.
Disciplinary History Requests
If you would like to order a discipline history letter, please email that request to the Disciplinary Clerk at clerk@alabar.org.
Occupational License
An attorney who engages in the active practice of law is required to purchase an occupational license (Section 40-12-49, Code of Alabama, 1975, as amended). The practice of law is defined in Section 34-3-6, Code of Alabama, 1975, as amended.
Occupational License Fee: $300.00
A late penalty of 15% ($45.00) is added to occupational license fee payments received after October 31. Fees postmarked October 31 but not received by that date are considered late and penalty applies.
Special Membership
An attorney NOT engaged in the active practice of law in Alabama may pay special membership dues to remain a member in good standing (Sections 34-3-17 & 18, Code of Alabama, 1975, as amended). Those exempt from licensing by virtue of a position held (i.e. judgeships, attorneys general, U.S. attorneys, district attorneys, etc.) also qualify for special memberships. Attorneys who hold a special membership ARE NOT permitted to engage in the private practice of law in Alabama.