Find out how to access the forms needed to complete a license status change.
A status change cannot be completed in your My State Bar Profile, however, you can access the required forms in My State Profile under the "Status Changes" menu.
Continuing reading below for information on how to complete the following status changes:
Note: The only voluntary statuses are active, inactive and resigned.
Transfer to inactive
Note: Only licensees on active status may transfer to inactive status. While suspended, a licensee cannot change license status. If you are currently on Not Eligible status, contact us for reinstatement information. Check your license status using the State Bar's attorney search feature.
If you no longer practice law in California and wish to transfer to voluntary inactive status, please note that for your 2025 annual fees to be calculated at the lower inactive rate, you must formalize your status change by submitting the required Application to Transfer to Inactive form by December 1, 2024. Additionally, the effective date of the transfer to inactive must be on or before December 31, 2024, to qualify for the 2025 inactive fee.
Note: Transfers to inactive status received after December 1, 2024 will not reduce active fees owed. You may change your status to inactive after December 1, 2024; however, you must pay annual fees at the active rate and will not be entitled to a refund because of the change to inactive status.
Transfer to active
Note: Only licensees on voluntary inactive status may transfer to active status. While suspended, a licensee cannot change license status. If you are currently on Not Eligible status, contact us for reinstatement information. Check your license status using the State Bar's attorney search feature.
If you are currently on voluntary inactive status and wish to transfer to active, please submit the Request to Transfer to Active Status form.
Note: Under California Rule of Court 9.9.5, all inactive licensed attorneys must be fingerprinted prior to being placed on active status. View the fingerprinting rule requirement information.
A status change to active will be effective upon the State Bar's receipt of the Request to Transfer to Active Status form and compliance with the fingerprinting requirement. Additionally, if applicable, once the annual fees have been adjusted, payment will be expected immediately.
Voluntarily resign
The State Bar does not have a retired status option. If you simply stop paying annual fees, your license will be suspended. Additionally, notification of retirement is not sufficient to change your status.
Please remember that annual license fees are waived for licensees on inactive status who are 70 years of age on March 30 and will continue to be waived for subsequent years, as long as they remain inactive. Resignation, however, should be considered a permanent step, for attorneys who are certain they would not wish to practice law in California again. Re-admission after resignation would require a reinstatement petition in the State Bar Court, an expensive and time-consuming process which usually entails re-taking most of the bar exam.
If you would like to voluntarily resign, log in to your My State Bar Profile and click the "Voluntary Resignation Form" option under the "Status Changes" menu to access and complete the required form.
Questions? Contact us.