Lawyers have statutory and ethical obligations to safeguard funds they hold in trust for their clients or other persons. Lawyers must keep those funds separate from their business and personal accounts. Lawyers must maintain accurate books and report timely and completely to their client regarding the status and accounting of these funds.
To strengthen public protection and better support attorneys in fulfilling their client trust accounting duties, the State Bar implemented the Client Trust Account Protection Program (CTAPP) reporting requirements.
With very few exceptions, all California licensees must:
- Register their IOLTA and non-IOLTA accounts annually with the State Bar, either individually through My State Bar Profile or their law firm or organization can register accounts on their behalf through the State Bar's Agency Billing application.
- Complete an annual self-assessment of client trust account management practices.
- Certify with the State Bar that they understand and comply with requirements and prohibitions applicable to the safekeeping of funds and property of clients and other persons in rule 1.15 of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
The “reportable time period” for a new licensee who must pay their initial license fees is from their date of admission through the due date for payment of their initial fees, or, if the due date to pay their initial fees is in the year following their date of admission, through December 31 of the year they were admitted.
For a new licensee, the deadline for completing the CTAPP reporting requirement is the licensee’s due date for paying their annual license fees.
Reporting requirements must be completed online through your My State Bar Profile. See Client Trust Account Protection Program for more details.
- View the CTAPP FAQs.
- Learn about the CTAPP reporting requirements and access training videos.
- View a step-by-step guide for CTAPP compliance using My State Bar Profile.
Questions regarding CTAPP? Contact us at CTAPP@calbar.ca.gov.