Lawyer Registration Penalties

Click the topics below for more information.

Expand all

Failure to Submit Registration Fee
If your annual registration fee is not received on or before the due date, you will be assessed a late penalty of $75. If your annual registration fee and late penalty payments are not received before the first day of the month following the due date, you will be placed on suspension for non-payment status on that date. Your right to practice law in Minnesota will be automatically suspended and you will be assessed a $100 reinstatement fee in addition to the late penalty.

Past-Due Statements
A past-due statement will be mailed to you if you do not pay your license fee by the due date.  An email notification will also be sent to you if you are signed up for electronic communications. You must pay your registration fee plus a late penalty of $75 before the first day of the month following the due date in order to be avoid suspension of your license on that date.

If you receive a past-due statement but believe you have already paid the registration fee, you can review your payment history using the online lawyer search. Search for yourself, and then look at the field in your record that says “Last Payment.” It will show when your last payment was received and processed.  We recommend looking at this record for proof of payment before contacting the Lawyer Registration Office.

Make sure that your payment was made to the Minnesota Lawyer Registration Office of the Minnesota Supreme Court and that the confirmation or receipt received was from the Minnesota Lawyer Registration Office.

Payments made to the Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA) are not associated with the Minnesota Lawyer Registration Office. Any payment made to the MSBA does not cover your annual registration fee.

Suspension for Non-Payment and Reinstatement

A suspension statement will be mailed to you if you do not pay your license fee and the late penalty before the first day of the month following the due date.  An email notification will also be sent to you if you are signed up for electronic communications.

To be reinstated from suspension, you must pay: 1) your current registration fee; 2) the late penalty of $75; 3) the reinstatement fee of $100; and 4) all past due registration fees (maximum six years).  The suspension for non-payment will be removed from a license once these fees have been paid online or a completed, signed statement and payments are received in our office. However, the suspension will be recorded within your Lawyer Registration history.