State Approaches To Certification
This summary is intended as a guide. Please refer to your state's rules regarding communication. You should also review the states with special requirements. Further information on state regulation of certification can be found on the ABA website.
All three ABC programs are accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). The ABA reports that twenty-four (24) states currently recognize ABA accreditation as the sole or partial criteria for approving certifying organizations in the state. These states are:
- Alaska
- Arkansas
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Maine
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New York
- New Jersey
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Puerto Rico
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Vermont
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
ABC Certification is a prerequisite for certification in Louisiana and Tennessee.In addition, ABC has gained accreditation in the following 11 states:
- Arizona
- Alabama
- California
- Connecticut (business and consumer bankruptcy only)
- Florida (business and consumer bankruptcy only)
- Indiana
- Louisiana
- Minnesota
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Texas
Some states have rules that are favorable to certification. These 12 states are:*
- Colorado
- District of Columbia
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Missouri
- New Mexico
- Oregon
- Virginia
*A Favorable rules change is pending before the South Carolina Supreme Court.
Following states have Unique State Requirements.
- Ohio
- Louisiana
- Tennessee