The Minnesota Lawyer Registration Statement is the annual form every lawyer and judge licensed in Minnesota must file with the Lawyer Registration Office to confirm their license status, certify trust account and insurance compliance, and pay the yearly registration fee. It is the document that keeps your law license alive and in good standing each year.
Miss the deadline, skip a required certification, or pay the wrong fee, and the consequences are real. The state can tack on a $75 late penalty and, if you stay out of compliance, your right to practice law in Minnesota is automatically suspended on the first day of the month after your due date. Minnesota has roughly 26,000 actively licensed lawyers, and each one must clear this filing every single year through the online OASIS registration system or by mailing a paper statement.
Here is what you will learn in this guide:
- 📋 What the Lawyer Registration Statement is and exactly who must file it each year
- 🗂️ The documents, ID numbers, and details you must gather before you open the form
- ✍️ A field-by-field walkthrough of every certification, with sample entries you can copy
- 💵 The current 2025 fee schedule, your alphabetical due date, and how to avoid the late penalty
- ⚠️ The most common mistakes filers make and the direct consequence of each one
What the Form Is and Who Must File It
The Lawyer Registration Statement is an annual filing required under the Rules of the Supreme Court on Lawyer Registration. Rule 11 sets the deadline, Rules 4 through 8 set the fee for each status, and Rule 1 explains the purpose: to keep an accurate record of every lawyer and judge licensed in the state. The form does three jobs at once. It confirms your status, it collects your required certifications, and it processes your fee.
Every lawyer admitted to practice law in Minnesota must file, and so must every judge in the Minnesota Judicial Branch. This is true even if you do not practice, even if you live out of state, and even if you work for the government. The only filers who get a pass are lawyers on effective Retired or Disability status under Rules 7 and 8, and certain military personnel under Rule 24.
The form ties together several key players. The Lawyer Registration Office collects your fee and tracks your status. The State Board of Continuing Legal Education supervises the office and links your CLE compliance to your active status. The Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility receives your trust account data and handles discipline. A slice of every fee also funds the bar exam, the client security fund, and legal aid programs.
Filing is not optional, and the form is the proof. A lawyer who fails to file lands on Noncompliant status under Rule 14, which means an automatic suspension of the right to practice. Practicing while suspended exposes you to discipline for the unauthorized practice of law. The form, in short, is the line between being authorized to practice and not.
The current Rules carry amendments effective through November 19, 2025, and the fee schedule below reflects the rates that apply to statements due on or after January 1, 2025. Always confirm you are working from the current version before you file, because the Court updates the fees and statuses often.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
Gather everything below before you log in or open the paper form. Filing is fast when your details are ready and slow and error-prone when you hunt for them mid-form. Each missing item can stall your filing or trigger a return for correction.
- Your Minnesota lawyer ID number. This is the unique license number the office uses to find your record, and the paper statement is rejected without it on the front page.
- Your admission date. You need to know whether you have been admitted three years or more, because that decides your fee tier under Rule 5.
- Your current postal and email address. Rule 13 requires you to keep these current, and the office sends your renewal notice to the email on file.
- Your gross income for the year. If your income from all sources, excluding a spouse, is under $50,000, you qualify for a reduced fee under Rule 5B.
- Your trust account (IOLTA) details. Rule 1.15 requires you to certify your trust account status, including the bank name and account information if you hold client funds.
- Your professional liability insurance carrier. Rule 22 requires active lawyers with private clients to certify coverage and name the primary carrier.
- Your pro bono hours and contributions for the prior calendar year. Rule 25 requires reporting the approximate hours of pro bono service and whether you made financial contributions to legal aid.
- Your payment method. Online filers can use a bank transfer or Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express; mail filers must send a check, money order, or exact cash.
Missing the income figure can cause you to overpay or underpay. Missing your insurance carrier name forces you to stop and call your broker. Missing your trust account details means you cannot complete the certification, and an incomplete statement is not a filed statement. Take ten minutes to collect these first.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
There are two ways to complete the Lawyer Registration Statement, and the office strongly prefers the online route. The first is the OASIS Online Registration System, the web-based portal where you manage your profile, complete the statement, and pay. The second is the paper Blank Lawyer Registration Statement, a PDF you print, fill in, sign, and mail.
About 30 days before your due date, the office issues your statement under Rule 12. If you use OASIS, you get an email notice with a link. If you do not use the online system, the office mails a paper statement to your postal address. Either way, Rule 12D is blunt: not receiving the notice does not excuse you from filing on time.
Choosing paper costs you extra. Rule 11C adds a $20 paper filing fee to anyone who elects not to use the online system, and it must be paid at the time of registration. The online system has no such surcharge, accepts credit cards, lets you print receipts instantly, and updates your status faster. For most filers, OASIS is cheaper and quicker.
To access OASIS, go to the Lawyer Registration Office site and click the online payment link, then log in with your lawyer ID and credentials. The office also posts a video tutorial that walks through the online renewal screen by screen. If you have past due fees, do not use the blank paper statement, because that form is only for current-year filers in good standing.
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out the Lawyer Registration Statement Line by Line
The statement is short but every field carries weight. Below is each section in the order it appears, with plain-English instructions, a sample entry, the common edge case, the mistake to avoid, and the misconception to drop. Sample entries are shown in italics so you can tell them apart from instructions.
1. Lawyer Name
This field asks for your full legal name as it appears in the Lawyer Registration Office record. Type or print your first, middle, and last name exactly as the office has it on file, not a nickname or initials. Sarah Jane Whitfield enters her name as it reads on her license card. If your name changed through marriage or court order, update it through your OASIS profile or in writing to the office, because Rule 13 ties name updates to your record. The most common mistake is entering a new married name without first notifying the office, which creates a mismatch between your filing and your license record and can delay processing. Many lawyers think the renewal period changes when their last name changes, but it does not, because your due date is fixed by your original alphabetical group.
2. Lawyer ID Number
This field asks for the unique license number Minnesota assigned you at admission. Enter the number exactly, with no extra spaces or letters. David Okonkwo writes 0398721 in the ID box. If you cannot find it, look it up free in the public Minnesota Attorney Registration System database by searching your name. The most common mistake on the paper form is leaving this blank on the front page, which causes the office to return the entire statement for completion and risks a missed deadline. Some filers believe the office will simply look up their number from their name, but the paper rules require you to include the ID yourself or the statement is treated as incomplete.
3. Postal Address and Email Address
This section asks for the current mailing address and email where the office can reach you. Enter a complete street or P.O. Box address and a working email you check often. Maria Lopez lists 4120 Hennepin Ave S, Apt 6, Minneapolis, MN 55409 and mlopez@lopezlaw.com. If your only mailing address is your home and you have safety concerns, Rule 23I lets you ask in writing to hide it from the public database. The common mistake is filing with a stale email, which means you never get next year’s notice and risk a late penalty. A widespread misconception is that the office tracks you down if your address changes, but Rule 13 puts that duty on you, and failure to receive notice does not excuse a late filing.
4. License Status Election
This is the heart of the form. It asks you to declare your status for the year: Active (Practicing), Active with income under $50,000, Active admitted less than three years, Inactive, Inactive low-income, Retired, or Disabled. Check the single box that fits your situation and pay the matching fee. Janet Brooks, a practicing lawyer of 18 years, checks Practicing — Admitted Three Years or More and pays $299. The edge case trips up newer lawyers: if you have been admitted less than three years in every jurisdiction, including Minnesota, you pay only $153 under Rule 5C. The common mistake is selecting an active status while intending to stop practicing, when an Inactive election under Rule 6 would cost less and still keep you in good standing. Many lawyers think Inactive status lets them take a few cases on the side, but Rule 9B forbids any practice until you transfer back to active.
5. Income Certification (Under $50,000)
This field asks active or inactive lawyers whether their gross income from all sources, excluding a spouse’s income, is less than $50,000 for the year. Check the box only if it is true, then pay the reduced fee. Aisha Rahman, a part-time solo earning $41,000, checks the box and pays the reduced $270 active rate under Rule 5B. The edge case is mixed income: the rule counts all of your sources, not just law practice, so a lawyer with rental or investment income may cross the line. The common mistake is checking this box to save money when your income is actually higher, which is a false certification and can trigger discipline. A frequent misconception is that a spouse’s earnings count toward the threshold, but the rule expressly excludes spousal income.
6. Trust Account (IOLTA) Certification
This section asks you to certify compliance with Rule 1.15 and Appendix 1 of the Minnesota Rules of Professional Conduct on trust accounts. State whether you hold client funds and, if so, identify your trust account and bank as the form directs. Marcus Lee, who holds client retainers, certifies that he maintains an IOLTA account at First National Bank of Minnesota in compliance with Rule 1.15. The edge case covers lawyers who never hold client money, such as some government or in-house counsel, who certify that they do not maintain a trust account. The common mistake is certifying compliance while your account is actually out of trust, which exposes you to a Lawyers Professional Responsibility investigation, since the office shares this data with that board. Many lawyers think this trust data becomes public, but Rule 23E bars the office from disclosing client trust account information to the public.
7. Professional Liability Insurance Certification (Rule 22)
This field asks active lawyers three things: whether you represent private clients, whether you carry professional liability insurance, and the name of your primary carrier if you do. Answer each part honestly and name the carrier when coverage exists. Sarah Whitfield certifies that she represents private clients, that she is covered, and that her primary carrier is Minnesota Lawyers Mutual. The edge case is government lawyers and house counsel, whose clients are not “private clients” for this rule, so they certify accordingly. The common mistake is naming an expired carrier, since Rule 22B requires you to notify the office within 30 days if coverage lapses or terminates. A common misconception is that Minnesota requires malpractice insurance, but it does not; the rule only requires you to disclose whether you carry it.
8. Pro Bono Service and Contribution Reporting (Rule 25)
This section asks you to report, for the prior calendar year, the approximate number of pro bono hours you provided under Rule 6.1 and whether you made financial contributions to legal aid organizations. Enter your best good-faith estimate of hours and check the contribution box if it applies. David Okonkwo reports 35 hours of pro bono service and checks that he donated to a legal aid fund. The edge case is government lawyers and judges, who are exempt from mandatory reporting but may report voluntarily. The common mistake is leaving the hours blank when reporting is required for you, which leaves your statement incomplete. Many lawyers fear this report is published with their name attached, but Rule 23H keeps pro bono reporting data confidential.
9. Fee Payment
This field asks for the registration fee that matches the status box you checked, plus any late penalty or $20 paper fee that applies. Pay the exact amount shown for your tier. Janet Brooks pays $299 online by credit card; Aisha Rahman pays $270; a lawyer admitted under three years pays $153. The edge case is mid-cycle status changes, where the office credits inactive payments you already made toward an active transfer under Rule 9. The common mistake is sending the wrong amount by mail, which gets your statement and payment returned and can push you past the deadline. A frequent misconception is that you can pay by phone or a bank bill-pay service, but the office accepts neither, and credit cards work only online.
10. Signature and Date
This field asks you to sign and date the statement, certifying that everything you entered is true. On paper, sign in ink and write the date; online, your electronic submission acts as your signature. Maria Lopez signs and dates 03/22/2025 before mailing her statement for her April 1 deadline. The edge case is filing on behalf of yourself only, since no one else may sign your statement for you. The common mistake is mailing an unsigned paper statement, which the office returns as incomplete, costing you the time you needed to file on time. Some filers think a typed name on the paper form counts as a signature, but the office requires an actual signature on mailed statements.
Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
Below are three common filers walked through the statement from start to finish. Each table shows what the person enters in the major sections.
Scenario 1: Janet Brooks, practicing lawyer admitted 18 years
| Form Section | What Janet Enters |
|---|---|
| Lawyer Name | Janet Marie Brooks |
| Lawyer ID Number | 0211045 |
| Postal / Email Address | 800 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55402 / jbrooks@bclaw.com |
| License Status Election | Practicing — Admitted Three Years or More |
| Income Under $50,000 | No, box left unchecked |
| Trust Account Certification | Certifies IOLTA at U.S. Bank, compliant with Rule 1.15 |
| Liability Insurance | Represents private clients; covered by Minnesota Lawyers Mutual |
| Pro Bono Report | 52 hours; contributed financially: yes |
| Fee Paid | $299 by credit card online |
| Signature / Date | Electronic submission, 12/15/2025 |
Scenario 2: Aisha Rahman, newly admitted solo, low income
| Form Section | What Aisha Enters |
|---|---|
| Lawyer Name | Aisha Noor Rahman |
| Lawyer ID Number | 0405992 |
| Postal / Email Address | 215 Wabasha St N, St. Paul, MN 55102 / aisha@rahmanlegal.com |
| License Status Election | Active — Admitted Less Than Three Years |
| Income Under $50,000 | Yes, box checked |
| Trust Account Certification | Certifies IOLTA at Bremer Bank, compliant with Rule 1.15 |
| Liability Insurance | Represents private clients; covered, carrier named |
| Pro Bono Report | 18 hours; contributed financially: no |
| Fee Paid | $153 online (under-three-year rate) |
| Signature / Date | Electronic submission, 03/28/2025 |
Scenario 3: Robert Hanson, transferring to Inactive status
| Form Section | What Robert Enters |
|---|---|
| Lawyer Name | Robert James Hanson |
| Lawyer ID Number | 0156003 |
| Postal / Email Address | 1200 Lake Dr, Duluth, MN 55811 / rhanson@gmail.com |
| License Status Election | Inactive — Not Practicing (Rule 6 affidavit) |
| Income Under $50,000 | Yes, box checked for $196 inactive rate |
| Trust Account Certification | Certifies no trust account; not holding client funds |
| Liability Insurance | Not required on inactive status |
| Pro Bono Report | Not required; voluntary report skipped |
| Fee Paid | $196 inactive low-income rate by check |
| Signature / Date | Signed in ink, 09/20/2025 |
How to File the Completed Form
Minnesota gives you two filing channels, and the details differ for each. Pick the channel that fits, then keep your proof of filing.
Online through OASIS. Log in at the online registration system, complete the statement on screen, and pay by electronic bank transfer or Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express. There is no paper fee, processing is immediate, and you can print a receipt from the LRO Fees and Receipts menu under the Lawyer Registration drop-down. This is the fastest way to confirm your license is current.
By mail. Print the Blank Lawyer Registration Statement, complete it fully, sign it, and mail it with your payment to the Lawyer Registration Office. Add the $20 paper filing fee under Rule 11C. Pay by check, money order, or the exact amount of cash, made payable to the Minnesota Supreme Court. The office does not take credit cards by mail, phone payments, bank bill-pay, or foreign money orders.
Your payment must be received by the due date, not merely postmarked. If a mailed statement arrives incomplete or unsigned, the office returns it to you for correction, and it must be resubmitted and received by the deadline to count as timely. To confirm any payment, search your record in the public Lawyer Registration Database and check the “Last Payment” field, or print a receipt from your OASIS account.
Keep your receipt or confirmation as proof of filing. If a question ever arises about whether you registered on time, that record is your protection. Online filers should download the PDF receipt; mail filers should keep a copy of the signed statement and the canceled check.
What Happens After You File
Once the office receives your completed statement and full payment, it updates your status and issues your credential under Rule 18. Active lawyers receive a license card showing name, license number, and status. Inactive lawyers receive a Certificate of Minnesota Lawyer Registration for Inactive Status in the year they elect it.
Your record in the public Minnesota Attorney Registration System updates to show your current status, last payment date, and next due date. Anyone, including clients, courts, and opposing counsel, can look up that your license is active and in good standing. The office shares your trust account data only with the Lawyers Professional Responsibility board and the civil legal aid board, never the public.
If you filed on time and complete, nothing else is required until next year’s notice arrives about 30 days before your due date. Your due date stays the same year after year, set by your alphabetical group. Mark it on your calendar, because the office’s notice is a courtesy, not a condition of your duty to file.
If you missed something, the office contacts you. An incomplete statement comes back for correction. An unpaid balance keeps you out of good standing. The cleanest path is a complete, signed, fully paid filing the first time.
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form
- Missing your alphabetical due date. Filing late triggers an automatic $75 penalty under Rule 11B.
- Leaving the lawyer ID off a paper statement. The office returns the entire statement, and you can blow your deadline.
- Filing with an outdated email address. You never receive next year’s notice, yet you remain fully responsible for filing on time.
- Choosing the wrong fee tier. Underpaying gets your statement returned; overpaying ties up your money until you request a correction.
- Checking the under-$50,000 box falsely. A false income certification can lead to professional discipline.
- Certifying trust account compliance when you are out of trust. This exposes you to a Lawyers Professional Responsibility investigation.
- Naming an expired insurance carrier. Rule 22B requires notice within 30 days of any lapse, so stale data is a violation.
- Skipping the pro bono report. Leaving required Rule 25 fields blank renders your statement incomplete.
- Mailing an unsigned statement. An unsigned form is not a filed form and comes back for correction.
- Paying by an unaccepted method. Phone payments, bank bill-pay, and foreign money orders are all rejected, delaying your filing.
- Practicing while on Inactive status. Rule 9B forbids it and treats it as the unauthorized practice of law.
- Assuming no notice means no duty. Rule 12D makes clear that not receiving a statement never excuses a late filing.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do:
- Do file online through OASIS to skip the $20 paper fee and get instant confirmation, because it is faster and cheaper.
- Do gather your ID number, income figure, insurance carrier, and trust account details first, because mid-form hunting causes errors.
- Do confirm your alphabetical due date and calendar it, because the deadline is fixed and the notice is only a courtesy.
- Do keep your email current in OASIS, because the office sends your renewal notice there under Rule 13.
- Do print or save your receipt, because it is your proof of timely filing if a dispute arises.
- Do choose Inactive status if you have stopped practicing, because it costs less and keeps you in good standing.
Don’t:
- Don’t wait until the due date to start, because a returned or incomplete statement may not be fixable in time.
- Don’t check the low-income box unless it is true, because a false certification can lead to discipline.
- Don’t certify trust account compliance loosely, because the data goes straight to the discipline board.
- Don’t ignore the notice email, because missing the deadline adds a $75 penalty and risks suspension.
- Don’t mail cash that is not the exact amount, because the office cannot make change and may return it.
- Don’t practice law on Inactive or Noncompliant status, because it is treated as unauthorized practice.
Filing on Your Own vs. With Help
Most lawyers complete this filing themselves, but knowing the trade-offs helps you decide whether to delegate it to staff.
Pros of filing it yourself online:
- You save the $20 paper fee, because the online system has no surcharge.
- You get instant confirmation, because OASIS updates your status immediately.
- You control accuracy, because you know your own income, insurance, and trust details best.
- You can print receipts any time, because they live in your OASIS account.
- You avoid handoff delays, because nothing waits in someone else’s inbox.
Cons of filing it yourself or delegating to staff:
- You shoulder the deadline risk alone, because no one else is watching your alphabetical date.
- A staff member may not know your true income tier, because that figure is personal.
- A delegate cannot sign for you, because the certification must be your own.
- Outsourcing to a service adds cost, because the filing itself is simple enough to do directly.
- Relying on the mailed notice can fail, because Rule 12D keeps the duty on you regardless.
Online Filing vs. Paper Filing
| Online (OASIS) | Paper (Mailed Statement) |
|---|---|
| No extra filing fee | Adds a $20 paper fee under Rule 11C |
| Pay by bank transfer or any major card | Pay only by check, money order, or exact cash |
| Status updates immediately | Processing takes longer after mail arrives |
| Instant printable receipts | You keep your own copy and canceled check |
| Notice sent by email about 30 days out | Notice mailed to your postal address |
| Cannot be used with past due fees pending | Do not use blank form if you have past due fees |
FAQs
Do I have to file every year even if I am not practicing?
Yes. Unless you are on effective Retired or Disability status under Rules 7 and 8, you must file annually, though you can elect Inactive status at a lower fee and stay in good standing.
Do I pay a late fee if I miss my due date?
Yes. Rule 11B adds a $75 late penalty, and if you stay noncompliant past the first of the next month, your license is automatically suspended.
Do I owe extra to file on paper instead of online?
Yes. Rule 11C adds a $20 paper filing fee to anyone who does not use the online OASIS system, payable at the time of registration.
Do I write my new married name or my old name in the name field?
No, not your old name. Enter your current legal name, but first update the change through OASIS or in writing so your filing matches your license record.
Do I count my spouse’s income for the under-$50,000 box?
No. Rule 5B counts your gross income from all sources but expressly excludes your spouse’s income from the threshold.
Do government and in-house lawyers report private clients in Box 7?
No. Their clients are not “private clients” under Rule 22, so they certify that they do not represent private clients.
Do I have to carry malpractice insurance to file?
No. Minnesota does not require coverage; Rule 22 only requires you to disclose whether you carry it and name the carrier if you do.
Do I report pro bono hours if I am a government lawyer?
No. Government lawyers and judges are exempt from mandatory Rule 25 reporting, though they may report voluntarily.
Do I include my lawyer ID number on a mailed paper statement?
Yes. The office requires your name, address, and lawyer ID on the front page, or it returns the statement as incomplete.
Do I have to use a real signature on the paper form?
Yes. A mailed statement needs an actual ink signature; an unsigned form is treated as incomplete and is returned for correction.
Do I get reinstated automatically after a noncompliance suspension?
No. Rule 16 requires you to file, pay all delinquent fees, pay the $75 late penalty plus a $100 reinstatement fee, and clear CLE.
Do I keep my same due date if my last name changes?
Yes. Your due date stays fixed by your original alphabetical group, even after a name change, so confirm your assigned month.
Do I have to pay if I am on active military duty abroad?
No. Rule 24 exempts lawyers ordered into active military service or doing essential war or national-defense work outside the United States.
Do I still file on time if I never got the notice?
Yes. Rule 12D makes clear that failing to receive a statement or notice never excuses you from filing and paying by your due date.
Related reading
- How to Fill Out the New Jersey Annual Attorney Registration Statement (NJ) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out the NJ CLE Reporting Form (w/Examples) + FAQs
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- How to Fill Out the State Bar of Arizona Annual Registration + FAQs
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