Explore all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Find renewal periods, required professional learning, and official sources for the details that apply to your license.
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Each summary points you toward its source material. Read the source itself before planning renewal activity or submitting an application.
51 state summariesOfficial licensing authority controls.
Generally 5 years; requirements depend on expiration year
Professional learning requirement
New requirements are being phased in. For certificates expiring June 30, 2027, ALSDE currently specifies 10 clock hours of approved educator ethics training and says additional information will follow.
Do not apply an older 150-hour summary or the full future requirement to every renewal. Use the instructions for your certificate's expiration year.
The continuation application is submitted January 1–June 30 of the expiration year. Career and technical fields may have additional requirements.
6 renewal credits earned during the certificate's validity period.
Alaska accepts approved academic and non-academic options. One semester credit, 1.5 quarter credits, or an approved 15-contact-hour activity can qualify as one renewal credit under the state's rules.
Non-academic activities must meet approval requirements. Mandatory training and fingerprint or employment conditions also apply.
12 years; some older certificates have an 8-year term
Professional learning requirement
15 clock hours of professional development for each year of the certificate's term: 180 hours for a 12-year certificate or 120 for an 8-year certificate.
Hours may be earned at any time during the term, subject to the state's accepted activities and documentation rules.
Arizona counts one semester hour as 15 clock hours. Certain valid licenses or certifications may provide an alternative renewal route.
36 hours of professional development annually, including the training required by law or rule.
Districts monitor and verify annual PD. The renewal documentation differs for educators employed throughout the full five-year term and those who were not.
Scheduled topics and science-of-reading requirements depend on role and year. Consult the current K–12 schedule rather than treating all 36 hours as unrestricted.
90 contact hours of professional development, 6 semester hours of college coursework, or an accepted combination.
At least 10 hours must address special education and behavioral health, with at least one hour in each area.
Teachers with specified endorsements must also meet the one-time English Learner professional learning requirement. Qualifying EL learning may count toward the 90 hours.
Renew by the expiration date shown on your certificate
Professional learning requirement
Documentation of professional development or CEUs is not required for professional certificate renewal.
The state currently describes professional certificate renewal as having no fee and no supplemental documentation requirement.
Provisional certificates can no longer be issued or renewed from July 1, 2025. Initial certification and advancement to Professional have different requirements.
90 clock hours of approved professional learning during the license term.
Learning must meet Delaware's approval and relevance requirements; retain supporting records.
The regulation's professional learning options and alternative documentation, including qualifying National Board certification, control what can be counted.
Professional learning route: 120 clock hours, 8 semester credits, or an accepted combination completed within the preceding 4 years.
At least 60 clock hours must relate directly to the credential area. Renewing additional credentials requires 45 additional content-specific hours per credential.
OSSE also describes other renewal pathways. Check the current instructions and your credential's expiration date before choosing a route.
6 semester hours of college credit, 120 approved inservice points, or an accepted combination.
At least one semester hour or 20 inservice points must address teaching students with disabilities.
Reading and other subject-specific requirements apply to designated coverage areas. Exams and National Board certification may provide alternatives under Florida's rules.
Educators employed by a Georgia local unit of administration meet the applicable local professional learning requirements; there is not one universal clock-hour total.
For educators outside that employment pathway, the rule lists options such as 6 semester credits, 10 PLUs, 10 CEUs, or specified approved training. These units are not interchangeable without the rule's conditions.
Employment, evaluation, certificate type, and additional state requirements can affect the renewal route.
Verification of at least one full year of full-time contracted P–12 teaching within the last 5 years, plus documentation of approved performance standards.
HTSB provides several documentation options, including evaluations, standards evidence, and National Board certification. The standard renewal checklist does not prescribe a universal PD-hour total.
Advanced licenses, retired educators, and provisional licenses follow different instructions. Provisional licenses are non-renewable.
6 semester credits, including at least 3 transcripted college or university credits.
Up to 3 credits may come from approved inservice activities under Idaho's rules; 15 approved inservice hours equal one semester credit.
Credits must be relevant to the educator's endorsements or pedagogy and earned within the certificate term. Lifetime certificate options have separate eligibility rules.
Beginning with 2025 renewals, educators with K–8 All Subjects, Exceptional Child Education, or Blended Early Childhood/Early Childhood Special Education endorsements must complete a one-time approved dyslexia course of one semester credit or 15 clock hours. Certain administrators and school counselors serving K–5 students are also covered; submit the required transcript or signed inservice verification.
Generally 120 professional development hours for qualifying active employment.
The requirement applies to educators working at least 50% full-time equivalency in covered Illinois schools; exemptions and prorating depend on employment and license status.
Qualifying National Board Certified Teachers generally complete 60 hours. Activities must meet ISBE provider and documentation requirements.
Standard: 6 renewal credits. Master Educator: 4 renewal credits, reduced to 2 for holders of a qualifying education specialist or doctoral degree.
Use Iowa-approved renewal credits or qualifying college credits. Ordinary CEUs or workshop attendance do not automatically count.
An approved individual professional development plan may satisfy up to half of the credits. Mandatory training and other license conditions remain separate.
The professional development point route generally requires 160 points with a bachelor's degree, including 80 points from appropriate college credit, or 120 points with an advanced degree.
Use an approved individual development plan and professional development council. Do not treat points as a universal clock-hour total.
KSDE also lists National Board, approved-program coursework, advanced-degree experience (limited to two renewals), and retirement-system point alternatives.
Beginning July 1, 2028, veteran educators serving in specified elementary (PreK–6, including preschool) assignments must demonstrate science-of-reading knowledge through state-approved training or a state-approved literacy exam to renew their professional license and receive the Seal of Literacy. Covered assignments are Reading/English Language Arts teacher; History, Government and Social Studies teacher; Special Education teacher; School Psychologist; Reading Specialist; and Administrator. Applicability follows the assignment, not merely an endorsement held; KSDE tracks assignments through the Licensed Personnel Report.
July 1, 2028 is KSDE's announced professional-license renewal start, not an established policy-adoption date or an initial-licensure start. The February and May 2024 preparation-standard and exam approvals do not change that renewal start; early Seal of Literacy issuance does not make the condition a current renewal requirement.
For renewals beginning July 1, 2028, KSDE's FAQ says a covered educator who is required to demonstrate literacy knowledge but does not qualify for the Seal of Literacy will not have their professional license renewed; a standard substitute license will be issued. After completing state-approved training or passing a state-approved exam, the educator must reapply to reinstate the professional license; reinstatement is not automatic. This is not an immediate consequence for all educators without a seal. Confirm individual applicability and reapplication steps with KSDE. Current K.A.R. 91-31-34(b)(3) generally limits standard substitute teaching to 90 days in the same assignment when a substitute holding a valid Kansas teacher or administrator license is unavailable. This is not the separate 140-day provision for teacher-license holders or an emergency substitute license. The literacy FAQ states no exemption from these assignment limits and does not authorize continued service in the same professional assignment. Confirm permitted assignments, restrictions printed on the issued license and any approved waiver with KSDE and your district before relying on substitute authority.
Any educator may voluntarily earn the Seal of Literacy through state-approved science-of-reading training appropriate to their assignment or a state-approved literacy exam. This broad seal eligibility does not make the announced July 1, 2028 state renewal condition apply to all educators; only the specified assignments are covered. Districts may still require literacy training; confirm unresolved assignment cases with KSDE.
The Seal of Literacy does not add a teaching endorsement or authorize teaching a new subject. Passing the Reading Specialist exam alone earns the seal, not a Reading Specialist endorsement. For Elementary Education: Teaching Reading (7002) scores, KSDE's added-endorsement-by-testing application is only a workaround to notify licensure staff that an ETS score is available; it adds the seal, not an endorsement.
KSDE excludes middle-school/secondary-building assignments and non-specified subjects such as Art, Physical Education/Health Education, Music and World Language from this state renewal condition; districts may still require literacy training. Elementary preparation-program completers who pass the Elementary Content Exam 7001 series receive the seal without additional renewal training. For incoming out-of-state educators, this training is not required for the first Kansas license; covered educators must provide approved training or exam evidence at renewal.
For incoming out-of-state educators in covered assignments, KSDE accepts LETRS 3rd edition, AIM Pathways or Keys to Literacy training completed out of state if equivalent in content and rigor to Kansas requirements. The incoming-educator FAQ lists equivalent exams: ETS Elementary Content Exam 7001 series, ETS Teaching Reading K–12 (5206), ETS Teaching Reading: Elementary (5205), Pearson Foundations of Reading (190), and KPEERI. Confirm individual equivalency and assignment suitability with KSDE; a course name alone does not guarantee acceptance. These options address the future renewal condition, not a new first-license requirement.
For covered educators choosing the exam route for the July 1, 2028 renewal condition, KSDE's separate general state-approved-exam list gives these options and passing scores: ETS Elementary Education: Teaching Reading (7002), 143; ETS Reading Specialist (5302), 165; Pearson Foundations of Reading (890), 240; and Knowledge and Practice Examination for Effective Reading Instruction (KPEERI), 500. This is distinct from the incoming-educator equivalency list, which names Pearson 190 rather than 890; do not assume the lists or score requirements are interchangeable. Before registering or paying, use the linked KSDE Science of Reading FAQ's “What are the State Approved Exams?” section and its provider links to confirm current exam identifiers, passing scores and score-reporting instructions.
Choose training approved for your assignment: LETRS for Early Childhood Educators does not qualify educators serving above PreK; LETRS for Administrators qualifies only administrators. AIM Pathways to Proficient Reading Secondary does not qualify elementary educators. Confirm mixed assignments, assignment changes and individual applicability with KSDE before choosing activities. The separate Kansas dyslexia modules for new teachers and teachers new to Kansas are not replaced by earning the seal.
Training examples here are not the complete approved list; see KSDE's Science of Reading Licensure Requirements FAQ for all currently approved routes and completion conditions. Confirm assignment suitability, enrollment eligibility, current funding and costs with KSDE and the provider before enrolling; approval does not guarantee funding.
Additional approved options include KBOR's Foundations of the Science of Reading for PreK–6 educators: complete both Foundations I and II coursework and achieve at least 85% on the summative assessment and each module's key performance assessments. KBOR says educators who have completed or are enrolled in LETRS, AIM Pathways or Keys to Literacy should not enroll in this opportunity.
PFLC (Phillips Fundamental Learning Center) offers the approved Structured Literacy Intervention Specialist–Alphabetic Phonics (Cox)–Introduction route. Completion evidence must be a certificate specifying that all course work and observations have been completed. Participants who took the course January 1, 2015–December 31, 2024 must contact the PFLC registrar to confirm they meet Seal of Literacy requirements.
R.E.A.D. Redefined's approved offerings are Literacy Redefined and R.E.A.D. Redefined. To verify completion, submit the completed Literacy Redefined checklist for Literacy Redefined or the completed R.E.A.D. Redefined checklist for R.E.A.D. Redefined; provider enrollment or attendance alone is not the specified completion evidence.
KSDE's published FAQ does not resolve every mixed assignment, grade-six placement in a middle-school building, or later assignment change. Confirm these cases with KSDE rather than assuming either universal coverage or a universal exemption. The published assignment list is not a complete endorsement-code crosswalk.
LETRS participants may qualify for the Seal of Literacy after successfully completing the required post-assessments, but earning the seal does not replace full LETRS program completion, including Facilitated Training Days and required Bridge to Practice activities. KSDE expects districts to ensure participants complete the full program; this is a LETRS program obligation, not an additional state renewal condition for every educator.
LETRS post-test recovery: for a score of 79% or lower, use KSDE's linked Post-Test Resets FAQ to select the Google review-request form for post-tests completed before July 1, 2025, or the Microsoft reset-request form for post-tests completed on or after July 1, 2025. Active LETRS course access is required before a reset; if access has expired, purchase and activate an extension first and confirm current terms with Lexia. Only post-tests are eligible, not Checks for Understanding or Unit Assessments; one reset is allowed per post-test, and the new score is final (the previous score cannot be restored). A reset request does not guarantee approval or replace full LETRS program completion; approved training or an approved exam remain the future renewal options for covered assignments.
LETRS course-access expiration is not your professional-license expiration and does not change the July 1, 2028 renewal start for covered assignments. KSDE's FAQ says educators or districts must pay for a Lexia extension if state-purchased course access expires before completion; additional state funding is not provided for that extension. The FAQ lists state training funding only through July 1, 2026, or until funds are expended; do not assume funding is still available. Confirm current funding with KSDE and extension availability and costs with Lexia before enrolling or extending access.
Training verification: KSDE coordinates with LETRS providers, AIM Pathways and Keys to Beginning Reading to verify completion. LETRS and AIM require at least 80% on the required post-tests; Keys requires a Certificate of Completion. Verified LETRS provider data is the primary route for adding the seal, which may be added before July 1, 2028; enrollment or attendance alone is not completion evidence.
Individuals may submit training completion records with professional-license renewal. For educators outside a district cohort, the FAQ describes a LETRS transcript, an AIM Pathways transcript, or a Keys to Beginning Reading transcript or Certificate of Completion: add the record to the professional development transcript, select renewal by professional development points and the appropriate district, and have the district upload the combined transcript to the application. KSDE verifies eligibility with the completed application; submission alone does not guarantee the seal. Confirm individual documentation with KSDE and the district. These evidence routes do not expand assignment eligibility, waive full LETRS completion or change the July 1, 2028 renewal start.
For subsequent renewals, 3 years of successful teaching experience or 6 semester hours of qualifying coursework.
The first renewal and completion of required preparation have additional rules. Do not assume the subsequent-renewal experience option applies to every certificate.
Required annual school professional learning is distinct from the certificate renewal options.
Effective evaluations for at least 3 of the most recent 5 years, with renewal requested by the employing authority under the state's instructions.
The current Louisiana renewal guidance emphasizes evaluations, not a blanket 150-CLU requirement for every teacher.
Level 1 extensions and non-practicing or unemployed educators have different pathways. Follow the guidance for your exact certificate and employment status.
5 years; 10-year renewal term for teachers with National Board certification
Professional learning requirement
6 semester hours of approved study or 90 hours of qualifying inservice training related to professional practice.
Learning must be earned during the certificate term and within the five years before renewal, and may not have been used previously to renew the same certificate. Educators employed by a school administrative unit (SAU) must renew through the SAU; others submit documentation directly.
Chapter 115 Part I, Section 6.2(D), finally adopted effective October 25, 2026, permits up to half the requirement through developing and delivering qualifying inservice training. A longer certificate term does not extend the five-year learning window.
Initial Professional, Professional, or Advanced Professional License
Renewal / learning period
5 years
Professional learning requirement
90 Professional Development Points through an Individualized Professional Development Plan, or qualifying initial or maintenance National Board certification earned within the term.
The plan includes at least one hour each in content/pedagogy, English learner education, students with disabilities/differentiation, and culturally responsive teaching/diverse identities.
Historical certificate holders may use the former 6-credit route for conversion. Specific areas have extra requirements, including reading proficiency for designated educators beginning July 1, 2025.
150 Professional Development Points (PDPs) for the primary license, plus 30 PDPs for each additional license renewed.
The primary total includes at least 15 PDPs each in content, pedagogy, English learner/SEI/bilingual education, and strategies for students with disabilities or diverse learning styles.
Use an approved professional development plan and the state's PDP rules. Additional licenses require at least 15 content-area PDPs within their 30-point total.
150 education-related professional learning hours.
Accepted options include approved State Continuing Education Clock Hours, qualifying district-provided PD, and college coursework. One semester credit equals 25 hours under Michigan's renewal rules.
A one-time renewal using an eligible valid out-of-state certificate may be available. Learning must meet the state's applicable time window.
The local continuing education committee approves hours and verifies mandatory renewal conditions.
Required topics and professional reflection conditions are additional to simply reaching the hour total. Tier 1 and Tier 2 licenses have different renewal rules.
Career Continuous Professional Certificate, core areas
Renewal / learning period
Continuous certificate with annual PD until exempt
Professional learning requirement
Generally 15 professional development hours annually for core-area Career Continuous teachers until exemption criteria are met.
This is an annual professional learning obligation, not a five-year certificate renewal total. Initial certification uses a different requirement, generally 30 hours over four years.
Exemption requires two of these three conditions: 10 years of teaching, the next higher degree, or National Board certification. Career education and other roles have different totals.
60 professional development units (PDUs) for renewal.
Activities must meet Montana OPI's professional learning or college-credit rules and applicable time window.
Check the current submission and completion deadlines. Other license classes, reinstatement, and special circumstances can have different requirements.
One school year of at least half-time contractual teaching in the preceding 5 years, or 6 qualifying semester hours / 90 approved professional development hours.
Teaching experience can satisfy renewal without a separate blanket PD-hour total. Use Nebraska's approved documentation and activity rules.
Expired certificates and initial certificates may have additional conditions.
Varies by license; check issue and expiration dates
Professional learning requirement
Licenses issued on or after September 16, 2024: 90 clock hours, 6 semester credits, or a combination. Earlier licenses: 15 hours for each year of the license term.
The required learning may be earned at any time during the term, including eligible employer-provided training during the contract day.
Qualifying retirees can be exempt. Converting a non-renewable/provisional license is not the same as renewing a Standard or Professional license.
Renewal application and the required superintendent recommendation, or a notarized statement for educators who did not teach during the license's term; no universal PD-hour total is specified in the renewal FAQ.
The applicable documentation depends on employment and license status. A lapsed license may require additional evidence or a new background check.
Level 1 advancement and micro-credential requirements are separate from ordinary Level 2/3 renewal.
5-year registration period; certificate and registration are distinct
Professional learning requirement
100 clock hours of acceptable Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) for educators subject to CTLE who practice throughout the registration period.
Use NYSED-approved CTLE sponsors. English language learner training allocations and any applicable exemptions must also be satisfied.
Permanent certificate holders and educators not practicing in an applicable school can have different obligations. Keep CTLE records and re-register in TEACH.
6 semester hours, 18 CEUs representing 180 contact hours, or equivalent approved activities under the applicable renewal pathway.
Educators working under a Local Professional Development Committee need an approved individual professional development plan and LPDC approval.
Educators not employed in Ohio schools may apply directly with six semester hours of qualifying coursework or use an approved regional-provider LPDC with an approved individual professional development plan. Equivalent activity acceptance is not automatic.
Complete the required six semester hours and submit the application by October 1 of the expiration year to avoid the increased nine-semester-hour coursework requirement for a lapsed license. Continuous employment under another valid Ohio credential or a valid out-of-state educator credential has separate renewal provisions. National Board certification earned during the license term and qualifying consistently high-performing teacher status provide alternative routes.
One renewal route uses 3 years of accredited school experience during the term. With less experience, the rule provides coursework substitutions; eligible non-employed certificate holders can use a 75-point district-approved PD route.
Under the experience/coursework route: 2 years of experience requires 3 semester hours; 1 year requires 4; no experience requires 5.
The official renewal page confirms the application process but does not explain all routes. The linked rule reproduction is a secondary source; confirm eligibility and accepted combinations with OSDE.
Professional Teaching: 125 Professional Development Units (PDUs). Preliminary Teaching: 75 PDUs.
Use the TSPC renewal matrix for the exact license type; some restricted and substitute licenses do not use these PDU totals.
Oregon employment verification and other license-specific documentation may be required. PDUs should not be converted using another state's college-credit formula.
Full requirement: 100 Professional Learning Units (PLUs). A phased schedule applies to educators who held Professional or Advanced certificates as of December 31, 2019.
For that grandfathered group, Professional renewal totals are 80 PLUs in 2026, 85 in 2027, 90 in 2028, 95 in 2029, and 100 in 2030.
Educators who progressed from Initial to Professional during 2020–2025 generally need 100 PLUs for 2026–2030 expirations. Advanced seven-year certificates have separate provisions.
Under the rule effective September 8, 2026: 6 education-related credits, including 3 transcripted credits; alternatives include National Board certification/recertification or at least 2 years in an approved mentor program.
Fifteen approved continuing education contact hours equal one renewal credit under the rule, but the transcripted-credit minimum still applies to the six-credit route.
The Department of Education is updating resources after the rule change. Refer to the current rule rather than outdated renewal handouts.
60 Professional Development Points (PDPs) or 2 years of qualifying educator experience during the license's validity period.
A teacher who qualifies through experience does not necessarily need a separate 60-point total.
Educators with endorsements covered by the Tennessee Literacy Success Act must also complete an eligible literacy training or assessment. Document the selected route in TNCompass.
100 renewal clock hours under the current USBE renewal process.
Qualifying full-time Utah school employment throughout the entire five-year period can satisfy the 100 hours through daily professional collaboration.
Educators outside that employment pathway document 100 qualifying hours using the renewal form and required verification. Ethics review and background requirements also apply.
Level I: 3 credits / 45 hours per endorsement. Level II: 6 credits / 90 hours per endorsement.
Level I requires at least 15 endorsement-specific hours; Level II requires at least 30. Remaining learning must align with Vermont's Core Teaching and Leadership Standards.
Use the current renewal page and fee schedule; older seven-year Level II guidance may describe different totals. Local or regional standards board review may apply.
270 professional development points for a 10-year license; 180 points for a 5-year license.
Use Virginia's renewal activity point schedule and an individualized professional development plan. Points are not universally equivalent to clock hours.
Mandatory training and endorsement-specific requirements can apply in addition to the point total.
Lifetime, with a background check at least every 5 years
Professional learning requirement
DPI's lifetime maintenance instructions do not set a blanket professional development hour total; they require a periodic background check and qualifying employment.
DPI requires regularly employed status in education during the preceding five years, as defined in its instructions.
Provisional licenses, permits, and reinstatement have different rules. A lifetime license is not permission to skip the maintenance application or required disclosures.
Try a different term or clear your filters to see every state.
A guide, not an approval.
Licensing rules are set by each state's official licensing authority. License type, issuance date, employment, and rule changes can affect what applies to you. This information is general research, not individualized licensing advice, and no guarantee is made that any MyPDTracker activity will qualify for renewal credit. Check with your authority or employer when your situation is unclear.
These summaries were researched from state licensing authorities and regulations, with a secondary rule reproduction explicitly identified where used. Sources and review dates appear on each entry. Source reviewed means the cited guidance was consulted, not that every license or exception is covered. Confirmation needed flags a changing rule, inaccessible guidance, or another unresolved detail. Neither label replaces current official instructions. This is a dated reference, not a live rules feed.
