Educator Certification: Renew Your Certification
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Our offices are currently not accepting walk-ins for certification applications or advisement. Apply and check your application status online using the AzEDCert portal.
Please find the information below about renewing a standard, substitute, or JROTC certificate. Standard certificates include: Standard Teaching, Administrative, School Counselor, School Psychologist, Speech-Language Pathologist, Athletic Coaching, Standard Adult Education, or Native American Language.
Approved areas and full endorsements are attached to the certificate and do not need to be separately renewed.
Renewing Standard Certificates
- A certificate may be renewed six months prior to its expiration date and up to one year after it expires.
- If your certificate has expired for more than one year you must reapply for certification under the requirements in effect at the time of re-application, unless you apply for renewal under the Experienced Educator Option.
- Applicants who apply under the Experienced Educator option must have a renewable certificate which has expired for at least two years but not more than ten years.
- Applicants who hold multiple valid, renewable certificates may renew all certificates at one time in order to align the expiration date of each certificate.
- Certificates being aligned shall be renewed at the same time as the certificate that will expire first.
Renewable certificates may be renewed with proof of 15 clock hours of professional development activities for each year of the certificate term. *One semester hour of college coursework is equivalent to 15 clock hours of professional development activities. The clock hours or semester hours may be completed in various increments per year.
Accepted documentation that you meet the requirements for renewal:
- LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY (LEA) VERIFICATION OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- In-service training hours may be verified by a superintendent or personnel director on this application.
- COLLEGE COURSEWORK OR OTHER DOCUMENTATION
- Submit official transcripts if you are using college coursework toward renewal. Please see the Professional Development Information on the next page for details on other documentation that may be used to verify professional development hours.
- EXPERIENCED EDUCATORS OPTION
- If your certificate has expired for at least two years, but not more than ten years, and you are in good standing, submit verification from a superintendent or personnel director that you have ten years of experience in Arizona and in the same area that you are seeking renewed certification. A Verification of PreK-12 Teaching Experience form, completed and signed by a superintendent or personnel director, may be used if you are seeking to renew a teaching certificate.
- APPROVED LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE OPTION
- Applicants may meet requirements for renewal with proof of one of the following:
- 1. A valid professional license as a counselor, social worker, psychologist, or speech pathologist issued by the appropriate state agency in this state or in another state; or
- 2. A valid National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certificate; or
- 3. A valid Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech Pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
- Applicants may meet requirements for renewal with proof of one of the following:
Professional development must relate to Arizona academic or professional educator standards or apply toward the attainment of an additional Arizona certificate, endorsement or approved area, and may include training regarding suicide awareness and prevention; child abuse, human trafficking of children, and the sexual abuse of children, including warning signs that a child may be a victim of child abuse, human trafficking, or sexual abuses; screening, intervention, accommodation, use of technology and advocacy for students with reading impairments, including dyslexia; college and career readiness; or other training programs explicitly permitted by state law.
Professional development shall consist of any of the following activities:
Professional Development Activities: | Documentation Required: |
Academic courses related to education or a subject area taught in Arizona public schools. | Official transcripts from an accredited institution. Each semester hour of courses is equivalent to 15 hours of professional development. |
District or school-sponsored in-service training specifically designed for professional development. | Written verification from the sponsoring district or school stating the dates of participation and number of clock hours earned. |
Professional conferences and workshops related to the profession of teaching or the field of public education. | Conference agenda and a statement or certificate from the sponsoring organization noting clock hours earned in training sessions. Limited to 30 clock hours per year. |
Business internship. Internship shall be based on an agreement between a business and a district or school with the stated objective of aligning teaching curriculum with workplace skills. | Written verification by the sponsoring business and district or school stating the dates of participation and number of clock hours earned. Limited to 80 clock hours. |
Educational research. Research shall be sponsored by a research facility or an accredited institution or funded by a grant. | The published report of the research or verification by the sponsoring agency and a statement of the dates of participation and the number of clock hours earned. |
Serving in a leadership role of a professional organization related to the profession of teaching or the field of public education. | Written verification by the governing body of the professional organization of the dates of service and clock hours earned. Limited to 30 clock hours per year. |
Serving on a visitation team for a school accreditation agency. | Written verification from the accreditation agency of the dates of service and clock hours earned. Limited to 60 hours per year. |
*Note: Applicants who are renewing an Athletic Coaching certificate must also submit documentation of valid certification in First Aid and CPR.
Renewing Other Certificates
Renewal Time Frame: A Substitute or JROTC certificate may be renewed six months prior to its expiration date and up to one year after it expires. If your certificate has expired for more than one year you must reapply for certification under the requirements in effect at the time of re-application.
There are no professional development or coursework requirements to renew Substitute and JROTC certificates.
Certificates other than Standard, Substitute, and JROTC are not considered renewable. Please review the appropriate requirement document to determine the restrictions, extension, or re-qualification options.
Apply for Renewal
Renew Your Certification Online
Renew your certification electronically online using our educator portal, AzEDCert. It's convenient, easy, and fast! Just visit http://certification.azed.gov.
Or, submit an Application for Renewal of Certificate or Application for Renewal of Substitute or JROTC Certificate by mail.
