Educator Certification: Renew Your Certification

The information below is for individuals who are renewing a standard, substitute, or JROTC certificate with no deficiencies.  Standard certificates include: Standard Teaching, Standard Administrative, School Counselor, School Psychologist, Speech-Language Pathologist, School Social Worker, Athletic Coaching, Standard Adult Education,  and Native American Language certificates. 

Approved areas and full endorsements are attachments to a certificate and will renew automatically with the certificate.    

 Renewing Standard Certificates

Renewal Timeframes

  • Renewable Certificates: Renewable certificates include Standard Teaching, Administrative, School Counselor, School Psychologist, Speech-Language Pathologist, School Social Worker, Athletic Coaching, Standard Adult Education, or Native American Language.
    • Non-renewable certificates include those certificates that expired with an outstanding deficiency, expired provisional certificates, Emergency Teaching, and Emergency Substitute Certificates.
  • Renewal Time-frame: A certificate may be renewed six months prior to its expiration date and up to ten years after it expires.
    • If your certificate has expired less than 2 years, please review the "Regular Renewal Requirements."
    • If your certificate has expired 2 years but less than 10, please review the "Experience Educator Renewal Requirements."
      • If your certificate has expired for more than ten years you must reapply for certification under the requirements in effect at the time of re-application.

Certificate Alignment

  • 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 expires first.

Valid IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card: A valid Arizona Department of Public Safety Identity Verified Prints (AZDPS IVP)  fingerprint clearance card.  

Professional Development: Proof of 15 clock hours of professional development activities for each year of the certificate term, or proof of an approved license or certificate, is required for renewal.  *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.  

  • A 6-year certificate requires 90 professional development hours.
  • A 8-year certificate requires 120 professional development hours.
  • A 12-year certificate requires 180 professional development hours.

Accepted documentation to meet renewal requirements:

  • LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY (LEA) VERIFICATION OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
    • If you work in an Arizona public school, in-service training hours may be verified by the district/charter school human resources office through the online AZEDCert Local Education Agency (LEA) portal.  If you work in an out-of-state or private school or district, in-service training may be verified by the superintendent or HR administrator on the paper application for renewal.
  • COLLEGE COURSEWORK 
    • Official transcript(s) documenting successful completion of college coursework completed during the valid period of the certificate.  Electronic official transcripts must be sent directly by the college/university through the online Certification Contact Form.  Paper official transcripts must be original and mailed by the institution to the Arizona Department of Education - Certification Unit, P.O. Box 6490, Phoenix, AZ  85005.
  • APPROVED LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE OPTION
    • Applicants may meet the requirements for renewal with proof of one of the following:
      • 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
      • A valid National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certificate; or
      • A valid Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech Pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. A valid CCC-SLP from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 
      • A Nationally Certified School Psychologist credential issued by the National Association of School Psychologists.
  • OTHER DOCUMENTATION
    • Please click on the "Professional Development Activities" button below for additional options and required documentation to meet renewal requirements. 

 

Beginning September 24, 2022, educators who hold lapsed, renewable certificate(s) that have expired at least 2 years but not more than 10 years may renew under the Experienced Educator rule. If your certificate has lapsed less than 2 years or more than 10, you will need to reapply and meet current requirements. 

  • RETURNING EDUCATOR REQUIREMENTS
    • A lapsed, renewable certificate that has expired for at least two (2) years, but not more than ten (10) years and has no deficiencies.
    • A completed Application for Renewal and a check for the required fee made out to the "Arizona Department of Education". 
      • The fee is $20 per certificate to be renewed.  No additional fee is required for endorsements and approved areas that are attached to the certificate. 
      • The application must be submitted via mail or at the Certification Customer Service Counter. 
    • A valid Arizona DPS IVP Fingerprint clearance card.

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. The internship shall be based on an agreement between a business and a district or school with the stated objective of aligning the 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 10 years after it expires. If your certificate has expired for more than 10 years 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 at  My Certification Portal. 

Or, submit an Application for Renewal of Certificate or Application for Renewal of Substitute or JROTC Certificate by mail.