Educator Certification: Renew Your Certification

Renewal Time Frame

• 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.

Aligning Certificates

• 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.

Renewal Requirements

Valid IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card: submit a copy of your valid IVP fingerprint clearance card with your application. 

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. A valid CCC-SLP from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 
    • 4. A Nationally Certified School Psychologist credential issued by the National Association of School Psychologists.

Professional Development Activities

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: 

*Note: Applicants who are renewing an Athletic Coaching certificate must also submit documentation of valid certification in First Aid and CPR. 

Substitute and JROTC 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.

Other 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.