License Descriptions and Renewal Requirements

Note: Staff development credits from Iowa Area Education Agencies and semester hours of college credit from regionally accredited colleges and universities may be used to renew a Standard or Master Educator License.

Click here for AEA websites.

Click here to find out if a college or university is regionally accredited.

Renew a Standard License  - -   get form

Renew a Master Educator License  - -   get form

Renew an Initial License  - -   get form

Convert an Initial License to a Standard License  - -   get form

Convert a Standard License to a Master Educator License  - -   get form

Convert a Standard License, Master Educator License or Initial License to a Substitute License

Renew an Administrator License  - -   get form

Renew a Career and Technical License  - -   get form (Use the "Renew a Standard License" Form.)

Renew a Substitute License  - -   get form

Renew a Substitute Authorization  - -   get form

Renew a Coaching Authorization  - -   get form

Renew a Behind the Wheel Driver Authorization  - -   get form

Renew a Paraeducator Certificate  - -   get form

Substitute License

a. This license is issued for 5 years and can be renewed as many times as necessary.

b. A person with a substitute license can substitute teach at any grade level, any subject, but for no more than 90 days in a single assignment. One may not hold a full time or part-time contracted position with only a substitute license.

c. To renew a substitute teaching license, provide one of the following:

1. Verification of at least 30 days of substitute teaching during the term of the license (every 5 years) or one year of teaching experience within the last five years completed during the term of a valid Iowa teaching license.

2. Completion of at least 1 semester hour of credit from either a community college or four-year institution. The credit must be earned after the issue date of the license being renewed. (If the license has expired, the credit may be no older than five years.)

3. Completion of a local or area education agency 1 renewal credit course approved through staff development guideines established by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners. If option #2, or #3 is used, send an official transcript with Form #1.

d. Also provide verification of approved Mandatory Child and Dependent Adult Abuse Training completed within the past five years.

Initial License (previously known as Provisional License)

a. This is the first regular teaching license. It is issued for 2 years.

b. This license may be renewed twice. No renewal credits are required.

Under new rules, the Initial License may be renewed only if the holder does not yet have the two years of teaching experience (three years if out of state or in a non-public Iowa school) needed to move to the Standard License.

c. This license may be renewed a second time. The second renewal must be accompanied by a letter from a school district administrator indicating employment.

d. Fill out Form #1.

e. Verification of approved Mandatory Child and Dependent Adult Abuse Training completed within the past five years.

Converting the Initial (previously provisional) License to a Standard (previously educational) License
a. Provide evidence of 2 years of successful teaching experience and competence in the eight Iowa teaching standards.

b. Do not send a transcript.

c. Fill out Form #1 and have the administrator fill out Form #2, Section II.

Standard (previously Educational) License
-Six credits every 5 years are required to renew the educational or standard license.

-Verification of approved Mandatory Child and Dependent Adult Abuse Training completed within the past five years.

-Fill out Form #1 and include official transcripts of courses completed within 5 years and after the issue date of the license.

Acceptable renewal credits include any combination of the following list, but have to be taken within the term of the license (If the license has expired, no credits may be older than five years.):

1. Credit(s) completed which may not lead to a degree but which add greater depth/breadth to present endorsement held.

2. Credit(s) completed which leads toward the completion of a planned master's, specialist's, or doctor's degree program in an endorsement area.

3. Credit(s) completed which may not leads to a degree but which leads to completion of requirements for an endorsement not currently held.

4. Credit(s) completed through Iowa staff development courses or activities approved through guidelines established by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners, in other words, AEA staff development or approved LEA staff development courses.

5. One credit may be earned upon successful acquisition of three points from the following activities: mentoring a full-semester student teacher, mentoring a practicum student equivalent to 60 contact hours, and/or attending a cooperating teachers' workshop in conjunction with mentoring a student teacher.

NOTE: 4 credits may be earned for achievement of National Board Certification. Please send a copy of the certificate to the Board of Educational Examiners.

Converting a Standard (previously Educational) License to a Master Educator (previously Professional) License
One may not obtain a master educator license until he or she obtains a master's degree in an educational field and has taught for five years.
To convert the Educational or Standard license to the Master educator license at the time of renewal, the holder of the Educational or Standard license must have earned 6 renewal credits within the term of the license and must send in the official transcripts. (If the license has expired, no credits may be older than five years.)
-Submit transcripts indicating a master's degree in an educational field.

-Submit verification of 5 years of properly endorsed teaching experience.

-Complete Form #1 and have the administrator complete Form #2, Section II.

Master Educator License (previously known as the Professional License)
a. 4 credits every 5 years to renew a master educator license.

b. Verification of approved Mandatory Child and Dependent Adult Abuse Training completed within the past five years.

c. Fill out Form #1 and include official transcripts of credits earned.

Acceptable renewal credits include any combination of the following list, but have to be earned within the term of the license (If the license has expired, no credits may be older than five years.):

1. Credit(s) completed which may not lead to a degree but which add greater depth/breadth to present endorsements held.

2. Credit(s) completed which lead toward the completion of a planned master's, specialist's, or doctor's degree program in an endorsement area.

3. Credit(s) completed which may not lead to a degree but which lead to completion of requirements for an endorsement not currently held.

4. Credit(s) completed through Iowa staff development courses or activities approved through guidelines established by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners. In other words, AEA staff development or approved LEA staff development courses. Credit taken must add greater depth/breadth to present endorsement held.

5. One credit may be earned upon successful acquisition of three points from the following activities: mentoring a full-semester student teacher, mentoring a practicum student equivalent to 60 contact hours, and/or attending a cooperating teachers' workshop in conjunction with mentoring a student teacher.

NOTE: Four credits may be earned for achievement of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification. Please send a copy of the certificate to the Board of Educational Examiners.

Administrator License
-Verification of approved Mandatory Child and Dependent Adult Abuse Training completed within the past five years.

-Four credits every five years to renew the administrative license.

-Each applicant for renewal of an administrative license or endorsement must complete the approved course work in evaluation during the term of the license.

-Fill out Form #1 and include official transcripts of courses completed.

Acceptable renewal credits include any combination of the following list, but have to be taken within the term of the license (If the license has expired, no credits may be older than five years.):

1. Credit(s) completed which may not lead to a degree but which add greater depth/breadth to present endorsement held.

2. Credit(s) completed, which lead toward the completion of a planned specialist’s or doctor’s degree program in an endorsement area.

3. Credit(s) completed which may not lead to a degree but which lead to completion of requirements for an administrative endorsement not currently held.

4. Credit(s) completed through Iowa staff development courses or activities approved through guidelines established by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners, in other words, AEA staff development or approved LEA staff development courses. Credits taken must add greater depth/breadth to present administrative endorsement held.

Class A License
a. This option may be used to renew a license if the necessary course work has not been completed.

b. This license is not renewable.

Evaluator Approval License
a. This license must be renewed every five years.

b. Verification of approved Mandatory Child and Dependent Adult Abuse Training completed within the past five years.

c. One semester hour is needed for renewal.

d. This hour in evaluation may be earned through an approved delivery agency

e. If taken during the term of the administrative license, it may count toward renewal of the administrative license.

f. When renewing, this endorsement will be added to the Administrator License (the Permanent Professional License is excluded).

Career and Technical License
a. Verification of approved Mandatory Child and Dependent Adult Abuse Training completed within the past five years.

b. Six semester hours of renewal credit are required in any combination listed. Credits must have been earned after the issue date of the license; if the license has expired, no credits may be older than five years.

c. One semester hour of renewal credit may be earned for each semester hour of credit which advances one toward the completion of a degree program in an endorsement area.

d. One semester hour of renewal credit may be earned for each semester hour of credit completed which may not lead to a degree but which adds greater technical depth/competence to the endorsement(s) held.

e. Semester hours of renewal credit may be earned upon the completion of staff development programs approved through guidelines established by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners.

f. Completion of an approved human relations component, if not already met.

Provisional Career and Technical License
This license is not renewable. The course work necessary to convert this license must be submitted by the expiration date printed on the license.


How does one move from a regular teaching license to a substitute license?

Often people leave regular day to day teaching for retirement or for any one of a number of other reasons. They are interested in substitute teaching, but they do not want to continue to earn multiple renewal credits to maintain their teaching licenses. They want to know:

How do I get a substitute license?

First keep in mind that you may substitute in all subject areas and at all grade levels if you hold a current Initial, Standard, Master Educator, or Permanent Professional teaching license with any K-12 regular education or special education endorsement.

But when that license is ready to expire if you wish to substitute you will have to apply for or renew a substitute license.

If you have held an Iowa teaching license, but have never held a substitute license, the process is very, very simple.

1. Download the application for a substitute teaching license from our website ( http://www.boee.iowa.gov/forms/SubstituteLicenseApp.pdf ) or click HERE for an application.

2. Print it, and fill it out (2 short pages)

3. Mail it in with the fee listed at the top of the application.

If you have held a substitute license in the past, then you will be renewing that license. The process is just about as easy.

1. Download the application for a substitute teaching license from our website ( http://www.boee.iowa.gov/forms/RenewSubstitute.pdf ) or click HERE for an application

2. Print it, and fill it out (still 2 short pages)

3. Include one renewal credit no older than five years (a college credit or an AEA staff development credit.
OR
If you substituted for 30 days or more under that expired substitute license or under your expiring regular teaching license ask the district(s) at which you substituted to verify 30+ days of substitute teaching experience. There is a place to do this on the form. If you have to contact multiple schools to verify 30 days of substituting, we will accept a short letter stating simply where you substituted, the approximate time range, and the approximate number of days. There is no need to verify more than 30 days.

4. Mail it in with the fee listed at the top of the application.

A five year substitute license will then be issued.