Renewal of Teaching Certification

Once you have your initial, professional Minnesota teaching license, it is good for 5 years. Licenses expire on June 30th of the expiration year. They can be renewed online.

During the 5-year validity of your teaching license, you have to complete 125 PD hours.

College courses count towards these hours, with one-semester credit being the equivalent of 24 clock hour credits.

Each Minnesota school district will determine the conditions for PD for its teachers. You have to submit a written narrative to the Minnesota Department of Education at the time of renewal showing how you have met the conditions for all 4 areas above.

Teaching Certification Reinstatement

Has your Minnesota teaching license lapsed? If so, you can have your license reinstated through one of the following methods:

• Apply for a 5-year short-call substitute license. This will enable you to teach up to 15 consecutive days in one classroom assignment.
• Show that you have finished 125 hours of PD in the past 5 years. Your local continuing education committee has to verify and report these hours to the Department of Education.
• If you were not employed in a Minnesota school district this past year, submit official transcripts that show you finished eight semesters or 12 quarter credits in education or related to your teaching field in the past 5 years.
• If you were offered a Minnesota teaching position contingent upon obtaining your teaching license, you could be granted a license extension. After the school year, you have to meet all renewal conditions.