Renewal of Teaching Certification

Your initial South Carolina teaching license is good for 3 years. To move up to a Professional License, you have to meet your school district’s ADEPT formal evaluation conditions. Once this data is sent by your school district to the Office of Educator Certification, your licensure status will automatically be changed to Professional.

Your Professional License is good for 5 years and lapses on June 30th of its expiration year. For relicensure (renewal), you have to finish 120 renewal credits relevant to your professional growth plan. Suppose you do not possess a master’s degree. In that case, at least 60 of these credits have to be at the graduate level, obtained at a regionally accredited institution with a graduate teacher education program.

Renewal Options for Lapsed Professional Licenses

If your South Carolina teaching license has lapsed for less than 5 years, you can submit a request in writing to the Office of Educator Services to renew it for one year. This year-long period will give you time to fulfill all conditions for a Professional License. The request must be mailed to the Office of Educator Services, South Carolina Department of Education, 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia, SC 29223.

If your license lapsed 5 years ago or more but fewer than ten years ago, a  district can contact the Office of Educator Certification to ask for a 1 year renewal, during which you are expected to finish the conditions necessary for a Professional License. If your license lapsed more than 10 years ago, you have to re-apply for an Initial License. For more info, contact the South Carolina State Department of Education Office of Educator Certification, Recruitment and Preparation at 803-896-0325.