North Carolina Teacher Certification

• Temporary License. This license is valid for one school year and is issued to individuals who have not met the North Carolina Testing Requirement. It may not be renewed.
• Initial License. This license is issued to teachers with less than three years of experience. This license may not be renewed.
• Continuing License. This is issued to teachers with three or more years of experience. It is valid for five years and may be renewed.

North Carolina licenses are issued in the following areas:

• Preschool (birth - K)
• Elementary (K-6)
• Middle grades (grades 6-9)
• Secondary grades (grades 9-12)
• Special subject areas (grades K-12)
• Exceptional children (K-12)
• Workforce development (vocational)
• Special service personnel (not valid for teaching)

North Carolina allows an individual to add additional areas to their license by fulfilling the necessary academic requirements and passing the appropriate PRAXIS II Subject tests.

The Process for North Carolina Teacher Certification

The process to obtain a North Carolina Initial License is relatively straightforward. To obtain such a license, an individual must:

• Fulfill the education requirements by:
  • Graduating from a state-approved teacher preparation program from a North Carolina college or university.
  • Graduating from a teacher preparation program from an out-of-state college or university accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
  • Graduating from a teacher preparation program from an out-of-state college or university that follows National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) standards.
  • Graduating from a teacher preparation program from an out-of-state college or university based on reciprocal interstate agreements (North Carolina has reciprocal agreements with: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming).
  • Graduating from a from a out-of-state approved teacher preparation program from an out-of-state college or university that does not meet any of the above criteria.
• Pass the appropriate PRAXIS II tests.

Alternative routes are also available for obtaining an Initial License. A Lateral Entry License is available for individuals who start to teach without prior teacher training or experience while fulfilling the education and testing requirements for an Initial License.

To obtain a Continuing License, an individual must hold a valid Initial License and have three years of teaching experience.

Certification for Teachers Certified in Other States

North Carolina maintains reciprocal-licensing agreements with the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Individuals holding licenses in these states may obtain a license to teach in North Carolina. Certain North Carolina requirements such as testing are not covered by these reciprocal agreements and must still be met by an individual who wishes to teach in North Carolina. Appropriate PRAXIS II test scores for tests that an individual has already taken as part of their out-of-state licensing process may be submitted to North Carolina to fulfill the testing requirement. For others, a Temporary Teaching Permit may be issued allowing them to take the test while being employed as a teacher in North Carolina.

Individuals will receive the closest comparable North Carolina license to their out-of-state license.

North Carolina License Renewal

North Carolina Continuing Licenses must be renewed every five years. To do so requires continuing professional development credit. 10 semester hours or 15 units of renewal must be earned during the five year period of a valid license. One in-service credit from a North Carolina public School system is the equivalent of one renewal credit. One semester hour is the equivalent of 1.5 units of credit. Activities that are suitable for renewal credit include: college or university courses, approved local in-service courses or workshops, approved classes and workshops, and teaching experience. Coursework must be directly related to a license holder's professional responsibilities.