How to Renew a Five-Year Professional, Advanced or Associate License

Currently Employed in an Ohio School

Educators currently employed in an Ohio public school or district, chartered non-public school or community school are responsible for the design of an Individual Professional Development Plan, subject to the approval of the Local Professional Development Committee (LPDC). The plan should be based on the needs of the educator, the students, the school and the school district, and be aligned with the professional educator standards adopted by the State Board of Education.

In accordance with the approved plan, the educator must complete:
  • Six semester hours of coursework related to classroom teaching or area of licensure; or
  • 18 continuing education units (CEUs) (180 contact hours); or
  • Other equivalent activities related to classroom teaching or the area of licensure as approved by the Local Professional Development Committee of the employing school, district or agency since the issuance of the license to be renewed.

Coursework, CEUs or other equivalent activities may be combined.

Note: Professional license holders who have earned national board certification may renew with verification of the currently valid national board license.

Not Currently Employed in an Ohio School

Educators not currently employed in an Ohio public school or district, chartered non-public school or community school may renew with one of the following:

Coursework Requirements For Renewal

  • No pre-approval of coursework: The Department DOES NOT pre-approve coursework.  Educators should select coursework related to classroom teaching or area of licensure. Submit official transcript(s) from an accredited college or university reflecting the completed renewal coursework requirements with the online application.
  • Accreditation: Educators must complete coursework through an accredited college or university.  To verify accreditation, check with the college or university directly or check here. Click here to find accredited institutions approved to offer Educator Preparation programs in the state of Ohio.
  • Dates of coursework: Educators who wish to renew their licenses must have completed coursework after the issue date of the license they wish to renew.
  • Course requirements for currently expiring licenses: Complete six semester hours of coursework related to classroom teaching or area of licensure from an accredited two-year or four-year institution of higher education. Educators must complete renewal coursework prior to September 1 of the expiration year of the license to be renewed, or the renewal requirement increases to nine semester hours.
  • Course requirements for licenses that have lapsed for up to five years: Complete nine semester hours of coursework related to classroom teaching or area of licensure from an accredited two-year or four-year institution of higher education.
  • Course requirements for licenses that have lapsed more than five years: Complete twelve semester hours of coursework related to classroom teaching or area of licensure from an accredited two-year or four-year institution of higher education.

Other professional development

If you earned CEUs and/or contact hours approved by your former Ohio school, district or educational service center (ESC) after the issue date of the license you are renewing, you must submit an Educator Leaving an LPDC Verification form, completed by your former school, district or ESC LPDC chairperson to verify your CEUS/contact hours. Please do not upload any CEU forms other than the Educator Leaving an LPDC Verification form (completed by your LPDC chairperson) with your online renewal application. Please click here for the most up-to-date version of the Educator Leaving an LPDC form.

Note: Renewal requirements for a currently expiring license apply to educators continuously employed under another valid Ohio certificate or license, or as an educator in another state under a currently valid certificate or license.

PROFESSIONAL LICENSE HOLDERS RENEWING WITH OUT-OF-STATE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Out-of-state educators who hold an Ohio professional license and are currently employed under their standard out-of-state teaching license(s) may renew with the following requirements:

  • Verification of out-of-state teaching experience. Provide verification of your teaching experience under your currently valid, out-of-state teaching license. Click here to access the work experience verification document. Provide the document to your out-of-state school or district human resources director or superintendent to complete and submit directly to the Department. Your school may either email the completed form to educator.licensure@education.ohio.gov or mail it (originals only) to: 

    Ohio Department of Education
    Office of Educator Licensure
    25 S. Front Street
    Mail Stop 504
    Columbus, OH 43215;

  • Out-of-state teaching license. Submit your valid, standard teaching license(s) issued by the state in which you have been teaching; and
  • Coursework or continuing education units (CEUs). Submit official transcripts from an accredited college/university reflecting the completion of six semester hours of coursework since the issue date of the Ohio license you are renewing, or a summary of the continuing education units related to classroom teaching or the area of licensure you completed since the issue date of your out-of-state license. The summary must also verify that you have met the renewal requirements for the current out-of-state license. Please provide the summary from the employing school district or human resources office.

license holders with reading or phonics coursework limitations

Educators who have reading and/or phonics limitations listed on their license(s) must complete all required coursework in the teaching of reading and phonics before renewing or advancing that license.  Submit an official transcript from an accredited college or university reflecting the completed coursework requirements with the online application.

Consistently High Performing Teacher License Renewal

Certain educators with professional, lead professional or senior professional teaching licenses may not need to complete additional coursework or equivalent continuing education credits to renew their educator licenses. Learn more here.

Instructions for Submitting Official Transcripts

Please be prepared to scan and upload your original, official transcript in PDF format to your OH|ID account. Please note that we cannot accept grade reports, photos/photocopies of transcripts or unofficial transcripts. Before uploading your transcripts, please see the following requirements. You may also click here for a video tutorial on scanning and uploading transcripts:
  • The date your degree was awarded must be visible.
  • Include all pages of the transcript (front and back).
  • The registrar's signature and transcript key/guide must be visible.
  • Create one PDF file per transcript (do not upload pages separately).
  • Upload transcripts from multiple universities separately (i.e. each transcript should be one PDF file).
  • Electronic transcripts may only be sent directly from the issuing college/university to educator.licensure@education.ohio.gov.
  • Please do not submit transcripts that will expire or are password protected or locked.
  • International Credentials: You must provide a course-by-course analysis from a Department approved international credential evaluation service for college coursework completed outside the United States. Please see our list of approved organizations
  • Please view our transcript video tutorial and tips & tricks here.
  • If you would prefer to mail your original, official transcripts, please use the following address: 

    Ohio Department of Education
    Office of Educator Licensure
    25 S. Front Street
    Mail Stop 504
    Columbus, OH 43215

Application Instructions

  • Access your OH|ID account.
  • Click Educator Licensure and Records (CORE).
  • Complete the online application from your CORE Dashboard.
  • See the CORE User Manual for complete instructions.

Related Links

Last Modified: 1/15/2021 7:53:38 AM