Coaching Permits

Coaching or pupil activity permits are required for individuals who will direct, supervise or coach a student activity program that involves athletics, routine or regular physical activity or activities with health and safety considerations. School districts determine which staff members need to have a permit. Those who wish to apply for an Ohio pupil activity permit must complete the requirements outlined here. Applicants, schools and districts may download and print the Pupil Activity Permit Application Checklist for guidance through the application process.

Please note that individuals who hold a valid standard or alternative teacher or principal license are not required to hold a pupil activity permit to direct, supervise or coach a pupil activity program that does not involve athletics or routine or regular physical activity or health and safety considerations.1

Districts are to verify all training for coaching permits

School district e-signers will confirm that all applicants for coaching permits have valid training or certification in all required areas, as outlined in the Get Set – Fulfill Your Training Requirements chart below. The guidance document below will assist e-signers with this verification.

District E-Signer Guidance: Verifying Training for Coaching Permits

permit terms for certain credential holders

Select your pupil activity permit in the online application process based on the following criteria.

Apply for:

A.  A three-year permit if you hold:

  • No other educator credential; or
  • An educator credential other than one of those listed under B or C.

B.  A four-year permit if you hold:

  • A four-year resident educator license; or
  • A four-year alternative resident educator license.

C.  A five-year permit if you hold:

  • A five-year professional license; or
  • A five-year senior professional license; or
  • A five-year lead professional license; or
  • A permanent teaching certificate (NOTE: Permanent Non-Tax certificates do not meet this requirement).
Your Ohio educator license must be active to be considered for a four-year or five-year pupil activity permit.

steps for THOSE Requesting a Permit (new or renewal)

On Your Mark – Contact the School District  

The hiring process. Your first step is to complete the process for serving as a coach or activity director at the school or district where you wish to coach or direct. Be sure to notify the school or district that you will be submitting the online application for the pupil activity permit. The superintendent or designee will need to electronically sign your application. 

Background check. Make sure you have up-to-date background checks on file. If you are renewing your permit, you can check the date of your last background check from your CORE Dashboard. You can ask your district where its staff members start this process if you need to request a new or updated background check. 

Get Set – Fulfill Your Training Requirements

There are five categories of training below. Applicants are to: a) check with their school districts about preferences and procedures related to each category; and b) provide documentation to their districts that they met requirements. We encourage coaches to keep record of any expiration dates for their training sessions so that they can re-take them before they expire (dates vary).

Training
1. Fundamentals of Coaching (one-time training) - Fulfill this requirement through ONE of the following training options:
2. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training​ - Fulfill this requirement through a course approved by your school or district.
3. First Aid for Coaches -​ ​ Fulfill this requirement through ONE of the four categories of options outlined below:
  1. Ohio Department of Education-approved pupil activity program. Search for a program during a given time span by entering a beginning and ending date here.
  1. Nationally approved programs. Select ONE of the following:
  1. College or university courses. Courses must be completed within the past three years and be related to first aid or athletic training. 
  1. Professional licenses or certifications. The following licenses/certifications fulfill the first aid training requirement: MD, DO, DC, PA, RN, EMR, EMT, AEMT, Paramedic, ATC and SCS. Your board license must be active.
4. Concussion Training - Complete ONE of the following free, online courses (valid for three years).

Please see the Ohio Department of Health website for additional resources.

5. Sudden Cardiac Arrest Training ​- Each year, coaches must renew the Sudden Cardiac Arrest training also known as Lindsay’s Law. Although districts may choose how they will verify completion of this requirement, the Department encourages use of its Learning Management System (LMS) to access the Lindsay’s Law course. Coaches must have an active pupil activity permit (or other credential issued by the Department of Education), OR have submitted an application for a permit with the Department of Education to access the LMS. Once your OH|ID account has been fully set-up, and you have submitted your application, you may access the LMS through your OH|ID account (please allow at least 24 hours after completing the set-up for the LMS application to appear in your OH|ID Portal). On the LMS homepage at top right corner, click the Course Catalog link. Then search for Sudden Cardiac Arrest to find the course. After you view the materials and pass a short test, you may download and print your certificate of completion. If you are unable to access the LMS, please work with your local district regarding approval of alternative options to meeting the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Training requirement as explained on the Ohio Department of Health website. 

6. Mental Health Training - Effective October 3, 2023, Ohio law will require all athletic coaches to complete a student mental health training course approved by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The new training requirement supports Future Forward Ohio, highlighting student wellness as one of Ohio's strategic priorities for education. The training will help coaches recognize risk factors, signs of suicidal ideation, symptoms of common mental health disorders and learn strategies to support youth experiencing common mental health concerns.  

Any individual applying to renew their permit (or who held a permit and is applying for a different multi-year pupil activity permit, such as a four-year or five-year) on or after October 3, 2023, must submit a certificate of completion from an approved course list to the Office of Educator Licensure with their application. New athletic coaches have the duration of their permit to complete the training.  

Athletic coaches can access the approved trainings through the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services webpage. Contact the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services for questions regarding approved training programs.

GO – Application Instructions

  • Make sure you have a OH|ID account. If you are certain you do not have a OH|ID account, see the CORE User Manual for complete instructions to set up your account. 
  • If you have a OH|ID account but do not remember the user name or password, click on the "Forgot Password" link on the OH|ID portal to reset your password. Please do not set up a second OH|ID account. If you need assistance, you may contact (877) 644-6338 or Profile.Help@education.ohio.gov.
  • IRN - Ask your district for its Information Retrieval Number (IRN).
  • Access your OH|ID account.
  • Click Educator Licensure and Records (CORE).
  • Complete the online application from your CORE Dashboard.

Additional Information

  • First Aid Program Pupil Activity Provider Packet  - This informational packet and application are for individuals or organizations who are seeking to become approved to offer first-aid or first-response programming for coaches pursuing a pupil activity permit.

1OAC 3301-27-01
2ORC 3313.5318
 

Last Modified: 9/5/2023 1:37:12 PM