How to Become a Principal in California
How to become a principal in California starts with holding a valid teaching credential, then adding several years of full-time experience and an Administrative Services Credential from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Most candidates also complete a master’s degree in educational leadership. Candidates can qualify through an approved preparation program, an administrative internship, or the CPACE exam.
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California doesn’t license principals directly. Instead, the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) issues the Administrative Services Credential, and anyone holding a site or district administrator position, principal included, needs one. This guide covers how to become a principal in California step by step, starting with a valid teaching credential, running through one of three preparation routes, and ending with several years of verified experience.
Prerequisite Teaching Credential
Before applying for the Administrative Services Credential, you must already hold one of the following. If you haven’t earned your California teaching credential yet, that’s the starting point:
- A valid California clear or life teaching credential, requiring a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and a program of professional preparation that included student teaching
- A valid California clear or life Designated Subjects Teaching Credential, along with a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
- A valid clear or life California Pupil Personnel Services Credential, Teacher Librarian Services Credential, Speech-Language Pathology Services Credential, Clinical or Rehabilitative Services Credential, or School Nurse Services Credential, along with a bachelor’s degree and completion of a program of professional preparation
- A valid California license to practice occupational therapy or physical therapy (only when used as the qualifying prerequisite authorized by current CTC regulations)
For each of these prerequisite credentials, the bachelor’s degree itself satisfies the state’s Basic Skills Requirement, so candidates who already hold one of these credentials don’t need to pass a separate basic skills exam to move forward.
Master’s Degree and Preparation Program
Most aspiring administrators complete a master’s degree in educational leadership or administration as part of a CTC-approved preparation program. These programs cover school finance, personnel supervision, instructional leadership, and special education law, and they culminate in the Administrative Performance Assessment described below. A program sponsor’s formal recommendation is one of the three ways to satisfy the preliminary credential’s preparation requirement.
Preliminary Administrative Services Credential
The Preliminary Administrative Services Credential, issued for up to five years and subject to earlier expiration if the prerequisite credential expires sooner, is the first tier of California’s two-tier system. Candidates qualify through one of three routes:
| Route | What It Involves | Performance Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Commission-approved preparation program | Graduate-level coursework, often paired with a master’s degree, resulting in a formal program sponsor recommendation. | California Administrator Performance Assessment (CalAPA) required |
| Commission-approved administrative internship | One-year supervised in-service training while working in an administrative role | CalAPA required |
| CPACE exam | Passing score on the California Preliminary Administrative Credential Examination (CPACE), instead of a preparation program or internship | Not required (the CPACE itself serves as the assessment) |
Whichever route you take, you’ll also need to complete five years of full-time experience in teaching, pupil personnel work, librarianship, health services, or clinical or rehabilitative services (substitute or part-time work doesn’t count). Candidates who complete a Commission-approved preparation program may qualify for a waiver of up to two years of that experience requirement. The experience waiver isn’t available to candidates using the CPACE exam route or applying for a Certificate of Eligibility.
Once you’ve met the credential, preparation, and experience requirements, you’ll need to verify employment in an administrative position using the Verification of Employment form (CL-777). If you haven’t secured an administrative position yet, you can apply for a Certificate of Eligibility instead, which confirms you’ve met every other requirement and lets you job search with that documentation in hand. There’s no expiration date on the Certificate of Eligibility, and once you land a position, you can convert it directly to the Preliminary Administrative Services Credential.
Clear Administrative Services Credential
To convert your preliminary credential to the Clear Administrative Services Credential before it expires, you’ll need to:
- Complete two years of full-time experience in an administrative position while holding the preliminary credential
- Complete a Commission-approved Administrative Services induction program, a two-year, site-based and job-embedded program of professional learning, and receive the program sponsor’s recommendation.
Enrollment in the induction program is expected as soon as you’re placed in an administrative role, and it must begin no later than one year after your preliminary credential is activated. The Clear Administrative Services Credential is valid for up to five years and may also be limited by the prerequisite credential. It renews online through CTC Online.
Applying for Your Credential
California credential applications, including the Administrative Services Credential, are submitted through CTC Online rather than by mail. After creating an educator account, you’ll select the credential type, upload supporting documents like transcripts and your CPACE score report or program sponsor recommendation, answer the Professional Fitness Questions, and submit payment. The Commission reviews applications once every required document and fee has been received.
Criminal History Background Check
Every applicant must complete a criminal history background check, including fingerprinting through the state’s LiveScan system, before the Commission can issue a Certificate of Clearance. You can find LiveScan locations through the California Department of Justice. Once your fingerprints clear, the Commission notifies you by email, and that clearance becomes part of your credential application.
Learn more about the graduate school process. Contact schools offering educational administration degree programs in California.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a master’s degree to become a principal in California?
Not by statute, but in practice, yes. Most Commission-approved preparation programs award a master’s degree in educational leadership or administration alongside the Administrative Services Credential, and many hiring districts prefer or expect one. The CPACE exam route is the one path that doesn’t require a master’s degree.
What is the difference between CPACE and CalAPA?
CPACE is an exam you can take instead of completing a preparation program or administrative internship. CalAPA is a performance assessment built into the preparation program and internship routes. You’ll complete one or the other, not both, depending on which route you take to the preliminary credential.
How long does it take to become a principal in California?
Most candidates need several years of teaching experience before starting a preparation program, one to two years to complete that program, and five years of full-time qualifying experience overall before the preliminary credential is issued (with up to two years potentially waived for program completers). Add another two years in an administrative role to reach the Clear Administrative Services Credential.
Can I become a principal without being a classroom teacher first?
You need one of several prerequisite credentials, most commonly a valid teaching credential, but pupil personnel services, school nursing, and other credentialed roles also qualify. A classroom teaching background isn’t the only path in, though it’s the most common one.
Does the Preliminary Administrative Services Credential expire?
Yes. It’s valid for five years from issuance, though the exact expiration can be tied to your prerequisite credential’s expiration date. You’ll need to meet the Clear Administrative Services Credential requirements before the preliminary credential runs out.
- The Administrative Services Credential, not a separate “principal license,” authorizes the role. California issues this single credential to anyone serving as a site or district administrator.
- Three routes lead to the preliminary credential. A Commission-approved preparation program, an administrative internship, or the CPACE exam, each with its own performance assessment requirement.
- Experience requirements run in the background the whole time. Five years of qualifying experience for the preliminary credential (with a possible two-year waiver for program completers), then two more years for the clear credential.
- Applications go through CTC Online. The Commission no longer processes mailed paper applications for this credential.
- A background check and LiveScan fingerprinting are required for every applicant. Build in time for this step before you expect your credential to be issued.
Find accredited educational administration and principal preparation programs in California, including options that lead to a master’s degree alongside your Administrative Services Credential.
