Maine Administration/Principal Certification
Maine principal certification runs through the Building Administrator certificate, which requires an advanced degree in education or leadership, three years of teaching experience, and completion of an approved internship or the state’s Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) pathway. Assistant principals can qualify with a bachelor’s degree under the Assistant Building Administrator certificate. The Maine Department of Education issues both through its online certification system, and neither track requires a standardized administrator exam.
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Maine certifies school administrators through a tiered system tied to the specific role. The Maine Department of Education (DOE) issues separate certificates for assistant principals, principals, assistant superintendents, and superintendents, each with its own degree, experience, and internship requirements. A separate Teaching Principal certificate also exists for administrators who split their time between teaching and running a small PK-8 school. If you’re earlier in the process, see our overview of Maine teaching certification for the paths that lead into an administrator credential.
Use the links below to jump to certificate requirements, application steps, and renewal information.
- Maine’s Administrator Certificate Tracks
- Education Requirements by Certificate
- Experience and Internship Requirements
- Examinations and the PSEL Standard
- Application and Document Requirements
- Criminal History Background Check
- Renewal Requirements
Maine’s Administrator Certificate Tracks
Maine principal certification and the related administrator credentials fall under Chapter 115, Maine’s current administrator rule, which took effect in June 2022 and organizes certificates by number rather than by generic title alone. The tracks most relevant to principals and assistant principals are:
- Certificate 045, Assistant Building Administrator: Covers assistant principals, assistant career and technical education administrators, and teaching principals who need the assistant-level credential.
- Certificate 040, Building Administrator: Covers principals, career and technical education administrators, and assistant principals who’ve completed the full building-administrator pathway.
- Certificate 057, Teaching Principal: A separate credential for PK-8 administrators who serve as principal less than half the school day while still holding a teaching assignment.
- Certificate 015, Assistant Superintendent: Covers assistant superintendents, principals, assistant principals, and curriculum coordinators.
- Certificate 010, Superintendent: Covers superintendents and every role listed under the Assistant Superintendent certificate.
Holding a higher-tier certificate generally qualifies you to serve in the roles covered by the lower tiers, so a Superintendent certificate holder can also serve as a principal without holding Certificate 040 separately.
Education Requirements by Certificate
Assistant Building Administrator (Certificate 045)
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
- Completed coursework in Federal and Maine civil rights law and education law, and in special education law
- Evidence of knowledge in supervision and evaluation of personnel, and in organizational theory and planning, gained through coursework or equivalent training
Building Administrator / Principal (Certificate 040)
- Advanced degree specifically in education or educational leadership (not just any field) from an accredited college or university
- Completed coursework in Federal and Maine civil rights law and education law, and in special education law
- Meets the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) either through a Maine-approved building administrator program or through coursework, equivalent training, a portfolio, or an assessment under Maine DOE Regulation 13
Teaching Principal (Certificate 057)
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
- Current Maine teaching certificate with an endorsement matching the grade level served
- Three years of satisfactory teaching experience, or the equivalent in another instructional setting
Assistant Superintendent (Certificate 015)
- Advanced degree in any field from an accredited college or university
- Completed coursework in Federal and Maine civil rights law and education law, and in special education law
- Meets PSEL standards through coursework, equivalent training, a portfolio, or an assessment under Regulation 13
Superintendent (Certificate 010)
- Advanced degree in any field from an accredited college or university
- Completed coursework in Federal and Maine civil rights law and education law, and in special education law
- Meets PSEL standards through a Maine-approved superintendent program, or through coursework, equivalent training, a portfolio, or an assessment under Regulation 13
Experience and Internship Requirements
Every administrator certificate builds on classroom experience first. The Assistant Building Administrator certificate requires three years of satisfactory public or private school teaching experience, or the equivalent in a comparable instructional setting. The Building Administrator, Assistant Superintendent, and Superintendent certificates carry the same three-year teaching floor, and the Superintendent certificate additionally requires three years of prior administrative experience (Assistant Superintendent requires one year).
Candidates for Building Administrator, Assistant Superintendent, and Superintendent certificates also complete a supervised internship or practicum tied to the target role, satisfied through any of the following:
- A graduate-level, state-approved administrator internship or practicum of at least 15 weeks
- A minimum of one full year of employment in an equivalent or higher administrative role
- A mentorship plan approved by the Commissioner, lasting one full academic year
Examinations and the PSEL Standard
Maine does not require a statewide standardized administrator licensure exam. Some other states do require exams such as the Praxis Educational Leadership assessment or the SLLA, so this is a Maine-specific point rather than a nationwide rule. Instead, candidates demonstrate readiness against the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL), a national framework from the National Policy Board for Educational Administration. Candidates meet PSEL either by completing a Maine-approved administrator preparation program or, for several certificates, through an alternate pathway combining coursework, equivalent training, a portfolio, or a Maine DOE Regulation 13 assessment. Candidates who don’t fully qualify through either pathway may be eligible for a conditional certificate tied to a supervised internship plan.
Application and Document Requirements
Maine processes administrator certification applications through its online Maine Educator Information System (MEIS). Applicants submit official transcripts showing degrees conferred and required coursework, documentation of teaching and administrative experience, copies of any prior teaching or administrative certificates, and the applicable certification fee. Start your application through the Maine DOE’s Application and Fees page, and see full current requirements on the Certification Requirements page. For questions, contact the Certification Office at 207-624-6603.
Criminal History Background Check
Every Maine administrator certificate requires a cleared criminal history background check, including fingerprinting. The Maine DOE’s Fingerprinting and Background Checks page walks through the current process and appointment scheduling. Applicants cover all fees associated with the background check, and the DOE will not issue a certificate until the cleared results are on file.
Renewal Requirements
Renewal requirements depend on whether you’re currently employed in an administrator role in Maine. Administrators employed under their certificate typically renew by completing an approved administrator action plan. Those not currently employed under the certificate renew by completing a minimum of six credits of approved study. Teaching Principal renewals follow a separate path built around an approved teacher professional renewal plan plus the same civil rights and special education law coursework required at initial certification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a master’s degree to become a principal in Maine?
Yes, for the full Building Administrator certificate. Maine requires an advanced degree specifically in education or educational leadership for this certificate, not just any master’s degree. Assistant principals working under the Assistant Building Administrator certificate only need a bachelor’s degree.
Can I become an assistant principal in Maine without a master’s degree?
Yes. The Assistant Building Administrator certificate (045) requires only a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, plus three years of teaching experience and coursework in civil rights law, education law, and special education law.
What is a Teaching Principal certificate?
It’s a certificate for administrators who serve as principal of a PK-8 school for less than half the school day while also holding a teaching assignment. It requires a bachelor’s degree, a current Maine teaching certificate matching the grade level served, and three years of teaching experience.
Does Maine require an administrator exam like Praxis or SLLA?
No. Maine doesn’t use a statewide standardized administrator exam, though some other states require one. Candidates instead meet the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders through an approved preparation program or an alternate pathway of coursework, training, portfolio review, or a Regulation 13 assessment.
How do I renew my Maine administrator certificate?
If you’re employed under the certificate, you’ll complete an approved administrator action plan. If you’re not currently employed under it, you’ll complete a minimum of six credits of approved study instead.
- Certificate matches the role. Maine issues distinct certificates for assistant principals (045), principals (040), teaching principals (057), assistant superintendents (015), and superintendents (010), each with its own degree and experience requirements.
- The Principal degree requirement is specific. Certificate 040 requires an advanced degree in education or educational leadership, not just any master’s degree.
- No standardized exam required. Maine uses the PSEL framework, met through an approved program or a coursework/portfolio/assessment pathway, instead of a test like Praxis or SLLA.
- Experience and internship requirements scale with the role. Three years of teaching is the floor across tracks, with additional administrative experience and a 15-week internship (or equivalent) required for principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent tracks.
Contact schools offering educational administration degree programs to find a path toward Maine principal or superintendent certification.
