North Dakota Administration/Principal Certification
North Dakota principal certification requires a Level I Principal Credential (Elementary, Secondary, or K-12), which calls for at least three years of teaching experience and a master’s degree plus 20 graduate credits from a state-approved educational leadership program. Aspiring principals can work toward this under a three-year Provisional Principal Credential first. NDDPI’s Office of School Approval & Opportunity processes all applications through the NDTeach portal, and no separate administrator exam is required.
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The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) issues principal and superintendent credentials through its Office of School Approval & Opportunity. These credentials sit on top of a standard North Dakota teaching license and let a licensed teacher move into a principal or superintendent role.
NDDPI issues Elementary, Secondary, and K-12 Principal Credentials, each available at the Provisional and Level I stages. Every application, including renewals, runs through the NDTeach online portal. If you’re still weighing whether administration is the right move, see our guide on transitioning from teaching to school administration.
Use the links below to jump to education requirements, exams, experience, application steps, renewal, and background check details.
- Education requirements by credential level
- Examination requirements
- Experience requirements
- How to apply for your credential
- Renewing your credential
- Criminal history background check
Education Requirements by Credential Level
North Dakota issues Elementary, Secondary, and K-12 principal credentials, each available at the Provisional and Level I stages. A K-12 credential requires meeting both the elementary and secondary requirements, including an internship at both grade bands.
Provisional Principal Credential
A Provisional Principal Credential lets you serve as a principal for up to three years while completing your Level I coursework. It can be renewed for one additional year if you’ve completed at least 20 credits in your educational leadership master’s program. To qualify, you need:
- At least three years of teaching experience — there are no exceptions to this baseline
- Proof of acceptance into an educational leadership master’s degree program
- Two letters of recommendation from education professionals who can attest to your teaching experience and leadership ability
- Enrollment in a peer-to-peer mentorship program
Learn more about the graduate school process. Contact schools offering educational administration degree programs in North Dakota.
Level I Principal Credential
The Level I Principal Credential is North Dakota’s standard professional credential, issued as an Elementary Credential (grades K-8), a Secondary Credential (grades 5-12), or a combined K-12 Credential. To qualify, you need:
- At least three years of teaching or administrative experience at the applicable grade levels
- A master’s degree in educational administration, or another field, plus 20 graduate credits completed within a state-approved educational leadership program
- Coursework aligned to North Dakota’s leadership standards, as verified by your program’s university advisors rather than by NDDPI directly
Provisional Superintendent Credential
- Issued if you already have a Principal Credential but lack the necessary coursework for the Professional Superintendent Credential
- You must complete the educational requirements for the Professional Superintendent Credential while working under a Provisional Superintendent Credential
Professional Superintendent Credential
- You must have completed the educational requirements necessary for a Level I Principal Credential
- You must also have completed at least 8 additional hours of graduate coursework specific to superintendents, as follows:
- Seminar in superintendency
- Advanced school law
- Advanced finance, revenue, and business management
- Facilities/facilities planning
- Personnel administration
- Politics, community relations, and policy
Examination Requirements
North Dakota does not require a separate administrator exam for its principal or superintendent credentials. Since every administrative candidate must already hold a North Dakota teaching license, NDDPI assumes you’ve already met the required educator licensure assessments for your original area of licensure.
Experience Requirements
For all of these credentials, you must have at least three years of teaching or administrative experience (or a combination) in North Dakota schools under an active North Dakota educator’s license.
To receive the Professional Superintendent Credential, you need two additional years of administrative experience in North Dakota schools as an elementary or secondary principal, a central office administrator, or an administrator of an approved school with a 12-year program, along with a superintendent field experience (internship).
How to Apply for Your Credential
NDDPI processes all Principal Credential applications, provisional and Level I alike, through the NDTeach online portal. There’s no separate application form for the Provisional Credential: you complete the same Elementary, Secondary, or K-12 Principal Credential application and submit your provisional-specific documents alongside it.
For a Provisional Principal Credential, send these to the Office of School Approval & Opportunity by email or upload them directly to your application:
- Proof of acceptance into an educational leadership master’s degree program
- Two letters of recommendation from education professionals
- Confirmation of enrollment in a peer-to-peer mentorship program
For a Level I Principal Credential, you’ll submit official transcripts through NDTeach’s upload feature. If a to-do item still asks for transcripts after you’ve uploaded them, that clears once NDDPI staff review your documents during processing. NDDPI no longer reviews transcripts itself to confirm coursework alignment with state-approved leadership standards. Your program’s university advisors handle that assessment, so check with your school’s advisor if you’re unsure whether a course qualifies.
For questions on North Dakota Principal or Superintendent Credentials, contact the NDDPI Office of School Approval & Opportunity at 701-328-2260.
Renewing Your Credential
Your Principal Credential renews on the same timeline as your underlying teaching license, but through a separate process on NDTeach. Most credential holders fall under a five-year renewal cycle, though your actual schedule can be shorter and prorated, depending on when your credential was first issued relative to your teaching license. You can’t choose your renewal schedule. NDTeach assigns it based on your licensure history.
| Renewal Period | Semester Credits | Alternative Option |
|---|---|---|
| Five-year (most common) | 8 credits | 6 credits plus attendance at 6 education workshops or conferences |
| Four-year | 4 credits | Attendance at 6 workshops, or 3 credits plus 4 workshops |
| Three-year | 4 credits | 2 credits plus attendance at 2 workshops |
| Two-year | 2 credits | Attendance at 2 workshops, or 1 credit plus 1 workshop |
| One-year or less | None required | Renewal application only, no additional documentation |
Unofficial transcripts are acceptable for renewal, and you can send them along with any workshop verification to the Office of School Approval & Opportunity by email or through your NDTeach application.
Criminal History Background Check
Because you already hold a North Dakota teaching license, you’ve already completed a criminal history background check and fingerprinting. A new background check generally isn’t required just to add a principal or superintendent credential to an existing, active license.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a separate exam to become a principal in North Dakota?
No. North Dakota doesn’t require a standalone administrator exam. NDDPI assumes you’ve already met the required educator licensure assessments for your original teaching license.
How long can I work as a principal on a Provisional Credential?
A Provisional Principal Credential is valid for three years and can be renewed for one additional year if you’ve completed at least 20 credits in your educational leadership master’s program.
Can I apply for a principal credential without any teaching experience?
No. You need at least three years of teaching experience before NDDPI will issue either the Provisional or the Level I Principal Credential. There are no exceptions to this requirement.
What’s the difference between a Principal Credential and a Superintendent Credential?
A Superintendent Credential builds on top of a Level I Principal Credential. You need two more years of administrative experience plus additional graduate coursework focused specifically on superintendency, school law, and school finance.
How often do I need to renew my North Dakota principal credential?
Most credential holders renew every five years, needing 8 semester credits (or 6 credits plus attendance at 6 workshops). Your specific schedule may be shorter and prorated based on when your credential was first issued relative to your teaching license.
- A teaching license comes first — every North Dakota administrator credential builds on an active teaching license and at least three years of teaching experience.
- Provisional buys you time, not a shortcut — a three-year Provisional Credential (renewable one year) lets you work as a principal while finishing your Level I coursework.
- Level I requires a full master’s plus 20 credits — the standard professional credential needs a master’s degree and 20 graduate credits in a state-approved leadership program, verified by your program’s advisors, not NDDPI.
- Applications and renewals run through NDTeach — NDDPI’s Office of School Approval & Opportunity processes every step online, including transcript uploads.
- Renewal schedules are prorated — most credential holders renew every five years, but your specific cycle depends on when your credential was first issued.
Find accredited educational administration programs in North Dakota, including coursework aligned to Provisional and Level I principal credential requirements.
