North Carolina Teaching Certification
North Carolina requires a bachelor’s degree, completion of a state-approved educator preparation program, and passing scores on required licensure exams to earn an Initial Professional License (IPL). The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction oversees applications, testing, and licensure renewal through its Online Licensure System.
Sponsored School(s)
North Carolina’s public schools sit under the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), which sets every requirement for getting licensed to teach in the state. Whether you’re finishing a bachelor’s degree in education, switching careers with a degree in something else, or bringing a license from another state, there’s a specific path built for your situation. Pick the description below that matches where you are right now.
Choose Your North Carolina Certification Path
Learn how to become a teacher in North Carolina, or move into administration, with the route that fits your situation:
- Initial Teaching Certification…
- I’m a teacher from another state…
- Teacher Certification Renewal…
- Admin./Principal Certification…
- Alternative Teaching Certification…
- Substitute Teaching Permit…
Initial North Carolina Teaching Certification
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) oversees every step of the licensing process, from your first application through renewal years down the road. Elementary school teaching jobs in North Carolina are projected to grow 1.4% between 2024 and 2034, with an average of 2,780 openings expected each year, according to the North Carolina Department of Commerce. That’s a modest but real signal of ongoing demand, even as national projections for the same role show a slight decline over the same period.
Find schools offering teaching certification programs in North Carolina.
Education Requirements
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Licensure Section (919-716-1800) has established qualifications for becoming a licensed educator in the state, requiring that you either:
- Graduated from a state-approved educator preparation program through a regionally accredited institution (all of which are at the bachelor’s level or higher)
OR
- Complete an alternative route to teacher licensure in another state, earn a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, and demonstrate competency in the area you intend to teach
A list of regional accreditation agencies may be found here.
If you completed your teacher education in a foreign country, your transcript must be evaluated for U.S. equivalency by an international education evaluation service, which will send the report to the NC Department of Public Instruction.
Licensure Options
North Carolina issues two main license tiers to professional educators. The Initial Professional License (IPL) is for new teachers and candidates with fewer than three years of experience. It’s valid for three years and is non-renewable. The Continuing Professional License (CPL) is for teachers who’ve met their IPL requirements and completed at least three years of teaching. It’s valid for five years and renews upon completion of continuing education credit.
Examinations
Testing requirements vary by licensure area and preparation pathway, and North Carolina has updated its required assessments over time. NCDPI specifies which assessments apply to your license area under State Board of Education policy LICN-003, so confirm the current requirement for your specific pathway before registering for any test.
Content area assessments: Most license areas require a content-specific assessment, administered through either Praxis or Pearson, depending on the subject and grade level. Below are the license areas this typically covers:
- Birth through Kindergarten
- Elementary K-6
- Middle Grades:
- Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social Studies
- Secondary Education:
- Anthropology
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Earth Science
- Economics
- English
- Geography
- History
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Political Science
- Science
- Social Studies
- Sociology
- All Grades (K-12):
- Art
- Health Specialist
- Music
- Physical Education
- Reading (Bachelor’s Level)
- Reading (Graduate Level)
- Speech Communication
- World Languages (K-12 or Secondary):
- English as a Second Language
- French
- German
- Latin
- Spanish
- Special Education:
- Adapted Curriculum
- Behaviorally/Emotionally Disabled
- Cross Categorical
- Learning Disabled
- Mentally Disabled
- Severely Profoundly Mentally Disabled
- Visually Impaired
Experience Requirements
Your teacher preparation program in North Carolina will contain two experiential components.
The practicum is a component of college courses on education. It involves observing a teacher in the classroom, specific to the grade level and/or content area you’ll be teaching. At the teacher’s discretion, you may have the opportunity to lead the class from time to time.
The student teaching portion of your teacher preparation program is where you really get to hone your teaching skills. You’re placed into a classroom corresponding to the grade level and content area in which you seek licensure, and you’ll be given opportunities to take on daily classroom teacher duties. Officials from your college’s teacher preparation program will also observe your progress and performance from time to time. You’ll build classroom management skills, teaching strategies, and more during this time.
Document and Application Requirements
Once you’ve completed your educational requirements, experiential component, and required assessments, you apply for licensure through the NCDPI Online Licensure System.
- Create an account and complete the licensure application in the Online Licensure System
- Have your college’s teacher education program representative complete the Verification by Institution form
- Upload official transcripts showing the degree you earned
- Upload documentation of your completed licensure assessments
- Pay the required non-refundable licensure fee, which ranges from $30 to $100 depending on license type, by credit or debit card through the Online Licensure System
Contact NCDPI Licensure directly at 919-716-1800 with questions about a specific document or submission.
Criminal History Background Check
Background check requirements can depend on your licensure pathway, your employing district, and the position itself. In practice, North Carolina public school districts conduct a background check as part of the hiring process, separate from the NCDPI licensure application. Confirm what’s required with NCDPI and with the district you’re applying to, since requirements aren’t identical everywhere in the state.
Contact Information
For a directory of colleges in North Carolina with approved teacher preparation programs, click here.
To contact the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Licensure Section, call 919-716-1800.
Frequently Asked Questions
What degree do I need to become a teacher in North Carolina?
You need at least a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. Most candidates earn it through a state-approved educator preparation program that combines coursework with a practicum and student teaching, though candidates with a degree in another field can qualify through an alternative route instead.
How long does it take to get a teaching license in North Carolina?
A traditional bachelor’s-plus-student-teaching path typically takes four years. Candidates using North Carolina’s alternative route can begin teaching under a provisional license while finishing required coursework and exams, which shortens the time before you’re in your own classroom.
Does North Carolina have an alternative route to teacher certification?
Yes. North Carolina recognizes alternative and residency licensure pathways for candidates who already hold a bachelor’s degree in a non-education field, letting them begin teaching under a provisional license while completing required coursework and assessments. NCDPI’s current program names and requirements have changed over time, so see our guide to alternative teaching certification in North Carolina for the current process.
Do I need to take a certification exam to teach in North Carolina?
Requirements vary by licensure area and preparation pathway. NCDPI specifies the required assessments for each license area, administered through Praxis or Pearson, depending on the subject, so check the requirements tied to your specific licensure area before registering.
How do out-of-state teachers get certified in North Carolina?
Out-of-state teachers apply through North Carolina’s reciprocity process, which recognizes qualifying licenses and experience from other states. See our guide to North Carolina teacher reciprocity for the specific requirements.
- A bachelor’s degree is the floor, not the finish line. You also need a state-approved educator preparation program, the licensure assessments required for your specific area, and a background check as part of hiring.
- North Carolina uses a two-tier license system. The Initial Professional License (IPL) comes first and converts to a five-year Continuing Professional License (CPL) after you’ve taught for three years.
- North Carolina offers alternative and residency licensure pathways. They let bachelor’s degree holders in other fields start teaching sooner while finishing coursework and assessments.
- Elementary teaching demand is growing, not shrinking, in North Carolina. The state projects 1.4% job growth through 2034, even as the same role is projected to decline nationally.
Find accredited teacher certification programs in North Carolina, including application requirements and licensing timelines for your certification path.
May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS wage estimates and 2024-2034 employment projections for Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Middle School Teachers, and High School Teachers, reflect state and national data, not school-specific outcomes. State or district job-growth projections are sourced separately from national BLS outlook data. Conditions vary by school sector, subject area, and district. Data accessed July 2026.
