Colorado Teacher Certification Renewal
Learn how to renew a Professional Educator Certification or reinstate a Professional Educator Certification in Colorado.
Teaching Certification Renewal
Initial teacher licenses in Colorado are valid for three years. After that time, they may either be renewed, or converted to a Professional License.
During the three-year duration of your initial teacher license, you are expected to complete an approved induction program. This program, provided by Colorado schools and approved facilities/agencies, involves ongoing professional development and training, ethics training, supervision by mentor teachers, and performance evaluations. Induction programs must meet specified rules in order to be approved. For more information on induction programs, contact the Colorado Department of Education Office of Professional Services at (303) 866-6816.
Once the induction program is completed, you must submit proof of completion via a copy of a completion certificate or the signature of the program’s Induction Coordinator. As long as you have passed the necessary PLACE and/or Praxis II exams, you are now eligible to apply online for a Professional License, which will be valid for five years.
To renew your Professional License, you must provide proof of completing 6 semester hours of college credit or 90 clock hours of Professional Development during the past five years. Accepted renewal activities may be found here. You may apply online for renewal of your Professional License within six months of its expiration date.
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Reinstatement of Colorado Teaching Certification
If your Colorado professional teaching license has expired and you would like it to be reinstated, you must follow the same procedure for license renewal as described above, providing proof of your Professional Development or college credit during the past five years. No penalty, additional fees, or additional testing is required to reinstate an expired license.
