Indiana Teacher Certification Renewal
Indiana teacher certification renewal means renewing a Proficient Practitioner License every five years by completing six semester hours of coursework, a 90-point Professional Growth Plan, or National Board certification. Renewal now also requires current CPR/AED training and Child Abuse and Neglect training, plus two additions effective July 1, 2025: suicide prevention and human trafficking training. The Indiana Department of Education processes renewals through the LVIS system.
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An Indiana teaching license doesn’t expire quietly in the background. A Proficient Practitioner License comes due on a fixed five-year clock, and the state added two new training requirements to the renewal checklist starting July 1, 2025. Here’s what actually renews a license, what reinstates one that’s already lapsed, and what changed this year that older guides don’t mention. These rules assume you already hold an Indiana license: if you’re licensed in another state and moving to Indiana, the reciprocity process is a different set of steps.
Use the links below to jump to license tiers, renewal steps, required trainings, or reinstating an expired license.
- Indiana’s teacher license tiers
- How to Renew a Proficient or Accomplished Practitioner License
- Required trainings and documentation
- Reinstating an expired license
Indiana’s Teacher License Tiers
Indiana licenses teachers in three tiers, and the tier you hold determines your renewal cycle. New teachers start with an Initial Practitioner License while participating in the Indiana Mentoring and Assessment Program (IMAP), which is associated with the Initial Practitioner license period and pairs new teachers with a mentor for curriculum and classroom support. At the end of that period, the teacher, mentor, and supervisor complete the IMAP Assessment Tool together, and the district submits it through the LVIS system to move the teacher up to a Proficient Practitioner License.
| License Tier | Validity Period | How It’s Earned |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Practitioner License | 2 years, renewable up to twice while completing IMAP | Bachelor’s degree, approved educator preparation program, and passing state certification exams |
| Proficient Practitioner License | 5 years | Completing IMAP (or a Professional Growth Plan) from an Initial Practitioner License |
| Accomplished/Professional Practitioner License | 10 years | Generally, 5 years of teaching experience plus a qualifying master’s degree or NBPTS certification |
How to Renew a Proficient or Accomplished Practitioner License
Once you hold a Proficient Practitioner License, you have five years before it comes up for renewal. Indiana gives you three ways to meet that requirement, and you only need one:
- Six semester hours of credit in your certification area, from an accredited Indiana or out-of-state college or university
- A Professional Growth Plan (PGP) totaling at least 90 points, documented through workshops, conferences, committee work, or school improvement projects
- National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification
The coursework option is worth a second look, even beyond renewal. Those same six credit hours are often the same credits that count toward moving up a salary lane, so the requirement and a raise can come from the same coursework.
An Accomplished/Professional Practitioner License works the same way but on a ten-year cycle. Reaching that tier in the first place generally requires five years of experience,e together with either a qualifying master’s degree or National Board certification, subject to Indiana licensing rules.
Timing matters more than most renewal guides mention. Submit your renewal application through LVIS roughly 45 days before your license expires, with transcripts or PGP documentation attached. Waiting until the expiration date itself risks a gap between when your current license lapses and when the renewal process begins.
Required Trainings and Documentation
Coursework or PGP points cover the academic side of renewal. Still, Indiana also requires documented training that has to be current at the time you apply, not just completed at some point during your five-year cycle.
- CPR/AED certification from an Indiana Department of Education (IDOE)-approved provider, as required by Indiana educator licensing rules. It expires every two years and has to be current when you submit your renewal, so check the expiration date against your renewal window rather than your license.
- Child Abuse and Neglect Training is a one-time requirement that stays on file in LVIS once completed.
- Suicide Prevention Training is required every three school years. This is new for renewals filed on or after July 1, 2025.
- Human Trafficking Training, also new for renewals filed on or after July 1, 2025.
Both new trainings apply regardless of which renewal path (coursework, PGP, or NBPTS) you choose. If your last renewal predates July 1, 2025, don’t assume your training file is complete without checking LVIS directly.
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Reinstating an Expired License
There’s no penalty for letting an Indiana teaching license lapse, which sets Indiana apart from states that impose late fees or require a fresh background check for any gap. But an expired license can’t be renewed. It has to be reinstated, and reinstatement means meeting the same coursework, PGP, or NBPTS requirement described above, plus the current training documentation, before you can return to the classroom.
The renewal requirements for a lapsed license depend on the license history and current IDOE renewal rules. If you’ve been out of the classroom for multiple renewal cycles, verify your individual requirements in LVIS before applying, rather than assuming that a single cycle’s worth of coursework or PGP points will cover them. Start by confirming your last license tier and expiration date in LVIS, then work from there.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do I need to renew my Indiana teaching license?
Indiana teacher certification renewal follows different cycles by tier. A Proficient Practitioner License renews every five years. An Accomplished/Professional Practitioner License renews every ten years. An Initial Practitioner License isn’t a long-term renewal cycle at all. It’s a two-year credential meant to carry you through IMAP and into a Proficient license.
What are Indiana’s new renewal training requirements?
Effective July 1, 2025, Indiana added Suicide Prevention Training and Human Trafficking Training to the renewal checklist, alongside the existing CPR/AED and Child Abuse and Neglect training requirements. All four apply no matter which renewal path you choose.
How many PGP points do I need to renew?
A Professional Growth Plan requires 90 points to satisfy renewal, earned through documented activities such as workshops, conferences, or school improvement committee work.
When should I submit my renewal application?
Submit through LVIS about 45 days before your current license expires, with transcripts or PGP documentation attached, to avoid a processing gap.
Is there a penalty if my Indiana license expires?
No. Indiana doesn’t penalize a lapsed license, but you can’t renew an expired one. You’ll need to reinstate it by meeting the standard coursework, PGP, or NBPTS requirements, along with current training documentation, before teaching again.
- Renewal cycles differ by license tier. Five years for a Proficient Practitioner License, ten for an Accomplished/Professional Practitioner License.
- Three paths satisfy renewal. Six credit hours of coursework, a 90-point Professional Growth Plan, or NBPTS certification.
- Two training requirements are new as of July 1, 2025. Suicide prevention and human trafficking training now apply on top of CPR/AED and child abuse training.
- An expired license isn’t penalized, but it isn’t renewable either. It has to be reinstated through the same requirements before you can return to the classroom.
- Applications go through LVIS. Submit about 45 days before expiration to avoid a gap.
Find accredited graduate coursework and continuing education programs that count toward Indiana teaching license renewal requirements.
