Iowa Substitute Teaching License
Iowa requires substitute teachers to hold a Substitute Teacher License issued by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners, which requires a bachelor’s degree and completion of an approved teacher preparation program. Educators who hold, have held, or are eligible to hold an Iowa teaching license, including qualifying out-of-state applicants, qualify to apply. A separate Substitute Authorization covers PK-12 for up to 10 consecutive days in a 30-day period, requiring an associate’s degree or at least 60 semester hours of college credit plus an approved substitute authorization course and mandatory reporter training.
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Iowa’s substitute teaching system runs through two distinct credentials, and picking the right one depends on how much classroom experience you already have. If you’ve held a teaching license before, in Iowa or elsewhere, the Substitute Teacher License is the path built for you. If you’re new to the classroom but hold an associate’s degree or at least 60 semester hours of college credit, Substitute Authorization gets you into an Iowa classroom faster, though with more limits on where and how long you can teach.
Substitute Teacher License Requirements
To qualify for a Substitute Teacher License, you need a bachelor’s degree and completion of an approved teacher preparation program, the same academic foundation required for an initial Iowa teaching license. You’ll submit official college transcripts showing both alongside your application. This license lets you substitute at any grade level, in any subject area, for up to 90 days within a single teaching assignment.
Want to learn how to earn a professional teaching certification? Contact schools offering teaching certification programs in Iowa.
Substitute Authorization Requirements
Substitute Authorization is a credential for candidates who have some college education but no prior teaching license. Eligibility requires an associate’s degree or at least 60 semester hours of college credit, along with completion of an approved substitute authorization course and mandatory reporter training. It covers PK-12 and allows up to 10 consecutive days within 30 days in the same assignment, unless an extension is approved. Area Education Agencies (AEAs) offer approved substitute authorization courses, and other approved institutions offer them as well, so an AEA isn’t your only option for completing the training.
Experience and Prior Licensure
The Substitute Teacher License is built around classroom experience: you must have held, currently hold, or be eligible to hold a teaching license, either from Iowa or another state under Iowa’s rules. When you apply, you’ll attach a copy of that valid or expired license. Substitute Authorization works differently since it doesn’t require any prior license, which is exactly why it’s limited to PK-12 and to 10 consecutive days within 30 days per assignment.
Criminal History Background Check
Every applicant for either credential submits to a criminal history background check, which includes fingerprinting. Iowa runs this through both the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Applicants complete the fingerprinting step through Iowa Fieldprint as part of the online licensure application, and are responsible for the fees tied to these checks.
How to Apply
Iowa processes both the Substitute Teacher License and Substitute Authorization through its online licensure application system rather than paper forms. You’ll submit your application, transcripts, and supporting documentation electronically, and complete your background check through Iowa Fieldprint as part of that same process. Which credential you apply for still depends on your licensure history: current or former Iowa teaching license holders and qualifying out-of-state license holders apply for the Substitute Teacher License, while candidates without a prior teaching license apply for Substitute Authorization.
Scope and Limits of the License
A Substitute Teacher License only authorizes work in an Iowa public school if a substitute assignment turns into a full-time or part-time teaching position that requires a full teaching license and a separate, regular application, not an extension of the substitute credential.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does an Iowa Substitute Teacher License last?
It authorizes substitute teaching at any grade level and subject area for up to 90 days within a single teaching assignment.
Can I substitute teach in Iowa without a teaching degree?
Yes, through Substitute Authorization, which requires an associate’s degree or at least 60 semester hours of college credit, plus an approved substitute authorization course and mandatory reporter training. It covers PK-12 for up to 10 consecutive days within 30 days in the same assignment.
Do out-of-state teachers qualify to substitute in Iowa?
Yes. A valid or expired teaching license from another state qualifies you to apply for the Substitute Teacher License, the same as an Iowa-issued license would.
Does Iowa require a background check for substitute teachers?
Yes. Both the Substitute Teacher License and Substitute Authorization require a fingerprint-based background check through the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the FBI, completed through Iowa Fieldprint as part of the online application, at the applicant’s expense.
Where do I get the training required for Substitute Authorization?
Approved substitute authorization courses are offered by Area Education Agencies (AEAs) and other approved institutions, so an AEA isn’t your only option. You’ll also need to complete mandatory reporter training before applying.
- Two credentials, two paths — The Substitute Teacher License requires a bachelor’s degree, an approved prep program, and a prior (or eligible) teaching license. Substitute Authorization requires only an associate’s degree or 60 semester hours plus an approved training course.
- 90 days vs. 10 days — The Substitute Teacher License covers any grade or subject for up to 90 days per assignment. Substitute Authorization covers PK-12 for up to 10 consecutive days within 30 days.
- Background checks are mandatory — Every applicant submits to fingerprinting through the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the FBI, completed via Iowa Fieldprint as part of the online application, at their own cost.
- Full licensure requires a new application — Moving from a substitute role into a full-time or part-time teaching position requires the regular teaching license application, not an upgrade of the substitute credential.
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