Massachusetts Teacher Certification Renewal
Massachusetts teacher certification renewal happens every five years, when Professional License holders complete 150 Professional Development Points (PDPs) covering content area, English learner support, and special education instruction. Renewal applications go through the state’s ELAR system. Teachers whose licenses have expired for five or more years must reinstate through the same process before returning to the classroom.
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Massachusetts issues an Initial Teaching License that’s valid for five years, and moving to a Professional Teaching License requires classroom experience plus a defined set of coursework, mentoring, or advanced study. Once you hold a Professional License, keeping it active means tracking Professional Development Points (PDPs) and filing through the state’s online licensure system on a recurring five-year cycle. If you’re still working toward your first license, see the full path to Massachusetts teacher certification. If you’re licensed in another state, different rules apply to teachers moving to Massachusetts from another state.
Use the links below to jump to renewal requirements or reinstatement steps.
Teaching Certification Renewal
Once you receive your Initial Teaching License in Massachusetts, it is valid for five years. Massachusetts teacher certification renewal begins after that first five-year term, when you should apply for your Professional Teaching License. Requirements for a Professional Teaching License in Massachusetts are as follows:
- Three years of teaching experience under a Massachusetts Initial Teaching License
- Completion of a Teacher Induction Program during your first year of employment as a teacher
- If qualifying through the induction/mentoring pathway, complete the required mentoring beyond the Teacher Induction Program, or satisfy another DESE-approved pathway for Professional licensure
- Completion of one of the following options:
- 50 hours of approved content-based seminars offered by your school district
- A Master’s Degree in Education program or in your subject matter field
- If you already hold a Master’s Degree, complete a 12-credit academic program with at least 9 credits in your academic licensure area
- Receive Master Teacher Status by becoming certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
- Complete a State Performance Assessment Program (when available)
When received, your Professional License is valid for five years. To renew it, you must earn 150 Professional Development Points (PDPs) for your primary licensure area (30 PDPs for each additional area) and maintain an administrator-endorsed Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP) and documentation of your PDPs in case of audit. Of those 150 points, Massachusetts requires at least 15 PDPs tied to your content-area subject matter, at least 15 in Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) or English as a Second Language instruction, and at least 15 focused on teaching students with disabilities and diverse learning styles. The remaining points can come from district-provided professional development, approved coursework, or other DESE-recognized activities.
Renewals are submitted through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Educator Licensure and Renewal (ELAR) online system, not by mail. You’ll need your Professional Development Points (PDPs) and endorsed IPDP documented before you complete the Application for Professional License Renewal, and DESE can request supporting records if your renewal is selected for audit.
- For your primary area of licensure, you must complete 150 PDPs
- For each additional area of licensure, you must complete 30 PDPs
Reinstatement of Certification
If your teaching license has expired for five or more years, it is considered invalid. If you are hired on an invalid license, you have two years while employed to complete the correct number of PDPs to make the license valid. Once you meet the requirements, you may apply to have your license reinstated through the same Educator Licensure and Renewal (ELAR) system used for standard renewals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Professional Development Points does a Massachusetts teacher need to renew a license?
You need 150 PDPs for your primary licensure area within each five-year renewal cycle, or 30 PDPs for each additional licensure area you hold. At least 15 of those points must come from your content-area subject matter, at least 15 from Sheltered English Immersion or ESL instruction, and at least 15 from coursework on teaching students with disabilities and diverse learners.
What happens if a Massachusetts teaching license expires for more than five years?
The license becomes invalid rather than simply lapsed. If a district hires you on an invalid license, you get two years of active employment to complete the PDPs needed to reinstate it through DESE’s standard renewal application.
Where do Massachusetts teachers submit their renewal paperwork?
Renewals and reinstatements go through DESE’s Educator Licensure and Renewal (ELAR) online system rather than by mail. You’ll renew through ELAR and should maintain your endorsed IPDP and supporting PDP documentation for audit purposes.
Does National Board Certification count toward Massachusetts license renewal?
Yes. Becoming certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards satisfies one of the approved paths to advance from an Initial to a Professional Teaching License, alongside options like a master’s degree or a 12-credit academic program.
What is an Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP)?
It’s the plan you build with your school administrator outlining the professional development activities you’ll complete toward your PDP requirement. DESE requires it to be endorsed and kept on file, since your renewal can be selected for audit.
- Initial License to Professional License takes three years — you’ll need three years of teaching under an Initial License plus a Teacher Induction Program, then a mentoring, coursework, or advanced-degree pathway depending on how you qualify.
- Professional Licenses renew every five years — through 150 PDPs in your primary licensure area, or 30 PDPs for each additional area.
- PDPs aren’t just any activity — at least 15 points each must cover your content area, SEI/ESL instruction, and teaching students with disabilities or diverse learners.
- Everything runs through ELAR — DESE’s Educator Licensure and Renewal system handles both standard renewals and reinstatements.
- A five-year-plus lapse makes a license invalid — but a two-year window while employed lets you complete the PDPs needed to reinstate it.
Find accredited teacher certification and continuing education programs in Massachusetts, including options that count toward your Professional Development Points requirement.
