Michigan Substitute Teaching License
Michigan issues four substitute teaching permits: Daily Substitute, Full-Year Basic, Full-Year Shortage, and Full-Year Expert, each with its own education and experience requirements. Your hiring school district applies for your permit through the Michigan Online Educator Certification System, not you directly. Every permit requires a cleared criminal history background check and fingerprinting before you can start.
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Michigan issues four types of substitute teaching permits: the Daily Substitute Permit, the Full-Year Basic Substitute Permit, the Full-Year Shortage Substitute Permit, and the Full-Year Expert Substitute Permit. Each has its own education and experience requirements, and each is tied to a specific school district rather than issued statewide. You don’t apply for a permit directly. Instead, you apply for a substitute teaching position at a Michigan school, and if you meet the qualifications, the district submits the permit application to the Michigan Department of Education on your behalf through the Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS).
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Types of Substitute Teaching Permits in Michigan
The permit you qualify for depends on your education, experience, and how long the assignment will last.
| Permit Type | Education Required | Assignment Scope | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Substitute Permit | 60 semester hours of college credit with a “C” or better, or an associate degree | Intermittent, up to 90 consecutive calendar days | Non-renewable. A new permit is required each school year. |
| Full-Year Basic Substitute Permit | Same 60-hour credit baseline. Core subjects also need a major, minor, 20 credit hours, or a passing subject-area test score. | Same classroom assignment, up to 4 years total | Renewable up to 3 times with a mentor teacher and an Individualized Development Plan (IDP). |
| Full-Year Shortage Substitute Permit | Valid Michigan teaching certificate, plus a major, minor, or passing test score in the shortage subject | Same classroom assignment, up to 4 years total | Renewable up to 3 times with effective or highly effective performance ratings. |
| Full-Year Expert Substitute Permit | Bachelor’s degree plus 5 years of documented work experience in the subject (world language candidates can substitute an oral proficiency exam). Core subjects also need a major, minor, or passing test score. | Limited to half of a full-time position (0.5 FTE) | Unlimited renewals with a mentor teacher and an IDP. |
Education Requirements by Permit
Daily Substitute Permit
You need at least 60 semester hours of college credit, with a grade of “C” or better, combined from one or more regionally accredited two- or four-year colleges or universities. An associate degree also satisfies this requirement.
Full-Year Basic Substitute Permit
You need the same 60-hour credit baseline as the Daily Substitute Permit. If you’re teaching a core academic subject, you also need a major or minor in that subject, 20 semester credit hours in the discipline, or a passing score on the appropriate state-approved subject test, which for most subjects is the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC). Your district must assign you a mentor teacher and help you develop an Individualized Development Plan. If you’re working toward how to become a fully certified teacher in Michigan, this permit’s renewal requirements track your progress through that process.
Full-Year Shortage Substitute Permit
This permit requires a valid Michigan teaching certificate. To teach a shortage-area core subject, you also need a major, a minor, or a passing MTTC score in that subject.
Full-Year Expert Substitute Permit
You need a bachelor’s degree and at least 5 years of documented, successful work experience in the subject you’ll teach. If you’re teaching a world language, the state waives the experience requirement if you pass an approved oral proficiency exam instead. For core academic subjects, you still need a major, minor, or passing subject test score on top of the degree and experience. This permit caps your assignment at half of a full-time teaching position, and your district must assign a mentor and maintain an Individualized Development Plan for you.
How to Apply for a Substitute Teaching Permit
The process runs through the hiring district, not a state application portal you access yourself.
- Apply for a substitute teaching position at a Michigan school district.
- Confirm you meet the education and experience requirements for the permit type for the assignment.
- Let the district submit your permit application through the Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS). Individual educators can’t apply for permits directly; only the employing school or a contracted staffing agency can.
- Complete the criminal history background check and fingerprinting.
- The district pays the $45 permit fee, and your permit becomes valid once the application status shows “Approved.”
Experience Requirements
Experience requirements depend on the permit. The Daily Substitute, Full-Year Basic, and Full-Year Shortage Permits don’t require prior classroom experience, though districts may give hiring preference to candidates who’ve worked with children or youth before. The Full-Year Expert Permit is the exception: it requires at least 5 years of documented work experience in the subject you’ll teach, unless you’re teaching a world language and pass an oral proficiency exam instead.
Criminal History Background Check
Every substitute teacher, regardless of permit type, must pass a criminal history background check. The Michigan State Police (MSP) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) both run background investigations, and you’ll need fingerprints taken at an approved Live Scan vendor. The Michigan Department of Education receives your results and notifies the district whether you can be hired. A permit isn’t valid without a cleared background check.
Permit Validity and Renewal
Daily Substitute Permit
- Authorizes intermittent, day-to-day teaching for up to 90 consecutive calendar days per assignment
- Can be extended for an additional 90 consecutive calendar days in some cases
- Non-renewable. A new Daily Substitute Permit must be applied for each school year.
Full-Year Basic Substitute Permit
- Authorizes the same classroom assignment for up to 4 years total
- Requires a mentor teacher and an Individualized Development Plan (IDP)
- Renewable up to 3 times: the first renewal requires enrollment in a state-approved teacher preparation program, such as one of Michigan’s alternative teacher certification routes, and the second and third require documented progress toward completing it
Full-Year Shortage Substitute Permit
- Authorizes the same classroom assignment for up to 4 years total
- Renewable up to 3 times if you receive effective or highly effective performance ratings in the assignment
Full-Year Expert Substitute Permit
- Limited to half of a full-time teaching position (0.5 FTE)
- Requires a mentor teacher and an ongoing Individualized Development Plan
- Renews without limit as long as the IDP and mentor requirements continue
Contact Information
Contact the Michigan Department of Education at 833-633-5788 with questions about substitute teacher permits, or reach out through the MDE permits and placement page. You can also check this directory of Michigan schools to find districts hiring substitutes near you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between Michigan’s four substitute teaching permits?
The Daily Substitute Permit covers short-term, intermittent assignments up to 90 consecutive calendar days and requires 60 semester hours of college credit. The Full-Year Basic and Full-Year Shortage Permits cover the same classroom for up to 4 years, with the Shortage Permit requiring a Michigan teaching certificate. The Full-Year Expert Permit fills specialized, part-time roles and requires 5 years of documented work experience in the subject.
Do I need teaching experience to substitute teach in Michigan?
Not for most permits. The Daily Substitute, Full-Year Basic, and Full-Year Shortage Permits don’t require prior classroom experience, though some districts prefer candidates who’ve worked with children before. The Full-Year Expert Permit is the exception, requiring 5 years of documented work experience in the subject you’ll teach.
How long does a Michigan substitute teaching permit last?
The Daily Substitute Permit is non-renewable and must be reapplied for every school year. The Full-Year Basic and Shortage Permits can each renew up to 3 times, for up to 4 years total in the same assignment. The Full-Year Expert Permit renews without limit as long as the mentor and Individualized Development Plan requirements continue.
Does Michigan require a background check for substitute teachers?
Yes. Every substitute permit requires a cleared criminal history background check through the Michigan State Police and FBI, along with fingerprinting at an approved Live Scan vendor. The Michigan Department of Education won’t validate a permit until that check clears.
How do I apply for a substitute teaching permit in Michigan?
You apply for a substitute teaching position at a Michigan school district first, not through a separate state application. If you meet the requirements, the district submits your permit application through the Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS) on your behalf. Individual educators can’t apply for a permit directly.
- Michigan has four substitute permits, not three — the Daily Substitute, Full-Year Basic, Full-Year Shortage, and Full-Year Expert Permits each have different education and experience requirements.
- Districts apply on your behalf through MOECS — you apply for a substitute teaching job first, and the hiring district submits your permit application through the Michigan Online Educator Certification System.
- A background check is mandatory for every permit type — MSP and FBI checks plus Live Scan fingerprinting must clear before a permit is valid.
- Full-Year Basic and Shortage Permits cap out at 4 years — after up to 3 renewals, you need a different credential to keep teaching the same long-term assignment.
- The Full-Year Expert Permit is the only one requiring experience — it needs 5 years of documented work experience in the subject, unless you’re teaching a world language and pass an oral proficiency exam instead.
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