New York Substitute Teaching License
Most New York school districts don’t require substitute teachers to hold a certificate, but NYC Public Schools runs its own substitute hiring and approval process. Substitutes without a teaching certificate can work up to 40 days per school year in any one district. Candidates who are certified, or working toward certification, can work an unlimited number of days.
Sponsored School(s)
In most school districts, substitute teachers are not required to hold a certificate. Some school districts, however, do impose requirements on substitutes. Check with your district for its specific rules. NYC Public Schools (NYC Department of Education), for example, requires all of its substitute teachers to hold a license.
Certification Requirements for New York Substitute Teachers
Education Requirements
If you do not have a New York teaching certificate and are not working toward certification, you may only work 40 days per school year as a substitute teacher in any given New York school district. NYSED regulations do allow a limited exception during documented teacher shortages: a district can extend that limit up to 90 days total if it certifies a good-faith search for a certified candidate.
Want to learn how to earn a professional teaching certification? Contact schools offering teaching certification programs in New York.
If you do not yet have a New York teaching certificate but are working toward certification: you may work an unlimited number of hours in any New York school district. NYSED regulations define “working toward certification” as completing at least six semester hours per year toward certification in the area in which you are substituting.
If you currently hold a New York teaching certificate, you may work an unlimited number of hours in any New York school district.
Experience
State regulations do not require prior teaching experience for short-term substitute service, though individual districts may set additional hiring standards. If you work a long-term position (more than 40 days per school year), you must have either student teaching experience or teaching experience under a New York teaching certificate.
Criminal History Background Check
Public school substitute teachers in New York are generally subject to NYSED fingerprint-supported criminal history review, processed through the FBI and the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, though hiring procedures vary by employer. You will be given the necessary forms and fingerprint cards when you apply for a substitute teacher position, as well as instructions on how to complete and submit them.
How to Apply for a Substitute Teaching Position in New York City
Outside New York City, most districts hire substitutes directly through the district’s own application process. In New York City, the path runs through the Department of Education and starts with a school, not a paperwork submission.
Nomination and Application Process
A New York City principal must nominate you before you can substitute teach in that school. Once nominated, the Department of Education emails you instructions for completing an online application, followed by a second email covering employment forms, fingerprinting, and background checks. Uncertified candidates also attend a processing event and set up a TEACH Profile with the New York State Education Department’s Office of Teaching Initiatives. NYC Public Schools outlines the full substitute teaching nomination and hiring process for candidates who’ve been nominated.
Required Training Workshops
Candidates without a New York State teaching certificate must complete four NYSED-approved workshops before being staffed: Child Abuse Identification, School Violence Prevention, the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA), and Autism. Nominated candidates then complete a Substitute Teacher Online Training Course, which is only available after nomination.
Renewing Your Substitute Teacher Status in New York City
Most New York school districts have no formal renewal process for substitutes. New York City has its own substitute teacher hiring and approval process, and individual districts elsewhere may also establish local requirements. In NYC, substitutes must show at least 20 days of service during the school year and maintain good standing, as determined by the Office of Personnel Investigations, to renew their status for the following year. NYC Public Schools updates its substitute renewal requirements each year, so confirm current details before relying on them.
Contact Information
Your local school district can provide you with more information on substitute teaching opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do substitute teachers need a certificate in New York?
No, not in most districts. New York City has its own substitute teacher hiring and approval process, requiring every substitute to hold a license regardless of whether they hold a state teaching certificate. Individual districts elsewhere in New York may also establish local requirements.
How many days can I substitute teach in New York without a certificate?
Up to 40 days per school year in any single school district. Working beyond 40 days in one district counts as a long-term position, which requires either student teaching experience or a New York teaching certificate.
How do I apply to become a substitute teacher in New York City?
A school principal must nominate you first. After nomination, the Department of Education sends application instructions by email, followed by fingerprinting, background checks, and required paperwork.
What training do New York City substitute teachers need to complete?
Uncertified candidates complete four NYSED-approved workshops (Child Abuse Identification, School Violence Prevention, DASA, and Autism), set up a TEACH Profile, and finish a Substitute Teacher Online Training Course after nomination.
How do I renew my substitute teaching status in New York City?
Show proof of at least 20 days of service during the school year and maintain good standing, as determined by the Office of Personnel Investigations. This renewal process is specific to New York City. Most other districts don’t require it, and NYC Public Schools updates its renewal requirements each year.
- Certification isn’t required in most districts — outside New York City, districts generally don’t require substitutes to hold a teaching certificate.
- New York City requires a license — NYC Public Schools requires every substitute to hold one, certified or not, through its own approval process.
- The 40-day rule caps uncertified subbing — uncertified candidates not working toward certification can work up to 40 days per district each year, with limited exceptions during documented teacher shortages.
- NYC hiring starts with a principal’s nomination — followed by an online application, fingerprinting, and four required NYSED training workshops.
- NYC renewal requires 20 days of service — plus good standing with the Office of Personnel Investigations, renewed annually under requirements NYC Public Schools updates each year.
Find accredited teacher certification programs in New York, including application requirements and licensing timelines if you’re ready to move from substitute teaching into a full-time role.
