Virginia Administration/Principal Certification
Virginia teachers add an administrative endorsement rather than earning a separate principal license. Candidates need a master’s degree, an approved administration and supervision preparation program, three years of teaching experience, and a passing score on the School Leaders Licensure Assessment. The Virginia Department of Education reviews every application before adding the endorsement to an existing license.
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Virginia doesn’t issue a standalone “principal license.” Instead, a licensed teacher adds an Administration and Supervision PreK-12 endorsement to their existing Virginia teaching license. That endorsement is what makes them eligible to serve as a principal, assistant principal, or central office instructional supervisor.
Before taking on that leadership role, candidates have to show the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) they have the coursework, exam score, and classroom experience the state requires.
Level I and Level II Endorsement Options
Virginia’s administration and supervision endorsement comes in two tiers. Level I is the standard endorsement required to serve as a building-level administrator, such as a principal or assistant principal, or as a central office instructional supervisor. Most candidates pursuing their first administrative role are working toward Level I, and the rest of this page focuses on that path.
Level II, called Principal of Distinction, is an optional add-on reserved for administrators who already hold Level I. To qualify, a candidate needs at least five years of experience as a building-level administrator, completion of a principal induction program, and a recommendation from their employing division superintendent. In addition, the candidate must meet at least two of several Board-established criteria, such as documented improvement in student achievement, demonstrated instructional leadership, an earned doctorate in educational leadership, or completion of a high-quality professional development project designed by the division superintendent.
Education Requirements
The Virginia Department of Education requires all candidates for the administration and supervision endorsement to hold a master’s degree from an accredited institution and to complete a state-approved administrator preparation program.
These preparation programs cover the instructional leadership, school law, and supervision knowledge candidates need to run a school. Most fulfill the coursework side of the endorsement requirements alongside the master’s degree itself.
Examination Requirements
Candidates seeking an initial endorsement to serve as a principal or assistant principal must pass the School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA), administered by ETS. Candidates seeking the endorsement only for a central office instructional supervisor role are not required to take the assessment. The SLLA is a four-hour computer-based exam that measures whether an entry-level school leader has the knowledge needed for competent practice, through both multiple-choice questions and written responses to school leadership scenarios.
Virginia’s Board of Education has set the passing score at 146. The SLLA cannot be used to add the endorsement after the fact for someone already serving in an administrative role. It’s required as part of the initial licensure process for principals and assistant principals.
Experience Requirements
Candidates need at least three years of full-time experience as a licensed teacher or instructional personnel in a public school or accredited nonpublic school. This requirement exists so administrators have firsthand knowledge of classroom conditions before they’re responsible for supervising them.
Administration preparation programs also include a supervised internship. Virginia requires a minimum of 320 hours of internship experience focused on instructional leadership and school structure, completed across a variety of school settings.
Document and Application Requirements
Once a candidate finishes an approved preparation program, they can begin the application process through VDOE. Teachers who are simply adding the administrative endorsement to a license they already hold often start that process through their employing Virginia school division.
The main difference from a standard licensure application is the endorsement section, where candidates document their preparation program, internship hours, and administrative experience. A completed application goes to VDOE along with the applicable licensure fee from VDOE’s current fee schedule, sent to:
Virginia Department of EducationDivision of Teacher Education and Licensure
P.O. Box 2120
Richmond, VA 23218-2120
Virginia does not require fingerprinting or a background check as part of the state application for the administrative endorsement, though individual school divisions may require one before hiring.
Candidates who earned an administrative credential in another state should not assume it transfers automatically. Virginia provides a specific out-of-state pathway under 8VAC20-23-620(E) for applicants who meet its requirements, and VDOE reviews each application individually rather than granting broad reciprocity. See Virginia’s teacher reciprocity rules for how the state handles credentials earned elsewhere more broadly.
License Renewal
Virginia teaching licenses, including those carrying the administration and supervision endorsement, are valid for ten years. Renewal requires documenting at least 270 professional development points, earned through activities like graduate coursework, approved professional development, or (for administrators specifically) leadership-focused training tied to the endorsement. See the full process for renewing a Virginia teaching license for the point categories and renewal timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Virginia have a separate principal license?
No. Virginia adds an Administration and Supervision PreK-12 endorsement to an existing teaching license rather than issuing a standalone principal credential. That endorsement is what authorizes someone to serve as a principal, assistant principal, or central office instructional supervisor.
What score do I need on the SLLA to become a principal in Virginia?
Virginia’s Board of Education has set the passing score at 146. The exam is administered by ETS and required for the Level I endorsement, which most first-time administrative candidates pursue.
How much classroom experience do I need before becoming a principal in Virginia?
Candidates need a minimum of three years of full-time experience as a licensed teacher or instructional employee in a public or accredited nonpublic school, in addition to completing an approved administration preparation program.
What’s the difference between Level I and Level II endorsement?
Level I is the standard endorsement required to serve as a building-level administrator. Level II, known as Principal of Distinction, requires at least five years as a building-level administrator, completion of a principal induction program, a superintendent recommendation, and at least two of several Board-established criteria, such as documented improvement in student achievement or an earned doctorate.
Do I need to pass the SLLA if I only want a central office role, not a principal role?
No. The SLLA is required for candidates seeking an initial endorsement to serve as a principal or assistant principal. Candidates pursuing the endorsement only for a central office instructional supervisor role are not required to take the assessment.
Does adding the administrative endorsement require a new background check?
Virginia does not require fingerprinting or a state-level background check specifically for the administrative endorsement application. Individual school divisions may still require one as a condition of employment.
- It’s an endorsement, not a separate license — Virginia principals hold a teaching license with an Administration and Supervision PreK-12 endorsement added to it.
- A master’s degree and approved program are required — candidates need a master’s from an accredited institution plus a state-approved administrator preparation program.
- The SLLA passing score is 146 — set by the Virginia Board of Education for the Level I endorsement.
- Three years of teaching experience is the minimum — along with a 320-hour supervised administrative internship.
- Renewal runs on a ten-year cycle — requiring 270 professional development points to keep the license and endorsement active.
Find graduate programs in Virginia that lead to the Administration and Supervision endorsement, including coursework aligned to SLLA preparation and supervised internship placement.
