Utah Teaching Certification
Utah teaching certification requirements vary by pathway, but a Professional Educator License generally requires a bachelor’s degree, an approved preparation program, background clearance, and any exam your license area requires, such as the Utah Foundations of Reading Assessment for elementary candidates. USBE issues an Associate Educator License first, then a Professional Educator License once every requirement is met.
Utah teaching certification runs through a single agency, the Utah State Board of Education (USBE), which keeps the process more centralized than in many states. Traditional teacher-prep candidates, career changers, and out-of-state educators all work through USBE licensing, but their eligibility and application steps differ by pathway. Below is what each path actually requires, along with Utah’s current teacher salary data and the background check every candidate completes.
Choose the description that best matches your situation:
- Initial Teaching Certification…
- I’m a teacher from another state…
- Teacher Certification Renewal…
- Admin./Principal Certification…
- Alternative Teaching Certification…
- Substitute Teaching Permit…
Use the links below to jump to Utah’s education and licensing pathways, testing requirements, student teaching rules, the application process, background check steps, and current salary data.
- Education and licensing pathways for Utah teachers
- Required tests for Utah teacher certification
- Student teaching and experience requirements
- How to apply for a Utah teaching license
- Criminal background check requirements
- Utah teacher salary and job outlook
- Contact the Utah State Board of Education
Education and Licensing Pathways for Utah Teachers
The Utah State Board of Education issues three license levels: a Professional Educator License for candidates who have met every requirement, an Associate Educator License, a three-year, nonrenewable license for candidates still completing a preparation program, and a Local Education Agency (LEA) Specific license, issued at a district’s discretion for roles limited to that district. Reaching a Professional Educator License generally requires a bachelor’s degree, though U-RAPT’s pre-apprenticeship phase (below) lets candidates start before finishing one. Utah offers three primary pathways to get there.
| Pathway | How It Works | Time Commitment | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| University Preparation Program | Enroll in one of Utah’s 10 approved Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs), completing coursework, field experience, and a full-time student teaching semester before licensure | About 4 years for a bachelor’s degree | Traditional students earning their degree and license together |
| APPEL (Alternate Pathway to Professional Educator License) | Get hired by a Utah school district or charter that partners with an approved APPEL program, then complete a customized Professional Learning Plan while teaching | Varies by program and prior coursework | Career changers who already hold a bachelor’s degree and want to teach right away |
| U-RAPT (Utah Registered Apprenticeship Program for Teachers) | Paid, competency-based apprenticeship split into a Pre-Apprenticeship phase (working toward an associate degree) and an Apprenticeship phase (working toward a bachelor’s degree and license), each paired with a mentor teacher | 1 to 2 years pre-apprenticeship, then 1 to 3 years apprenticeship | Aspiring educators without a college degree yet who want paid classroom experience while they earn one |
Candidates who complete a university program earn an institutional recommendation for licensure along with their degree. The state also provides a stipend of up to $6,000 to help university students cover costs during their full-time student teaching semester.
Utah recognizes several license areas, each tied to specific grade levels: Elementary Education (kindergarten through grade 8), Secondary Education (grades 6-12), Early Childhood Education (pre-K through grade 3), Special Education, Career and Technical Education (grades 9-12), and support roles such as School Counselor, School Psychologist, School Social Worker, and School Leadership. Endorsements attach to a license area to indicate a content specialization, such as a subject area or a specific teaching skill.
Required Tests for Utah Teacher Certification
Testing requirements depend on which license area you’re pursuing, and Utah dropped a major statewide requirement in 2024: the Pedagogical Performance Assessment (PPA) is no longer required for any Utah teacher preparation program as of June 10, 2024. Individual Educator Preparation Programs may still have their own performance, portfolio, or clinical requirements for graduation, separate from the state’s licensure requirements.
For Early Childhood, Elementary Education, and Special Education licensure, the required exam is the Utah Foundations of Reading Assessment (UFORA), not the Praxis. Among the license areas USBE lists as requiring exam, the Praxis exam, only School Leadership, School Counselor, and School Psychologist require it.
| License Area | Required Exam | Minimum Passing Score |
|---|---|---|
| Early Childhood Education | Utah Foundations of Reading Assessment (UFORA) | 240 |
| Elementary Education | Utah Foundations of Reading Assessment (UFORA) | 240 |
| Special Education | Utah Foundations of Reading Assessment (UFORA) | 240 |
| School Leadership | Praxis 5412 Educational Leadership and Supervision or Praxis 6990 School Leaders Licensure Assessment | 146 or 151 |
| School Counselor | Praxis 5422 Professional School Counselor | 153 |
| School Psychologist | Praxis 5403 School Psychologist | 148 |
Other license areas and content endorsements can use an optional exam to demonstrate competency, or an approved alternative such as specific university coursework, instead. Your Educator Preparation Program may still require its own exams to graduate, in addition to the state requirements for licensure, so confirm both sets of requirements with your program advisor.
Student Teaching and Experience Requirements
Traditional university programs build student teaching into the final semester. You’ll work full-time in a local classroom under a mentor teacher, gradually taking over lesson planning and instruction. Earlier in the program, you’ll typically observe experienced teachers and assist with small-group activities before that full-time placement begins.
APPEL and U-RAPT candidates gain classroom experience in different ways. APPEL candidates typically work as the teacher of record under an Associate Educator License while completing their Professional Learning Plan. U-RAPT participants work in paid classroom roles alongside a mentor or journeyworker teacher, with day-to-day responsibilities depending on their phase and degree progress rather than a fixed teacher-of-record status throughout.
How to Apply for a Utah Teaching License
Utah handles core licensing tasks, including your background check registration, through the Utah Schools Information Management System (USIMS). If you’re applying for an Associate Educator License, which is valid for three years and cannot be renewed, you’ll follow USBE’s current AEL application instructions directly. Specific steps vary by license type and pathway, so confirm the current process for your situation on USBE’s licensing pages before you start.
If you completed educator preparation outside Utah, your route depends on whether you already hold a license from that state. Educators who are already licensed elsewhere are generally reviewed through a License Equivalency Review (LER) application, since Utah can’t issue a license based solely on out-of-state program completion. Applicants without an out-of-state license typically need to pursue one of Utah’s own pathways instead. See the reciprocity guide linked above for details specific to transferring an existing out-of-state license.
Criminal Background Check Requirements
Every Utah educator must pass a background check through the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) before working with students. You’ll need a valid Social Security number to request the check, and background clearances from other states can’t be transferred to USBE. If your last Utah background check was completed before July 1, 2015, you’ll need to update it before you can work with students.
Start the process by creating a profile in USIMS, where you’ll consent to the background review and get fingerprinting instructions. If you’re physically in Utah, LiveScan is the fastest option: schedule an appointment, bring a government-issued photo ID and your CACTUS/Educator ID, and give the technician USBE’s agency code, B1017, along with the reason code for fingerprinting. If you’re outside Utah, you’ll need to mail a physical FD-258 fingerprint card instead, since USBE can’t accept electronic prints from other states.
Processing takes up to 25 business days once your prints arrive. You can track status in USIMS, where a cleared check shows both “Criminal Background Review Fingerprint” and “Criminal Background Review” marked complete. The Utah Professional Practices Advisory Commission (UPPAC) handles any ethics or background holds that come up during review.
Utah Teacher Salary and Job Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, elementary school teachers in Utah earned a median annual salary of $74,810 as of May 2025, with middle school teachers earning $79,180 and secondary school teachers earning $76,330. Kindergarten teachers earned a median of $63,190. For retirement and health plan details these wage figures don’t cover, see Utah teacher retirement and benefits.
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage | Projected Growth (2024-2034) |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten Teachers | $63,190 | +16.4% |
| Elementary School Teachers | $74,810 | +15.9% |
| Middle School Teachers | $79,180 | +15.9% |
| Secondary School Teachers | $76,330 | +16.4% |
Utah’s job growth outlook for teachers runs well ahead of the national trend. State labor projections show elementary and middle school teaching positions growing about 15.9% between 2024 and 2034, and kindergarten and secondary positions growing about 16.4%, adding an average of roughly 2,760 combined openings a year across the four occupations, per Utah’s Department of Workforce Services. That’s a sharp contrast to the national picture, where the BLS projects a slight decline in these same occupations over the same period, a trend tied to enrollment patterns among other factors.
Contact the Utah State Board of Education
For licensing questions, contact the Utah State Board of Education’s Educator Licensing team at (801) 538-7500.
Utah State Board of Education250 East 500 South
PO Box 144200
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4200
Frequently Asked Questions
What degree do I need to become a certified teacher in Utah?
You need at least a bachelor’s degree to earn a Professional Educator License in Utah, whether you complete it through a traditional university preparation program, the APPEL alternative route, or the U-RAPT apprenticeship. The Associate Educator License, which allows some candidates to teach while completing requirements, also requires a bachelor’s degree in most cases.
Do I have to take the Praxis to teach in Utah?
Not for most classroom teaching areas. Utah requires the Utah Foundations of Reading Assessment (UFORA) for Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Education licenses instead. Among the license areas with a required exam, Praxis is required only for School Leadership, School Counselor, and School Psychologist. Other areas and endorsements may allow an optional exam or an approved alternative to demonstrate competency.
How long does it take to get a Utah teaching license?
A traditional university preparation program typically takes about 4 years to complete a bachelor’s degree alongside licensure requirements. APPEL and U-RAPT timelines vary more, since both let you teach while finishing coursework, and U-RAPT’s apprenticeship phase alone runs 1 to 3 years, depending on your starting point.
Can I teach in Utah while I finish my certification?
Yes, through the APPEL or U-RAPT pathways. APPEL candidates typically work as the teacher of record under an Associate Educator License while completing their training. U-RAPT participants work in paid classroom roles alongside a mentor teacher, with responsibilities that depend on their phase and degree progress.
What if my teaching license is from another state?
It depends on whether you already hold an active license. If you do, Utah generally reviews your credentials through a License Equivalency Review (LER) application, since USBE can’t issue a license based solely on out-of-state program completion. If you don’t yet hold a license, you’ll typically need to pursue one of Utah’s own pathways instead.
- Three license levels. USBE issues a Professional Educator License, a three-year nonrenewable Associate Educator License, and an LEA-Specific license limited to a single district.
- Three ways in. A traditional university EPP, the APPEL alternative route, or the U-RAPT apprenticeship all lead to the same Professional Educator License, though eligibility and application steps differ by pathway.
- Testing depends on your license area. UFORA covers Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Education. Among the required exams, Praxis applies only to School Leadership, Counselor, and Psychologist roles.
- Background checks are run through USIMS and BCI, with processing taking up to 25 business days once fingerprints are received.
- Utah’s teacher job growth outpaces the national trend, projected at 15.9%-16.4% through 2034, while the same occupations nationwide are projected to decline.
Find accredited teacher certification programs in Utah, including application requirements and licensing timelines for your certification path.
May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS wage estimates and 2024-2034 employment projections for Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Middle School Teachers, and High School Teachers, reflect state and national data, not school-specific outcomes. State or district job-growth projections are sourced separately from national BLS outlook data. Conditions vary by school sector, subject area, and district. Data accessed July 2026.
