Virginia Teaching Certification
Virginia teaching certification generally requires a bachelor’s degree, completion of the professional assessments prescribed for your endorsement, and training in child abuse recognition, dyslexia awareness, and CPR/AED. Among the Virginia licenses most relevant to traditional classroom-teacher pathways are the Provisional, Collegiate Professional, and Postgraduate Professional licenses. If you accept a job with a public school division, that division will also run a fingerprint-based background check as a condition of employment.
Sponsored School(s)
The Virginia Department of Education has reported thousands of teaching positions statewide as vacant or filled by an unlicensed teacher in recent years, using VDOE’s definition of a vacancy (a position that’s either unfilled or staffed by someone without a full teaching license). Whether you’re finishing a traditional education degree, switching careers, or transferring a license from another state, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is the agency that reviews every application and sets every requirement below. Find schools offering teaching certification programs in Virginia.
Choose the description that best matches your situation, or keep reading for the full requirements on the traditional path to Virginia teaching certification:
- 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 Virginia’s education, testing, training, and application requirements, as well as license types and salary data.
- Meeting Virginia’s teacher education requirements
- Passing Virginia’s certification exams
- Completing training and student teaching
- Applying for your Virginia teaching license
- Understanding Virginia’s license types
- Virginia teacher salary and job outlook
Getting Involved…
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Meeting Virginia’s Teacher Education Requirements
Most instructional licenses require a bachelor’s degree. Candidates may qualify through a Virginia-approved educator preparation program (EPP), an approved alternate route, or reciprocity. Virginia has more than 30 colleges and universities offering EPPs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and each program includes the field-based experience and student teaching hours that the VDOE requires for that path. For a full list of approved programs, check the VDOE’s licensure page.
Your degree also needs to align with an endorsement area, the specific subject, or the grade band your license will cover. Endorsement areas include:
- Early Education PreK-3
- Elementary Education PreK-6
- Middle Education 6-8
- Secondary Education
- Adult Education
- Special Education (General Curriculum, Adapted Curriculum, Early Childhood, Hearing Impairments, Visual Impairments)
- Career and Technical Education (Agricultural Education, Business and Information Technology, Family and Consumer Sciences, Health and Medical Sciences, Marketing Education, Technology Education, Trade and Industrial Education)
- English, English as a Second Language PreK-12, and Foreign Language PreK-12
- Mathematics and Computer Science
- History and Social Sciences
- Science (Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics)
- Health and Physical Education PreK-12, Dance Arts, and Theatre Arts
- Music Education (Instrumental and Vocal/Choral) and Visual Arts
- Library Media PreK-12, Gifted Education, and Driver Education
For complete endorsement requirements, see the VDOE’s Licensure Regulations for School Personnel. If you already hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than education, Virginia’s alternative certification route lets you start teaching under a provisional license while you complete these requirements.
Passing Virginia’s Certification Exams
Candidates must complete the professional assessments prescribed for their intended endorsement. These commonly include an applicable Praxis Subject Assessment for the content area or grade band you’ll teach and, for certain elementary and special education endorsements, a prescribed reading assessment.
The current reading assessment for affected endorsements is Praxis Teaching Reading: Elementary (test 5205). It applies to candidates seeking endorsements in Early/Primary Education PreK-3, Elementary Education PreK-6, Special Education-General Curriculum, Special Education-Hearing Impairments, or Special Education-Visual Impairments. The older Reading for Virginia Educators (RVE) assessment, test 5306, is accepted only for candidates who took it and earned the required score by August 31, 2022.
Testing isn’t identical for every applicant. Reciprocity applicants holding a qualifying full out-of-state license may be exempt from some or all of these assessments, and several specialized Virginia license categories aren’t subject to the standard professional teacher assessments. Exact tests and passing scores vary by endorsement and pathway, so confirm the current requirements on the VDOE’s assessment requirements page before you register.
Completing Statutory Training and Certification Requirements
Alongside coursework, Virginia requires candidates to complete a student teaching placement under a cooperating teacher, with the exact hours set by each EPP. This is where the theory from your coursework meets an actual classroom, and it’s the piece of the process most candidates say prepared them the most.
Current initial-licensure requirements also include training or study in these areas. Provisional-license holders may be able to complete some of these during their first year rather than before the provisional license is issued:
- Child Abuse and Neglect Recognition and Intervention. Covers how to identify and report signs of abuse.
- Dyslexia Awareness. Covers how dyslexia is defined under state code and what accommodations look like in the classroom.
- Emergency First Aid, CPR, and AED Training. Must include appropriate hands-on practice, not just an online module.
Additional statutory training or coursework may apply depending on your preparation program, endorsement, and prior instruction, including areas such as attention-deficit disorder, gifted education, family involvement, and, where not already completed, positive behavioral interventions, crisis prevention, and restraint and seclusion. Keep documentation of everything you complete. You’ll reference it when you submit your licensure application.
Applying for Your License
Applicants who are offered or accept employment with a Virginia public school division must undergo a fingerprint-based state and FBI criminal history check. The hiring school division generally handles this employment screening and is separate from the VDOE licensure application itself.
Once your education, testing, and training requirements are complete, you’re ready to submit a licensure application through Virginia Licensure Online (VALO). Even applicants who submit paper materials generally need a VALO account to receive communications about their application. Your packet needs:
- Completed application form
- College Verification form from each EPP attended
- Official transcripts from every college or university attended
- Passing scores on your prescribed assessments
- Documentation for child abuse, dyslexia awareness, and CPR/AED training
- Application fee (check the VDOE’s current fee schedule, since fees vary by transaction type)
Once your packet is complete, mail it or submit it electronically to:
Virginia Department of EducationOffice of Licensure and School Leadership
P.O. Box 2120
Richmond, VA 23218-2120
Understanding Virginia’s License Types
Virginia maintains a substantially larger set of educator license categories than most candidates ever need to think about, including Technical Professional, International Educator, Pupil Personnel Services, School Manager, Division Superintendent, and local eligibility licenses. Among the Virginia licenses most relevant to traditional classroom-teacher pathways are these three:
| License | Duration | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Provisional License | 3 years, non-renewable | Candidates hired by a school division who haven’t finished every requirement yet |
| Collegiate Professional License | 10 years, renewable | Candidates who’ve met all initial licensure requirements |
| Postgraduate Professional License | 10 years, renewable | Collegiate Professional License holders who’ve earned a graduate degree |
Renewal generally runs on a 10-year cycle for licenses issued under the current regulations. It requires professional development hours that may be earned through college credit, conference attendance, mentorship, or approved educational projects. Older five-year licenses remain subject to their own applicable renewal rules, which is why the VDOE still publishes both five- and 10-year renewal manuals. See our Virginia teacher certification renewal guide for the full process. If you’re transferring a license from another state instead of starting from scratch, our Virginia teacher reciprocity guide covers that path.
Virginia Teacher Salary and Job Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ state occupational employment data, elementary school teachers in Virginia earned a median annual salary of $65,550 as of May 2025, while secondary school teachers earned a median of $72,170. Kindergarten teachers earned a median of $63,920, and middle school teachers earned a median of $63,520.
The job growth figures below come from Virginia Works, the state’s labor market information agency, not the BLS.
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage (BLS, May 2025) | Job Growth 2024–2034 (Virginia Works) |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten Teachers | $63,920 | 5.5% |
| Elementary School Teachers | $65,550 | 5.6% |
| Middle School Teachers | $63,520 | 5.7% |
| Secondary School Teachers | $72,170 | 6.0% |
Virginia’s projections from Virginia Works show growth across every teaching category between 2024 and 2034, with secondary school teaching adding an average of 1,940 openings a year and elementary teaching adding 2,730. That runs counter to the national outlook, where the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook projects a slight decline in overall teacher employment, driven by enrollment trends rather than by a shrinking need for classroom teachers in every state. For a deeper look at pay scales, benefits, and retirement, see our Virginia teaching salaries and benefits guide.
Contact Information
For questions on Virginia teacher licensure, visit the VDOE’s licensure page or email [email protected]. You can also speak with a licensure specialist in person at:
Office of Licensure and School LeadershipP.O. Box 2120
Richmond, VA 23218-2120
Frequently Asked Questions
What degree do I need to become a certified teacher in Virginia?
Most instructional licenses require a bachelor’s degree. You can qualify through a Virginia-approved educator preparation program, an approved alternate route, or reciprocity if you already hold a license from another state. Your degree and preparation need to align with the endorsement area you want to teach, such as elementary education or a specific secondary subject.
Does Virginia require a background check for teacher certification?
Not as a universal condition of VDOE licensure itself. If you’re offered or accept a job with a Virginia public school division, that division will run a fingerprint-based state and FBI criminal history check as a condition of employment. That screening is handled separately from your licensure application.
How long does it take to get a teaching license in Virginia?
It depends on your path. Traditional candidates typically finish their EPP, prescribed assessments, and training requirements over the course of their degree program, then apply once everything’s complete. Candidates using the alternative certification route can start teaching sooner under a Provisional License, which is valid for up to 3 years while they complete the remaining requirements.
What’s the difference between a Provisional License and a Collegiate Professional License in Virginia?
A Provisional License is a non-renewable, three-year license for candidates who haven’t yet completed all requirements, usually because they’re teaching while finishing coursework or assessments. A Collegiate Professional License is a 10-year, renewable license for candidates who’ve met every requirement for full licensure.
How much do Virginia teachers earn?
As of May 2025, Virginia elementary school teachers earned a median annual salary of $65,550, and secondary school teachers earned $72,170, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ state occupational employment data. Exact pay varies by school division, grade level, and years of experience.
- Most paths require a bachelor’s degree. You can qualify through a Virginia-approved EPP, an approved alternate route, or reciprocity, matched to an endorsement area.
- Testing is prescribed by endorsement, not universally. Most candidates take an applicable Praxis Subject Assessment, and some elementary and special education endorsements also require a reading assessment (Praxis Teaching Reading: Elementary, test 5205).
- A background check applies to employment, not licensure itself. Public school divisions run a fingerprint-based check when they hire you. You’ll also need child abuse, dyslexia awareness, and CPR/AED training documentation.
- License type depends on where you are in the process. Provisional (3 years, non-renewable) is for candidates still finishing requirements. Collegiate Professional and Postgraduate Professional (10 years, renewable) are for those who’ve met them all, among several other Virginia license categories.
- Virginia’s teacher job outlook is growing. Virginia Works projects growth across every K-12 teaching category through 2034, unlike the national trend reported by the BLS.
Find accredited teacher certification programs, application links, and licensing requirements for your jurisdiction.
May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and job growth figures for Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Middle School Teachers, and High School Teachers reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed July 2026.
