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Licensure Resources

In-State Requirements

Graduates of an accredited North Carolina college/university will work through their school to obtain a N.C. license.  The school will notify the student of the college and state requirements for a license.  

Graduates will need to register for an online licensure account in order to finalize details and make payment for the application for a license created by the college/university.  The licensure processing fee for this application must be paid by MasterCard or VISA credit card and is non-refundable. 

If the graduate has previous teaching or non-teaching work experience, they should notify the college so they can include the experience forms when making the initial request to save the graduate money.

Out-of-State Requirements

Educators that are licensed or have met requirements for licensure in another state should be eligible for a license in North Carolina. This is due to reciprocity agreements. North Carolina has reciprocity agreements with most states in the U.S.

North Carolina will issue a license to out-of-state applicants based on their degree program completed and/or license that is held from another state. The license will be issued in area(s) as close to the other state's as possible, but it may not be exact. For example, a license from New York for grades Kindergarten - 2 will be issued in N.C. as a Kindergarten - 6 because that is the closest area North Carolina issues. Also, some other areas may require additional course work or testing for licensure in North Carolina than another state may require, thus requiring that the applicant meet a few more requirements to get fully licensed in a certain area.

Applications for a N.C. license are made through the online licensure system. The educator must register for an account and then applications can be created. Documents such as transcripts, test scores, experience forms, etc. will have to be scanned and uploaded with the application.

Applying for this license requires a licensure processing fee. This fee must be paid by MasterCard or VISA credit card and is non-refundable.

Permit to Teach

Effective July 1, 2016, at the request of the employing LEA, NCDPI may issue a permit to teach for a teaching assignment at the A-00 pay level to persons who hold at least a baccalaureate degree but who do not qualify for a license under any other approach. The permit to teach shall be valid for one year and may not be renewed. When an LEA requests a permit to teach, the LEA must document that no appropriately licensed professionals or persons who are eligible for a residency or lateral entry license are available to accept the position.

NOTE: Once an individual holds a Residency License, the individual may not hold a Permit to Teach or an Emergency License. 

Renewal for Retirees

Due to NC General Statue 115C-296(b), NCDPI's Licensure Section has established a 5-year window, immediately following the retirement date, during which a teacher is not required to obtain CEUs, regardless of when the teacher's license actually expires. The 5-year window begins at retirement. If a teacher otherwise licensed at retirement applies for a renewal of a license during the 5-year window, the Licensure Section will issue a 'new' or renewed license notwithstanding the absence of CEUs during the 5-year period. If seeking renewal based on this option, documentation from the Retirement System of the educator's retirement date is required and will need to be scanned and uploaded when making this request.

  Teachers with 30 or more years of teaching experience in North Carolina may qualify for a retirement license. These licenses have specific renewal requirements as listed below.  Individuals with fewer than 30 years of teaching experience in North Carolina do not qualify for a retirement license. Retired teachers with fewer than 30 years of teaching experience in North Carolina, Administrators, and Student Services Personnel, must follow the standard renewal cycle requirements listed in Section III of this policy to maintain a current license.

Teaching and Non-Teaching Work Experience Credit

Educators must first register for an on-line licensure account and then create the appropriate request to add experience credit. Use the links below to find out more information on eligibility requirements for professional educator (teaching) experience and non-teaching experience (work-related) credit.

Professional Educator experience is normally completed in a K-12 school setting. Non-Teaching experience credit is completed in the private sector and must be related to the educator's teaching assignment. Non-Teaching experience must also be recommended and submitted by the local school system before DPI will grant the credit.

All experience requests must be approved by DPI. Our school district normally begins paying on professional educator experience as soon as verification from the previous employer(s) is received by HR. Non-Teaching experience is not paid until DPI approves and grants the credit toward an educator's license.   There is a non-refundable licensure processing fee for this request and requires payment by a VISA or MasterCard.

Beginning Teacher License

Beginning Teachers (with no previous teaching experience) will be issued an Initial teaching license. This license is issued for three years which will allow time for the new educator to complete the State required Initial Licensure Teacher (ILT) Program. 

To be eligible for an Initial teaching license, an individual must have done the following:

Completed a state teacher education program from a regionally accredited college or university, or

Completed another state's approved alternative route to licensure, met the federal requirements to be designated as "Highly Qualified", and earned a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college.

All ILTs are required to participate in the Initial Teacher Program. Failure to participate could result in not being eligible to convert the Initial license to the Continuing license which is the five-year license.