Renew Your Five-Year Certificate

Washington educators must keep their certificates current by meeting renewal requirements before submitting a renewal application. Role-based requirements include completing clock hours and other expectations. Educators may also return to a renewal cycle if their certificate has expired by submitting a reinstatement application. Renewal requirements are broken down by role for teachers and CTE educators, administrators, and educational staff associates (ESAs). Review the sections below for renewal requirements and next steps for your specific role. 

Please Note: If your certificate has first issue (FI) listed on it and is set to expire, please see the Reissue page. 

Renewal vs. Reinstatement

• My certificate is still valid:
  You are applying for renewal. Your clock hours must have been completed after the issue date of the certificate you are renewing. If the certificate was valid for less than five years, clock hours must have been completed within the five years before you apply.
• My certificate has expired:
  You are applying for reinstatement. You must submit documentation of completed clock hours or equivalent activities with your application for review by the Certification Department.

Please Note, Renewal Process Change

Renewal certificates will now have two deadline dates to meet:

• On-Time Application Date - January 1
• Uniform Expiration Date of - June 30

Renewal applications submitted after January 1 of the expiration year will be considered late and subject to an additional processing fee.

Please Note: This change does not affect Limited, Paraeducator, or Residency Reissuance certificates, and late applications will not be charged a late fee until January 2030 (WAC 181-79A-117). 

Teacher and CTE Teacher

Requirements

• For the first renewal, attest that you have completed  a course or coursework on issues of abuse and emotional or behavioral distress in students
  • Enter this requirement into your E-Certification account under Clock Hours or submit the Issues of Abuse Course Verification Form 4020G.
• Submit fingerprints for a background check if you do not already have a valid Washington certificate on record
• 100 clock hours or equivalents that include:
  • 15 Equity-Based School Practices 
  • 15 STEM hours if the educator holds a STEM endorsement
    
    OR
• A valid National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certificate

Additional Requirements for Specific Certificates

Please review your role below to see if additional requirements apply to you.

CTE Initial and Continuing Career Guidance Specialist

• For the Initial certificate, 15 continuing education credit hours out of the 100 must be related to the knowledge and skill areas listed in WAC 181-77-081.
• For the Continuing certificate, 30 continuing education credit hours out of the 100 must be related to the knowledge and skill areas listed in WAC 181-77-081.

Expired Initial Teacher (Non-CTE)

This application is for educators renewing their Initial Teacher certification by completing the requirements listed below. Teachers may renew the Initial certificate only once after September 1, 2000.

Requirements

• Teachers who hold an Initial certificate and have met requirements for renewal before expiration can apply late with a $100 late fee
• Submit fingerprints for a background check if you do not already have a valid Washington certificate on record
• To renew, the educator must have completed ONE of the following:
  • Option 1: The coursework requirement for the Continuing certificate
  • Option 2: Completed 15 quarter college credits (10 semester college credits) since the issuance of the most recent Initial certificate

If the educator does not qualify for renewal of their Initial, they may complete ONE of the following options:

• Upgrade Option: An educator may apply to move to the Continuing certificate if they completed all requirements for that certificate before the expiration date of their Initial certificate, with an additional $100 late fee.
• Convert Option: If an educator does not qualify to renew their Initial certificate or upgrade to the Continuing certificate, then they can apply to convert their certificate to the Residency First Issue certificate. 

Standard/Continuing Teacher

This certificate is unendorsed, valid for life, and enables the holder to serve at all levels, P–12, and in any classroom.

Please Note: Endorsements cannot be added to this certificate, nor can the certificate be renewed, as it is valid for all subjects, grade levels and issued for the educator's lifetime. Even if your certificate had lapsed at some time because you lacked experience for maintenance, its validity has been restored.

Requirements

• There are no renewal requirements for this certificate.

Administrator and CTE Director

Requirements

• For the first renewal, attest that you have completed a course or coursework on issues of abuse and emotional or behavioral distress in students
  • Enter this requirement into your E-Certification account under Clock Hours or submit the Issues of Abuse Course Verification Form 4020G.
•  
• Submit fingerprints for a background check if you do not already have a valid Washington certificate on record
• 100 clock hours or equivalents that include:
  • 10 Equity-Based School Practices 
  • 10 National Professional Standards for Education Leaders (PSEL)
  • 5 Government-to-Government
    
    OR
• A valid National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certificate
  • Please Note: A National Board Certificate may NOT be used in replace of PSEL or Government-to-Government hours. 

Additional Requirements for Specific Certificates

Please review your role below to see if additional requirements apply to you.

Standard/Continuing Administrator

This certificate is unendorsed, valid for life and enables the holder to serve at all levels, P–12, and in any classroom.

Please Note: Endorsements cannot be added to this certificate, nor can the certificate be renewed, as it is valid for all subjects, grade levels and issued for the educator's lifetime. Even if your certificate had lapsed at some time because you lacked experience for maintenance, its validity has been restored.

Requirements

• There are no renewal requirements for this certificate.

Educational Staff Associate

Requirements

• For the first renewal, attest that you have completed  a course or coursework on issues of abuse and emotional or behavioral distress in students
  • Enter this requirement into your E-Certification account under Clock Hours or submit the Issues of Abuse Course Verification Form 4020G.
• Submit fingerprints for a background check if you do not already have a valid Washington certificate on record
• 100 clock hours or equivalents
  
  OR
• Submission of ONE of the following:
  • A valid National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certificate
  • A Nationally Certified School Psychologist credential issued by the National Association of School Psychologists
  • A Certificate of Clinical Competence issued by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 

Additional Requirements for Specific Certificates

Please review your role below to see if additional requirements apply to you.

*School Behavior Analyst

• Must hold a valid Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) certificate from the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB).

*School Counselor, School Psychologist, and School Social Worker

• Must confirm completion of a suicide prevention training approved by the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) or Washington State Department of Health within the previous five years (Suicide Prevention Training Verification Form 4020S)

*School Nurse

• Must confirm completion of a suicide prevention training approved by the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) or Washington State Department of Health within the previous five years (Suicide Prevention Training Verification Form 4020S)
• Must hold a valid Department of Health (DOH) license in the role issued by the Washington State Department of Health. 

*School Occupational Therapist and School Physical Therapist

• Must hold a valid Department of Health (DOH) license in the role issued by the Washington State Department of Health. 

*ESA School Orientation and Mobility Specialist

• Must hold a valid Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) Certificate from the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (NBPCB)