Licensing Office

New Educator Recruitment & Retention Webpage!

Become a Substitute or Guest Teacher!

General Requirements for All Licenses & Authorizations

• General Requirements for All Licenses & Authorizations
• Colorado Endorsement Requirements

Content Exams

• Praxis, PLACE & NES Exam Information

PRAXIS exams

Career & Technical Education

• CTE in Colorado
• Content Area Requirements

Alternative Preparation and Licensure

• Teacher: What is it? How to start? Find a program
• Principal: What is it? Who qualifies? Create a plan

Additional Services

• Licensure verification / Letter of good standing
• Freeze" / Put your professional license on hold (inactive status)
• Reactivate a professional license on hold (inactive status)
• Name change request
• Teacher exchange opportunities

Other Requirements

• English Learner Professional Development requirements
  Required of all professional teachers who hold an elementary, English, math, science, social studies or any middle level endorsement.
• READ Act requirements
  Required of all teachers of grades K to 3
• Special Education/Behavior Health Professional Development Requirements (pdf version)

Information for Out-of-State Applicants

• Credentialing Guide for Out-of-State Applicants
• Out-of-State Endorsement FAQ
• How to Obtain a Colorado Educator License

• Educator professional licensure increased to 7 years. During the 2021 legislative session, Colorado House Bill 21-1104 passed, extending professional licensure renewal from 5 to 7 years. 
• The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) presents the Model Code of Ethics (MCEE), a common language of ethics developed by educators for educators that can support and guide decisions regarding professional practice. Ideal for in-service training or professional learning communities (PLCs). Get started with the following resources:
  • MCEE video features the educators who helped develop the MCEE and speaks to the importance of the code and its application in the classroom
  • DistruptEd is a two-part video conversation with Troy Hutchings and Phil Rogers about the Code of Ethics (Part 1 and Part 2)
  • Contact NASDTEC at support@nasdtec.org with questions or comments.

• CDE's Principal Resources webpage brings together internal and external resources to support principals and school leaders. Resources specific to planning for the 2020-21 school year are also available on the COVID-19 Resources for Principals webpage.
• TEACH Colorado is a comprehensive digital platform that recruits talented Coloradans into the teaching profession and provides the support they need to enroll in an educator preparation program. Developed partnership among Colorado’s school districts, educator preparation programs, state agencies and business and nonprofit groups to increase the quality, quantity and diversity of the state's teacher pipeline. Discover more at TEACHColorado.org.
• Learn more about the Teacher Oath Requirement (per Senate Bill 17-296).