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Certification FAQs

Certification to License Conversion

Historic Certificate	Comparable License
Professional Eligibility Certificate	Initial Professional License
Standard Professional Certificate I	Initial Professional License
Standard Professional Certificate II	Professional License
Advanced Professional Certificate	Advanced Professional License

Click on the link to see the Types of Maryland Educator Licenses.

Click on the link to see a detailed Maryland Certificate to License Conversion Explainer.

Currently, a certificate holder may decide to renew a professional license without advancing to the next tier of licensure. It should be noted that these regulations do not prohibit a local education agency from requiring an advanced tier of licensure for employment.

Effective dates for licenses will remain the same. If the license was issued from January 1 through June 30, the effective date of the license is January 1; and if the license was issued from July 1 through December 31, the effective date of the license is July 1.

The transcript analysis option to teacher licensure has been eliminated in the new regulations. The new regulations establish new, flexible pathways to initial teacher licensure for those candidates prepared in Maryland, as well as maintained pathways for those who are prepared in another state or country. Click here for the list of all flexible pathways in Maryland.

Under the new rules, upon the issuance of a professional license, it is mandatory to create an Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP). The licensee must also fulfill professional development requirements in designated areas before the license's expiration. Additionally, these regulations introduce Professional Development Points (PDPs), with a requirement of 90 PDPs to renew a professional license every five years. One PDP is equivalent to one clock hour and can be obtained through various methods, as detailed in the Renewal Requirements section of each chapter. Click on the links for more details about PDP and IPDP (Coming Soon).

Please note that at the time of renewal, an educator may renew their existing Initial Professional, Professional, or Advanced Professional License, or may request advancement to a new level of licensure under COMAR 13A.12.02.04C.

To address the growing number of conditional teacher certificate waivers and the approaching switch to new licensure regulations, the State Board of Education decided to amend the current COMAR 13A.12.01.11C waiver, collectively for all LEAs, State-operated schools, and nonpublic schools approved under COMAR 13A.09.10. Click Waiver of COMAR 13A.12.01.11C Conditional Teacher Certificate to see new timeline and extensions.

The Senior Educator Waiver can be applied to exempt any professionally licensed employee of a local education agency, State-operated school, or nonpublic school approved under COMAR 13A.09.10 from renewal requirements if:

“(1) The professionally licensed employee is: (a) 55 years old or older; or (b) Employed in public or approved nonpublic school service for at least 25 years; and (2) The request is recommended by the county superintendent, executive director, or chief officer of the legal authority having jurisdiction over the employee.”

Beginning in July 2025, license holders who are employed in a Maryland Local Education Agency, nonpublic special education program, or State-operated school in a position that requires a license in early childhood, elementary, special education, or ESOL will be required to submit one of the following at renewal:

● Passing score on a reading instruction test approved by the State Board of Education

● Coursework or professional learning approved by MSDE

● Attestation of proficiency through observation completed by an MSDE-recognized assessor

● Training provided by the MSDE in the science of reading.

Note: This requirement is a state requirement. Please check with your local HR to ensure no additional county requirements are required.

Yes, all educators holding a full professional license are required to renew their license every five years. Advancing to a higher-level professional license is optional, but renewal every five years is mandatory. Click on the link to see the Types of Maryland Educator Licenses.

Furthermore, salary enhancements based on National Board status require an active license to continue receiving the salary increase. A National Board Certified Teacher must maintain an active license in the state of Maryland and also renew their National Board Certification with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) every five years. Please note that the validity periods for the Maryland license and the National Board Certification may cover different date ranges. Click here to learn more about MSEA’s National Board Certification Support Program.

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Each Individual Professional Development Plan is developed in collaboration with an educator’s supervisor or approved designee. Once approved, it is the educator’s responsibility to complete the plan and to account for the final professional development points earned in pursuance of that plan. A formal auditing system for professional development points has not yet been set forth by MSDE. Click here to learn more about MSEA’s National Board Certification Support Program.
Click on the links for more details about PDP and IPDP (Coming Soon).

In order to receive a professional education license in the State of Maryland, a candidate must complete one of the following preparation programs:

Traditional educator preparation program which is offered by a college or university leading to a degree or post-baccalaureate certificate that includes coursework and a clinical internship.

Alternative educator preparation program which is established by a local education agency, institution of higher education, or nonprofit agency that leads to a participant receiving a resident teacher license and includes teaching assignments with supervision and mentoring by a qualified teacher.

Additionally, candidates must complete the following requirements:

● Passing score on an approved basic skills assessment battery or minimum GPA of 3.0 on the most recently earned degree;

● Passing score on a content licensure test

● Passing score on a reading instruction licensure test

● Beginning on July 1, 2025, candidates must pass the edTPA or PPAT

Beginning in July 2025, license holders who are employed in a Maryland local area school district, nonpublic special education program, or State-operated school in a position that requires a license in early childhood, elementary, special education, or ESOL will be required to submit one of the following at renewal:

○ Passing score on a reading instruction test approved by the State Board of Education;

○ Coursework or professional learning in the Science of Reading approved by MSDE;

○ Attestation of proficiency through observation completed by an MSDE-recognized assessor;

○ Evidence of training provided by the MSDE in the Science of Reading

License holders who demonstrated proficiency at initial licensure have already met this requirement. Demonstration of proficiency will be noted on the educator’s license.

Beginning July 2025, all teacher candidates who graduate from a Maryland approved teacher preparation program will need to pass an assessment that measures proficiency in literacy instruction (i.e., teaching literacy in the content area).

Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, service members and their spouses can use their professional licenses and certificates in certain circumstances when they must relocate due to military orders.

For a license to be considered valid in a new location, a service member or their spouse must satisfy the following five criteria:

1. Have moved because of military orders;

2. Provide a copy of the military orders to the licensing authority in the new jurisdiction:

3. Have actively used the license or certificate during the two years immediately preceding the move;

4. Remain in good standing, and;

5. Complete the requirements for renewal of the Maryland professional license once issued.