Educator Licensing Office

Welcome to Educator Licensure!

Colorado issues four license - teacher, principal, administrator and special services - and 14 authorizations, including substitute, emergency and career and technical education (CTE).

Related Information and Requirements

• Background checks/fingerprints (via icon below)

• Find an approved Colorado preparation program
• Application checklists
• Educator Effectiveness Evaluator Training (E-Train)
  • Required for renewal of all principal and administrator credentials
  • Effective: Aug. 1, 2024
• English Learner Professional Development requirements
  • Required for renewal of all professional teachers who hold an elementary, English, math, science, social studies or any middle level endorsement
  • Deadline: Sept. 1, 2025
• READ Act -Teacher requirements
  • Required of all teachers teaching reading K-3 and all interventionists (grades 4-12)
  • Deadline: Aug. 1 of each year
• READ Act - Principal/Administrator requirements
  • Required of all principals and administrators
  • Deadline: Aug. 1, 2024 and every Aug. 1 thereafter
• Special Education/Behavior Health Professional Development requirements
  • Required for renewal of all professional teacher, principal, administrator and special services license-holders
  • Deadline: June 30, 2025

Additional Services

• Check your application status
  • Name change
  • SSN verification
• Look-up a Colorado educator's license/authorization
• Licensure verification / Letter of good standing
• "Freeze" / Reactivate a professional license on hold (inactive status)
• Teacher exchange opportunities

Content Exam Requirements

• Teacher                      
• Special Services
• Principal
• Administrator

Register for PRAXIS exams

• Accessing & navigating the COOL system
• Educator Recruitment & Retention
  • Contact your regional representative
  • Educator effectiveness resources
  • Induction supports
  • Resources for principals
• General requirements for all licenses & authorizations
  • Colorado teacher endorsement requirements (select the buttons above for endorsement requirements for the other credential types)
  • General professional development requirements

• The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) presents the Model Code of Ethics for Educators (MCEE), a common language of ethics developed by educators for educators 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.