• Licensure & Certification Definitions

  • Delaware License Overview

    A license gives an educator permission to practice in a Delaware public or charter school. With the exception of an inactive Initial License, the license is issued for a specific period of time, meaning that it will expire. An educator can hold only one license at any given time. There are three types of licenses in Delaware: Initial, Continuing and Advanced.

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  • Initial License

    An Initial License is valid for four years (or up to six years in the case of trade and industry teachers) unless suspended or revoked and is not renewable. It is most commonly issued to an educator with fewer than three years of full-time experience, but in some cases, may be issued to an educator who has been out of the profession for an extended period of time.

    Comprehensive information regarding the requirements for continuing licensure, conditions of issuance, and exceptions is detailed in 14 Del.C. §1210 Tier One - Initial Licensure. 

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  • Inactive Initial License

    An inactive Initial License will be issued to unemployed educators who are otherwise considered fully credentialed. When a holder of an inactive Initial License becomes employed in a Delaware public or charter school, his or her employer will submit an employment form to the Department and the Department will then issue the educator an active Initial License. 

    Comprehensive information regarding the requirements for initial licensure, conditions of issuance, and exceptions is detailed in 14 Del.C. §1210 Tier One - Initial Licensure. 

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  • Moving from Initial to Continuing License

    At the end of the period of initial licensure, an educator will be granted a Continuing License provided that he or she has successfully completed mentoring and other prescribed professional development activities and has demonstrated competence by receiving no more than one unsatisfactory annual evaluation in the Delaware Performance Appraisal System (DPAS) during the period of initial licensure. Refer to License Renewal for details on how to obtain a Continuing License.

    Comprehensive information regarding the requirements for continuing licensure, conditions of issuance, and exceptions is detailed in 14 DE Admin. Code 1511 Issuance and Renewal of Continuing License.

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  • Continuing License

    A Continuing License is valid for five years, unless revoked, and is renewable. It is issued to an educator who has successfully completed mentoring and other prescribed professional development activities and has demonstrated competence by receiving no more than one unsatisfactory annual evaluation in the Delaware Performance Appraisal System (DPAS) during the period of initial licensure. It may also be issued to an educator who is entering, or reentering, Delaware's credential system with four or more years of full-time credentialed experience. A holder of a previously issued standard or professional status certificate (that no longer exists) may also be issued a continuing license upon the expiration of that credential.

    Comprehensive information regarding the requirements for continuing licensure, conditions of issuance, and exceptions is detailed in 14 DE Admin. Code 1511 Issuance and Renewal of Continuing License.

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  • Continuing License Renewal

    At the end of the period of continuing licensure, an educator will be granted a renewal of the Continuing License provided that he or she has fulfilled, and submitted proper documentation to his or her employer, the professional development requirements of the Continuing License as defined in clock hours.

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  • Advanced License

    An Advanced License is valid for up to ten years, unless revoked, and is only issued to an educator who receives National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification. At the end of the period of advanced licensure, an educator will be granted a renewal of the Advanced License provided that he or she has maintained proficiency according to the standards of the National Board by completing its renewal process. An educator who elects not to renew or fails to meet the recertification requirements for National Board certification, will be placed on a Continuing License upon the expiration of their Advanced License. 

    A holder of current National Board certification who relocates to Delaware will receive an Advanced License when applying for Delaware licensure/certification. This license will be valid for the duration of the individual’s National Board certification. Please note that these out-of-state candidates must still apply for Delaware licensure and certification.

    Comprehensive information regarding the requirements for advanced licensure, conditions of issuance, and exceptions is detailed in 14 DE Admin. Code 1512 Issuance and Renewal of Advanced License.

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  • Advanced License Renewal

    The Department shall renew an Advanced License valid for up to an additional ten years, to an educator who has maintained their National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification. The educator shall provide required evidence of the renewal of their National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification.

    The term of the renewed advanced license shall be the same as the balance of the term of the educator's National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification.

    An educator who elects not to renew or fails to meet the recertification requirements for National Board certification, will be placed on a Continuing License upon the expiration of their Advanced License.

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  • Emergency Certificate

    An Emergency Certificate is a temporary credential issued to an educator who has obtained employment or an offer of employment with an employing authority and holds a valid Delaware Initial, Continuing, or Advanced License, but lacks the necessary skills and knowledge to immediately meet certification requirements in a specific content area. As per 14 Del.C. §1210, Emergency Certificates will not be issued in a "core content area" for meeting initial licensure and certification requirements, meaning any subject area tested by the state assessment system, including mathematics, English/language arts, science, and social studies unless the educator is enrolled in an approved ARTC program. DDOE also does not issue Emergency Certificates in Elementary Education. Emergency Certificates may only be issued in a “core content area” or in Elementary Education as a second or subsequent certificate, after all initial licensure and certification requirements have been fully met.

    This temporary credential provides the educator with a limited time to meet the requirements for certification in the specific content area. The educator must be employed by a Delaware public/charter school and the emergency must be requested by the employer.

    The Emergency Certificate is valid for one school year and can be renewed if progress towards certification is being made. Emergency Certificates are not issued for all content areas. Please refer to the specific content area requirements for eligibility.

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  • Certificate of Eligibility

    A Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is a credential issued to an educator who is participating in a state-approved, appropriate, alternative route to licensure and certification program for teachers of students with disabilities and holds a valid Delaware Initial, Continuing, or Advanced License. The COE must be requested by the employing agency for an educator employed in and working toward a Standard Certificate in one of the following areas:

    • Early Childhood Exceptional Children Special Education Teacher,
    • Special Education Teacher of Students with Disabilities,
    • Teacher of Students with Autism or with Severe Intellectual Disabilities,
    • Teacher of Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, and
    • Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments.

    A COE is valid for one year and may be renewed at the request of the employing agency, no more than two times with proof documented progress. All COE requirements must be met within three years. Please refer to the specific special education area and Certificate of Eligibility regulations for details.

    Comprehensive information regarding the requirements for a Certificate of Eligibility is detailed in 14 Del.C. §1221 (2) and 14 DE Admin. Code 1504 Certificate of Eligibility.

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  • Limited Standard Certificate

    The Limited Standard Certificate was a category of certification issued previously and are no longer issued.

    Holders of an unexpired Limited Standard Certificate should complete the requirements outlined in their evaluation letter prior to the expiration date of their certificate. For a list of approved coursework (the list corresponds with the categories of courses listed in the evaluation letters) or for information on submitting official documentation (transcripts, test scores or forms), please contact the Department.

    Holders of an expired Limited Standard Certificate who wish to pursue current employment as should contact the Department.

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  • Temporary Certificate

    The Temporary Certificate was a category of certification issued previously and no longer exists. Temporary Certificates were only issued for one year timeframes and have all expired.

    Holders of expired Temporary Certificates who wish to pursue current employment should contact the Department.

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  • DEEDS (Delaware Educator Data System)

    DEEDS (Delaware Educator Data System) is the database where all educator licensure and certification information is stored. Every educator in the state of Delaware is required to have an account in DEEDS for storage of their credentials. 

    For additional DEEDS application information, refer to Registering for an Educator Account in DEEDS.

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  • DEEDS Application Process Steps

    1. Log in to your DEEDS account.
    2. Apply for the appropriate License and Certificate(s) for the content area you want to teach.
    3. Have a credit card (not a debit card) at hand. There will be a one-time $100 application fee, which is reimbursable upon employment in a Delaware public or charter school.
    4. Request to send all official documentation:
      • All official transcripts.
      • Test Scores (Praxis, ACTFL.)
      • Proof of student teaching, if not on your transcript.
    5. Upon receipt of all documentation, DDOE Staff will review the application and documentation.
    6. DDOE staff will update your application status.  You will receive an email indicating:
      • If you met certification requirements; or
      • If you did not meet certification requirements you will be notified of the documents that are still needed.
    7. You may apply for employment while your License and Certificate(s) are pending. Districts and charter schools will have access to your application information via DEEDS.


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  • SARA (State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement)

    SARA stands for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement. SARA is a nationwide collaboration of states intended to make distance education courses more accessible to students across state lines while also helping states and institutions in regulating interstate distance education. SARA expands students access to quality distance education, assists with complaint resolution, and reduces institutional costs. 

    To learn more about SARA, please visit the Delaware Department of Education's SARA page.

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Last Modified on July 30, 2021