Licensing Renewal
Frequently Asked Questions

What are Indiana's requirements for renewing a Standard teaching, school administration, or school services license?

Individuals who do not hold a life license must renew their licenses by completing six (6) semester hours of approved college courses every five (5) years. Beginning July 1, 2004, individuals holding a standard license may opt to renew their license using the Professional Growth Plan renewal option.

After educators earn a master's degree or complete 36 semester hours of approved academic credit, they may renew their licenses with Certification Renewal Credits (CRUs). CRUs are earned by completing approved experiences that do not result in the award of college credit. (See questions following on CRUs.)

What are the requirements for renewing a Proficient Practitioner License?

What are Indiana's requirements for renewing a Professional teaching, school administration, or school services license?

The professional license is initially valid for 10 years. After the initial term, the professional license must be renewed every five years. The license may be renewed with college courses or 90 Certification Renewal Units (CRUs) every five years. The Accomplished Practitioner is an alternative option for this license.

What are Indiana's requirements for renewing a Reciprocal teaching, school administration, or school services license?

What is approved renewal course work?

Any Standard, Provisional, or Professional license may be renewed with six semester hours of approved courses.

The licensing advisor at an Indiana institution will advise you about approved renewal courses at that institution. Approved renewal course work may include education courses and/or courses taken in one or more areas on the teaching license.

Renewal courses earned out-of-state do not need to be pre-approved as long as the course work is earned in professional education or in one or more of the licensing areas. For approval of other out-of-state courses for renewal, e-mail your request to vwilson@doe.in.gov.

Coursework completed as part of a Professional Growth Plan for license renewal does not require prior approval. Candidates supply official transcripts of completed courses as part of the documentation in the Professional Growth Plan.

How may I contact my licensing advisor about taking renewal courses?

A contact list for Indiana Licensing Advisors can be found here.

Must my renewal work be at the graduate level?

May I take my 6 semester hours of renewal credit in an area that I plan to add to my license, but do not currently have?

Only if the area can be added to the Standard, Professional or Provisional license at the same time as the renewal.

May I take my 6 semester hours of renewal credit in an area that is not on my license, and that I have no intention of adding if I believe it will improve my abilities as an educator?

ONLY if your licensing advisor has approved the courses for renewal of a Standard, Professional or Provisional License. Courses taken at part of a Professional Growth Plan and for which appropriate documentation may also be used

Examples of out-of-state courses which may be used for renewal when the course does not fall directly under a licensing area:

Can I use Ivy Tech Coursework to Renew my License?

Acceptable course work may be used to renew instructional, administrative, and school services licenses. Click this link for more information on Ivy Tech Coursework.

Must all renewal course work be through a college or university, or may I use seminars or conferences I have attended?

What are CRUs (Certification Renewal Units)?

Certification Renewal Units are credits which may be applied toward license renewal only after earning a Master's degree, or after completion of thirty-six (36) semester hours beyond the Bachelor's Degree of approved academic credit. Division of Professional Standards's one CRU is equivalent to two contact hours in an approved seminar or program. Ninety (90) CRUs are required for renewal. A total of 15 CRUs equals one semester hour. CRUs can be used with semester or quarter hours in any combination providing the equivalent of six semester hours is reached. For a CRU to be valid, the program provider must be pre-approved by the Division Assessment. Make sure that you have verified this information prior to taking any seminar or program.

Who may sponsor a CRU program?

How may approval for a CRU program be obtained?

Prospective sponsors must be approved in advance of offering programs. It is the responsibility of the program sponsor to provide a uniform certificate of program completion to the participants and to submit the required documentation to Division of Professional Standards upon completion of the program. Questions about program sponsorship or program proposal should be e-mailed to IMAPHelp@doe.in.gov.

Individual educators may NOT apply for CRU approval for a program. Program approval is the responsibility of the program sponsor, Only organizations meeting the criteria outlined in Question 14 may provide CRUs for their programs.

I have earned CEUs for a program in which I participated, can they be converted to CRUs?

What must I do to renew my license now that I have completed my renewal work?

A renewal checklist and application materials are posted on this web site.

1. For a Standard, Professional or Provisional License
1. If you completed six semester hours of renewal course work at an Indiana institution, contact the licensing advisor there for application materials and the renewal recommendations.
2. If the renewal work was completed at more than one Indiana institution, it is only necessary for one licensing advisor to verify completion of the renewal course work.
3. If you completed six semester hours of renewal work out-of-state, send official transcripts of this work with the application materials. Transcripts must carry the seal and signature of the registrar and indicate the degree earned.
4. If you have completed 90 CRUs* within the preceding five years, send your CRU certificates and other application materials directly to the Indiana Professional Standards Board.
5. If you will be renewing with a combination of CRU* credits and in-state course work, contact the licensing advisor at the in-state institution where you completed the renewal course work. The licensing advisor will advise you of the application materials and will need your CRU certificate to attach to the application.
6. If you will be renewing with a combination of CRU* credits and out-of-state course work, send all application materials including your CRU certificates and official out-of-state transcripts to the Indiana Professional Standards Board.
7. If you are using the Professional Growth Plan, your License Renewal report should be submitted to Division of Professional Standards no less than 120 days prior to the expiration of your current license.
* You must have earned a Master's Degree or 36 graduate semester hours to renew with Certification Renewal Units. Fifteen CRUs are equivalent to one semester hour. At least fifteen CRUs must be earned to be used for license renewal.


2. For a Proficient Practitioner License
1. Your License Renewal Report should be submitted to DPS no sooner than 2 years and no less than 120 days prior to or the expiration of your current license or le

When should I apply for a renewal of my license?

What happens if my license expires in the middle of the school year?

Is there a penalty for letting my license expire before renewing or professionalizing it?

No. However, you cannot renew it until you have completed the requirements.

There is no penalty for not completing the required course work or Professional Growth Plan after the expiration date of the license. However, the license will not be renewed until the requirements have been met.

May I obtain an extension on my license if I have not yet completed the requirements by the expiration date?

Must I ever take any additional course work once I have obtained my life license?

Can I still obtain a life license?

What is a Professional License?

Teachers: The Professional License is a license of a higher gradation than the Standard License. A Standard License may be converted to a Professional License when an applicant has completed an appropriate Master's Degree (with course work in education and in the license major, minor and endorsement areas) and five years of teaching experience in an accredited school. Such teaching experience must be at the level and in one or more of the subject areas on the license.

Applicants who met the professionalization requirements prior to September 1, 1990 hold or are eligible for a Professional License valid for life. Applicants who met the professionalization requirements after this date hold or are eligible for a Professional License valid initially for ten years. The Professional License may be renewed for five year periods when renewal requirements are met.

Indiana Graduates: Applicants should contact their licensing advisor about the Professional License requirements if they completed or plan to complete the course work in Indiana. The licensing advisor will explain all of the requirements and recommend the applicant for the license when eligible. Visit our web site at www.doe.in.gov/dps and follow the links: 1) Licensing, 2) Application Quicklinks, 3) Checklists (select Professionalizing a License.)

Out-of-State Graduates: If the course work has been completed out-of-state the applicant should submit their credentials (if not already on file) to the Licensing Division for review. In this case the applicant should submit transcripts of the Master's Degree program and any other graduate transcripts, verification of at least five years of teaching experience on the license, and a completed application including the request for the Professional License. Visit our web site at www.doe.in.gov/dps and follow the links: 1) Licensing, 2) Application Quicklinks, 3) Checklists (select Professionalizing a License.)

May I professionalize only one area of my license? May I professionalize just my minor or supporting area?

With majors and minors, you may professionalize only one area of your license. However, you would be required to drop all areas that you have not professionalized off your license. It is possible to professionalize only a minor.

If you hold a science major or social studies major with primary/supporting areas, you would be required to professionalize all areas.For further questions, please contact the Help Desk at 317-232-9010 or e-mail licensinghelp@doe.in.gov.