Requirements for Certification

There are three steps to obtaining a Professional Educator Certificate
in Florida.

              Obtaining an Official Statement of Status of Eligibility
              Obtaining a 3-Year Temporary Certificate
              Obtaining a 5-Year Professional Certificate

Below is a brief overview of each of these steps. For step-by-step instructions, please download the checklist in Word format.

Official Statement of Status of Eligibility

To begin employment in a Florida public school, you must first obtain an Official Statement of Status of Eligibility. There are three main ways to establish eligibility:

Complete a Florida state approved teacher training program (or a state approved teacher training program from another state).
Hold at least a bachelor's degree and complete the Specialization Requirements, the minimum required semester hours and specific credits for a subject in which Florida offers a certification.
Hold at least a bachelor’s degree and pass the Florida subject area exam.

You must also have a 2.5 grade point average in the "initial certification" subject, and an official transcript from each institution attended is required.

Once your application has been reviewed by the Florida Department of Education Bureau of Educator Certification, you will be issued an Official Statement of Status of Eligibility that will list the requirements for a Temporary Certificate and the requirements for a Professional Certificate. If the Statement confirms that you have met all the specialization requirements, you can be considered for employment by a school district.

3-Year Temporary Certificate

To receive a Temporary Certificate, you must secure employment with a local school district. The school district then submits your application, along with fingerprints and fee payment, to the Bureau of Educator Certification. The Temporary Certificate is not renewable. Once you have received your Temporary Certificate, you will have 3 years from the date of issue to complete the requirements for the Professional Certificate.

5-Year Professional Certificate

To complete the process and receive your renewable Professional Certificate, you must meet the following requirements.

Satisfy the professional preparation. This is accomplished by either completing education coursework or completing an alternative certification program. Your employing school district will be able to assist you in choosing which path will be most beneficial to you.
Successfully complete an approved system for demonstrating Professional Education Competence. Your employing school district will have this system in place and counsel you on what is required.
Satisfy the testing requirements by earning a passing score on each of the following tests (these three tests comprise the Florida Teacher Certification Examinations or FTCE):
     Florida General Knowledge Test
     Florida Professional Education Test
     Subject Area Exam for each subject shown on the certificate

A Professional Certificate will be awarded after submitting an application and paying a fee to the Bureau of Educator Certification.