Professional License Renewal Points

Your Professional License must be renewed every ten years. All educators holding a Professional License based on a Bachelor's degree must earn 90 renewal points. Renewal points may be earned in a variety of ways (refer to renewal application/guidelines - License Renewal Points Guidelines and Options Table).

Click to download a Professional License renewal application or call (615)532-4885 to request a form be mailed to you. The application form also includes a list of regulations and guidelines regarding renewal.

All professional development activities used for renewal purposes must be approved in advance by your principal. The computation sheet must be completed using professional development activities to renew the license. Each activity should be listed separately to include the name of the each activity, the dates attended, and the number of points accrued for each activity with a total of 90 renewal points. Part I of the renewal computation sheet must be completed by both you and your principal. The statements in this section must be attested to by both you and the principal and signed by both. A copy of your license renewal documentation must be on file in the Office of Teaching and Learning. This computation sheet needs to be submitted to the Office of Teacher Licensing with the renewal application.

Additional information may be found at http://www.tennessee.gov/education/lic/rprf.shtml

Online Courses for Renewal Points

Annenberg/CPB Channel free

Teacher to Teacher Workshops free

Renewal of Professional Occupational Education License

NOTE: Verification of current industry certification is required for all renewals.

Download Application for Renewal of Professional Occupational Education License form or call (615) 532-4885 to request the form be mailed to you. The application form also includes a list of regulations and guidelines regarding renewal.

Questions regarding this renewal process should be directed to the Occupational Education License Consultant in the Office of Teacher Licensing at (615) 532-4885.

Addition of Advanced Degree/Endorsement to License

Adding an Additional Degree

Click here to download application to add an additional degree(s) to an existing Tennessee teaching license or call (615) 532-4885 to request the form be mailed to you.

Complete the personal information..
Answer all the questions at Please Read Carefully Before Signing section, sign and date.
Check block Amendment to Add Additional Degree to Teaching License and check the Additional Degree desired.
Mail the completed application and official transcript(s) reflecting the degree and conferral date of the degree (photocopies are not accepted) to the address provided on the application.

Adding an Additional Endorsements

Applicants seeking additional endorsement(s) must pass all applicable portions of the Praxis Series Exams developed and administered by Educational Testing Service. (Click to look at a complete listing of specific Praxis Series Exams required in Tennessee.) Upon completion of all requirements, the Dean of Education and Certification Officer of the college/university shall send a recommendation to the Tennessee Office of Teacher Licensing for issuance of the additional endorsement(s).

Following are the required semester hours for each additional endorsement:

Secondary Level Endorsement(s) - not to exceed 21 semester hours
K-12 Endorsement(s) - not to exceed 30 semester hours (including Art, Music, Theatre, Health, Physical Education, and Special Education)
Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education or Middle Grades Education Endorsement(s)- not to exceed 30 semester hours with the following exceptions:
1. Adding Early Childhood Education to a license endorsed Middle Grades Education - not exceed 21 semester hours
2. Adding Early Childhood Education to a license endorsed Elementary Education - not exceed 21 semester hours
3. Adding Middle Grades Education to a license endorsed Elementary Education or Secondary Education - not exceed 21 semester hours

If a Tennessee institution offers the initial licensure program, they have the option to offer the add-on endorsement. Contact the Dean of Education of the institution for requirement definition.

Click here to download application to add an additional endorsement(s) to an existing Tennessee teaching license or call (615) 532-4885 to request an application be mailed to you.

Complete the personal information.
Answer all the questions at Please Read Carefully Before Signing section, sign and date.
Check block Amendment to Add Endorsement Area(s) to Teaching License.
The Dean of Education and Certification Officer of the college/university will complete the second page of the application attesting to the completion of all institution requirements for adding the additional endorsement(s).
Mail the completed application and official transcript(s) reflecting the courses required for the additional endorsement(s) to the address provided on the application. (A signature of the Dean of Education and Certification Officer is required for adding an additional endorsement). The Institutional Score Report is required unless scores are sent directly from Educational Testing Services to the Tennessee State Department of Education.