South Carolina Teacher Certification Renewal
Gain the credentials you need

South Carolina Teacher Certification Renewal:

• Renew a South Carolina Certification


The Initial South Carolina Teaching Certification is valid for 3 years and may be renewed if the applicant has not completed all the requirements for a Professional South Carolina Certification as long as the applicant is employed by a South Carolina school district and the districts requests certification renewal for the applicant.

The following are requirements and steps to be taken in order to turn an Initial Certification to a Professional Certification, Renew a Professional Certification and Advance your certification to a higher level.


• Initial to Professional:
  • Upon receipt of your Initial Certification, you were enrolled in a 3 year induction program that should have told exactly what requirements were needed in order to earn your professional certification. Typically, most educators, if they have completed they're professional development requirements and have passed their years assessments successfully, they will automatically be upgraded to professional certification status.
    
    OR,
    
    You may qualify by holding a Valid National Board Teaching Certification.
    
• Renew a Professional Certification:
  The Professional Certificate is valid for 5 years before it must be renewed.
  • You must complete 120 renewal credits. Refer to the Renewal Credit Matrix for more information.
  • You will need to adhere to your district's credit approval and processing policies.
  • You will then need to submit the necessary verification for credit approval. Find more information here.
    
    
• Advance Your Current Certification:
  In order to move up the economic ladder within South Carolina's Education Industry, you must gain a greater education base for yourself. Higher salaries are a direct correlation to what degree and how much time you have spent furthering your own education.
  
  The following are the breakdown for certification levels in South Carolina:
  
  Bachelor's, Bacherlor's plus 18, Master's, Master's plus 30, and the Doctorate.
  
  Find information on how to earn a Master's degree and Doctorate degree.
  
  Follow the steps to apply for the advancement of your certification:
  • Complete the "Request for Change/Action Form"
  • Provide Official Transcripts of your college or university coursework.
  • Provide the appropriate fee by check or money order made payable to the "South Carolina Department of Education"
  • Find more information here.


Send materials to this address:
South Carolina Department of Education
Office of Educator Certification
Landmark II Office Building
3700 Forest Drive, Suite 500
Columbia, South Carolina 29204

Or contact the SCDOE by calling (803) 734-1418 or (803) 734-8466



Back to South Carolina Teacher Certification/Credentialing
Or, Steps to become a teacher in South Carolina

Learn about the requirements of another state by clicking on one of the state certification links to your left.

Request information from schools by clicking on the links or school logos below.