°µÍøTV

Skip to main content
Office of Teaching Initiatives

Certification

Initial Reissuance

Initial certificates for classroom teachers, school building leaders, and school counselors are valid for five years. Beginning August 2, 2023, these educators who hold an expired or expiring Initial certificate and have not met the requirements for the Professional certificate may apply for up to two reissuances of their Initial certificate if they meet the following eligibility requirements. Each Initial Reissuance is valid for five years from the effective date of the reissuance. The application fee for the Initial Reissuance is $50.

When to Apply:

Applications will NOT be accepted more than six months before the expiration of the initial certificate.

Certificate Expiration Earliest Application Date
January 31st August 1st (previous year)
August 31st March 1st (same year)

Please note that educators who:

  • Have already obtained an Initial Reissuance, and the former Time Extension is not eligible for a second Initial Reissuance,
  • Were issued a Time Extension may receive only one Initial Reissuance, or
  • Hold an Initial Reissuance that was issued on or after May 20, 2020, and prior to August 2, 2023, andÌýdid not receive a Time Extension, may receive a second Initial Reissuance under the first Initial Reissuance requirements.
  • Those who hold a Provisional classroom certificate or a COVID-19 Emergency certificate are not eligible for a Reissuance. Neither of these certificates are eligible for extended time.

Provisional School Counselor certificate holders should visit the Provisional Renewal webpage.

First Initial Reissuance

For the first reissuance of an Initial certificate, educators must meet all requirements for the Professional certificate except the education AND/OR experience requirements, as described below:

  • For teachers, who:
    • Do not have three years of acceptable teaching experience with one year of mentored experience, AND/OR
    • Do not hold an acceptable master's degree, and for teachers who hold an unrelated master's degree, also do not have 12 semester hours of graduate coursework in the subject area of the Initial certificate
  • For school building leadersÌýwho do not have three years of acceptable educational leadership experience, with one year of mentored experience. Please note that there is no education requirement for Professional School Building Leader certification.
  • For Initial School Counselor certificate holders, who:
    • Do not have three years of acceptable school counselor experience with one year of mentored experience, AND/OR
    • Do not hold a master's degree or higher, AND/OR
    • Have not completed 60 semester hours of graduate coursework in school counseling in the specified core content areas.
  • For Initial CTE (Career and Technical Education) certificate holders, who:
    • Do not have three years of acceptable teaching experience with one year of mentored experience, AND/OR
    • Have not completed the additional 9SH of pedagogy.

Educators must submit theÌýAttestation Form for the First Initial Reissuance to tcert@nysed.gov, where they will attest that they have not met the education AND/OR experience requirements for the Professional certificate.ÌýÌýEducators must also apply and pay for the First Initial Reissuance application through their TEACH account in order to have their attestation reviewed.

Second Initial Reissuance

For the second Initial Reissuance, educators must meet all requirements for the Professional certificate except the education OR experience requirements, as described below.ÌýApplicants must have met either the education or experience requirement, and have not met both requirements.

  • For teachers,Ìýwho:
    • Do not have three years of acceptable teaching experience with one year of mentored experience,ÌýOR
    • Do not hold an acceptable master's degree, and for teachers who hold an unrelated master's degree, also do not have 12 semester hours of graduate coursework in the subject area of the Initial certificate.
  • For school building leaders,Ìýthey do not have three years of acceptable educational leadership experience with one year of mentored experience. Please note that there is no education requirement for Professional School Building Leader certification.
  • ¹ó´Ç°ùÌýInitialÌýSchool Counselor certificate holders,Ìý·É³ó´Ç:
    • Do not have three years of acceptable school counselor experience with one year of mentored experience,ÌýOR
    • Do not hold a master's degree or higher,ÌýOR
    • Have not completed 60 semester hours of graduate coursework in school counseling in the specified core content areas.
  • ¹ó´Ç°ùÌýInitialÌýCTE (Career and Technical Education) certificate holders,Ìý·É³ó´Ç:
    • Do not have three years of acceptable teaching experience with one year of mentored experience,ÌýOR
    • Have not completed the additional 9SH of pedagogy.

Educators must submit the Attestation Form for the Second Initial Reissuance to tcert@nysed.gov, where they will attest that they have not met the education OR experience requirement for the Professional certificate. Educators must also apply and pay for the Second Initial Reissuance application through their TEACH account in order to have their attestation reviewed.

Please see our quick reference guide to learn more about the requirements and to help you determine your eligibility.

Initial Reissuance FAQ

Can I apply for a reissuance if I already meet the requirements for the Professional Certificate?

No. If you have met the education and experience requirements for the Professional certificate, you must apply for the Professional certificate instead.

I received a Time Extension but not a reissuance. Can I still apply?

Yes. If you received only a Time Extension, you may apply for one reissuance, the Initial Reissuance (Second).

I received an Initial Reissuance (First) between May 20, 2020 and August 2, 2023. Does that affect my eligibility?

If you received an Initial Reissuance during this period and did not receive a Time Extension, you may qualify for a Second Initial Reissuance under Initial Reissuance (First) requirements.

I previously received both a Reissuance and a Time Extension. Am I eligible for another?

No. If you previously received both an Initial Reissuance and a Time Extension, you are not eligible for additional reissuance.

I previously received both an Initial Reissuance (First) and Initial Reissuance (Second). Can I apply again?

No. You are not eligible for additional Reissuances.

Are any certificate types not eligible for reissuance?

Yes. The following certificates are not eligible:

  • Provisional classroom certificates
  • COVID-19 Emergency certificates
What if I hold a Provisional School Counselor certificate?

Visit the Provisional Renewal webpage for guidance.