Renewal and Advancement

Renewal vs. Advancement

Educators may choose to continuously renew a professional license or advance to the next tier of licensure. Advancement is not required in Maryland. The following professional licenses may be renewed:

  • Initial Professional License (IPL)

  • Professional License (PL)

  • Advanced Professional License (APL)


Public Librarians are issued an Advanced Professional License and must renew that credential to remain employed. The renewal requirements for public librarians differ from those for educators.


How do I renew a historical certificate?

The following historical certificates may be renewed to a comparable license:

Historical Certificate
 ​Comparable License
​Professional Eligibility Certificate​Initial Professional License
​Standard Professional Certificate I​Initial Professional License
​Standard Professional Certificate II​Professional License
Advanced Professional Certificate
Advanced Professional License

Historical certificate holders may choose to submit the requirements for renewal that were in place when the historic certificate was issued. If you hold a historic professional certificate, you may either present the new requirements for renewal of a license or six acceptable credits as follows:

  • Earned or taught at an institution of higher education or through MSDE-approved Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses; and

  • Related to public school education; and

  • Earned within the validity period of the historical certificate; and

  • Earned in reading coursework if not already completed.

Once a professional license is issued, you must meet the renewal requirements for that license moving forward.


How do I renew my active license?

You are responsible for initiating the renewal of your professional license before it expires. You may apply for renewal through your TEACH Dashboard. As part of your application, you will be required to upload documentation demonstrating the completion of renewal requirements, including an Individualized Professional Development Plan (IPDP).

To renew a professional license, you must submit a minimum of 90 Professional Development Points (PDPs) that include professional learning in each of the following four areas:

  1. Content or pedagogy that is related to an area on your license

  2. English as a Second Language, Sheltered English, or Bilingual Education

  3. Strategies for teaching students with disabilities or differentiated instruction

  4. Culturally Responsive Teaching or Diverse Student Identities in education

License holders are free to engage in professional development outside of these areas as long as the minimum requirements are met.

Please refer to the next section concerning whether your area(s) of licensure has additional requirements for renewal.


Additional Renewal Requirements for Specific Areas of Licensure

Certain areas of licensure require additional professional learning, which can be earned as a part of the 90 PDPs:


  • Blind/Visually Impaired - a minimum of 15 PDPs in braille maintenance

  • School Counselor- one semester hour of coursework, MSDE-approved Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credit, or an equivalent number of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) that address all of the following:

    • Depression

    • Trauma

    • Violence

    • Youth suicide

    • Substance abuse

    • The identification of professional resources and best practices for distributing resources to parents or guardians to help students in crisis.

MSDE publishes a list of courses that meet the additional requirements for school counselors. Educators are not limited to the courses listed on the website to fulfill the requirement.

  • Administrator I/II - educators employed in a Maryland local school district, Maryland-operated school, or nonpublic special education program who hold the Administrator I or Administrator II area and are assigned to an administrator or supervisor position must complete professional learning that addresses:

    • Strategies for increasing teacher retention

    • Strategies for developing and facilitating teacher leadership

  • Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, Generic Special Education (all grade bands), and ESOL - Beginning July 1, 2025, educators employed in a Maryland local school district, Maryland-operated school, or nonpublic special education program in a position that requires a license in one of these areas must demonstrate proficiency in the knowledge and practices of scientific reading instruction at the time of renewal by presenting one of the following:


How do I apply for an advanced license?

To apply for the advancement of your license, submit a Renewal/Advancement application on your TEACH Dashboard. Be prepared to submit documentation demonstrating that you meet the eligibility requirements for the advanced license.