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Maryland Certifications

Professional Eligibility Certificate (PEC)

  • Valid for 5 years.
  • Issued to an applicant who meets all certification requirements and is not currently employed in a MD local education agency or a publicly funded nonpublic school. 


Standard Professional Certificate I (SPC I)

  • Valid for 5 years.
  • Issued to an applicant who meets all certification requirements and is employed by a MD local education agency or a publicly funded nonpublic school


Standard Professional Certificate II (SPC II)

  • Valid for 5 years.
  • Issued to an applicant who completes the SPC I, is employed by a MD local education agency or publicly funded nonpublic school, and submits the following:​​
    1. verification of 3 years of satisfactory school-related experience
    2. 6 semester hours of acceptable credit**; and
    3. A professional development plan for the Advanced Professional Certificate (APC).


Advanced Professional Certificate (APC)

  • ​Valid for 5 years.​
  • Issued to an applicant who submits the following:
    1. 6 semester hours of acceptable credit**
    2. Verification of 3 years of satisfactory school-related experience; and
    3. Meets one of the following standards:
      1. Earned a master's or higher degree from an IHE in a certification area directly related to public school education, including 6 semester hours related to the teacher's specific discipline or the specialist's specific assignment;
      2. Earned at least 36 semester hours of approved content or professional education course work directly related to public school education, earned after the conferral of the bachelor's or higher degree, including at least 21 graduate credits, of which at least six credits shall be related to the teacher's specific discipline or the specialist's specific assignment; or
      3. Obtained National Board Certification and earned a minimum of 12 semester hours of approved graduate course work, earned after the conferral of the bachelor's or higher degree and related to the teacher's specific discipline or the specialist's specific assignment.


Montessori Professional Certificate (MPC)


Resident Teacher Certificate (RTC)

  • Valid for two years.
  • Issued to an applicant who has been selected by a MD local education agency to participate in an alternative teacher preparation program​.


Conditional  Certificate (CDC)

  • ​Valid for two years.
  • Issued only to an applicant employed in a MD local education agency or publicly funded nonpublic school who does not meet all professional certification requirements.

​Certificates are issued with either a January 1 or July 1 start date.


**Acceptable credit is defined as:
  • Earned or taught at a regionally accredited college/university or through Maryland approved Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits​; and
  • Related to a school assignment; and
  • Earned within 5 years immediately preceding the date the certificate is issued​​; and
  • Earned in required reading coursework if not already completed (teaching areas only).