Renew or Update Your Professional Educator's License

Professional Educator's License Renewal

Female educator with books

Renewal applications for Continuing (CPL) licenses expiring on June 30 will be opened automatically by DPI between mid-April and early May of the same year.

An email notification will be sent to the educator when the renewal application is opened in the system. Educators should not submit any other application types.

Please wait for the DPI email confirming that your renewal application is available. Once received, log in to the licensure system to complete the application and submit payment online. 

The renewal process ensures that North Carolina Continuing Professional License (CPL) educators engage in on-going updates of their professional knowledge and technical competence. The CPL must be renewed every five years on or after April 15th of the year that a license expires. 

If your license expired in previous years, the renewal request can be submitted at any time. 

Tracking and Recording Your Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

  • A valid current out-of-state license cannot be used to renew your North Carolina license.
  • Each educator is responsible for knowing and satisfying their license renewal requirements.
  • On or after April 15th of the year that a license expires, renew by submitting credits, official final transcripts, professional development certificates, etc. to the NCDPI Licensure Section for renewal as part of a complete application in the NCDPI Online Licensure System.

Renewal and Reinstatement Requirements Total 8 CEUs or 80 Clock Hours of Professional Development

*As a condition of employment per NC State Board of Education Policy LICN-005 employing school systems reserve the right to assign literacy requirements for any educator.

*Renewal requirements are subject to change based on NC State Board of Education policy updates.

Credits Required for Licensure Renewal

Grades K-5

  • 3 Subject Area 
  • 3 Literacy
  • 2 General 

Student Services Personnel

  • 4 Professional Discipline
  • 4 General

Grades 6-12

  • 4 Subject Area 
  • 4 General

Administrators

  • 4 Executive's Role
  • 4 General

North Carolina Lifetime License

The State Board of Education shall issue a lifetime license, which shall require no renewal, to an individual currently licensed as a professional educator who has met at least one of the following criteria:

  • Completed at least 30 or more years of creditable service with the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System.
  • Completed a combined total of 30 or more years of employment as a licensed teacher, administrator, or student services personnel in one or more public school units in North Carolina.

Renewal Criteria

  • A unit of renewal credit (CEU) is equal to 10 clock hours of professional development
  • 8 units of renewal credit are required to renew both a current and expired CPL
  • For a CPL to remain current, all renewal credit must be earned by the expiration date of the license

Activities Accepted for Renewal Credit:

  • College or university courses
    • Official transcripts are required as documentation; grade reports are not accepted.
  • Local in-service courses or workshops
    • The administrative unit certifies credits.
  • Classes and workshops approved by an LEA
    • Documentation of completion is provided by the agency sponsoring the activity.
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