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First Time License

The Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission offers a variety of licenses designed to honor preparation level and background of diverse educators, as well as provide for the workforce needs of Oregon’s school districts. Below are documents that provide a high-level overview of the available licenses. Please Read each purpose statement within these documents carefully to determine which license best suits your background and preparation.

Use these documents if:

  • You are new to teacher licensure in Oregon, or
  • You currently hold an Oregon license and are applying for a new license type, or
  • These documents are also helpful if you currently hold an Oregon license and are applying to upgrade your license. More detailed info on upgrading your license is found on the Upgrading to Professional Page, located at the menu on the left.


Teaching


Out-of-State Applicants: For information about your first Oregon Teaching License based on completion of a teacher preparation program that operates outside of Oregon, please refer to the info in the PDF below. Please review this document before contacting our office with questions.


Substitute Teaching in Oregon

*If you have not completed a teacher preparation program and/or do not qualify for a Preliminary, Professional or Reciprocal Teaching License, but you are interested in substitute teaching, you have two licensure options:

Restricted Substitute Teaching License: Requires minimum of a bachelor's degree
District Substitute Teaching License: Minimum degree not required

Please Note: You will need to contact an Oregon school district about sponsorship before you apply for licensure with TSPC.


*If you have completed a teacher preparation program then the following licenses are valid to substitute teach in any content area at any level:

Preliminary Teaching License
Professional Teaching License
Reciprocal Teaching License

For full details about Substitute Licenses, review the following PDF:


Administration

Oregon School Administrator License: First License Requirements


For those holding a Reciprocal Administrator License: Information regarding the Oregon School Law and Finance requirement to move to the Principal or Professional Administrator License

To move from the Reciprocal Administrator License to your first Principal or Professional Administrator License, you need to complete the Oregon School Law and Finance requirement. The following document includes the available course offerings to meet this requirement.


Oregon School Law and Finance Offerings


Personnel

New rules effective July 1, 2023

The following PDF outlines the first license requirements for school personnel licenses effective 7/2023:

Oregon School Personnel License: First License Requirements - 7.2023 Redesign