The Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission offers various licenses to recognize the diverse backgrounds and preparation levels of educator and to meet the workforce needs of Oregon’s school districts. The following documents on this page provide a high-level overview of the available licenses. Please Read each purpose statement within these documents and carefully 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
- You currently hold an Oregon license and are applying to upgrade your license.
For more detailed information on upgrading your license, please visit the Upgrading to Professional Page, located at the menu on the left.
Teaching
For detailed requirements on all teaching licenses, download the following PDF:
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, download the PDF below and 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 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
Both the Restricted Substitute Teaching License and the District Substitute Teaching License require district sponsorship.
District Sponsorship: You will need to contact an Oregon school district about sponsorship before you apply for licensure with TSPC. Your employing school district must submit a letter to our office requesting the license.
Other Licenses Valid for Substitute Teaching
If you have completed a teacher preparation program then the following licenses are valid to substitute teach (any content area at any level regardless of endorsements on the license:
Preliminary Teaching License
Professional Teaching License
Reciprocal Teaching License
For full details about Substitute Licenses, review the following PDF:
Administration
For detailed requirements on all administrator licenses, download the following PDF:
Oregon School Administrator License: First License Requirements
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 Service
For detailed requirements on all personnel service licenses (school counselor, school psychologist, school social worker), download the following PDF:
Oregon School Personnel License: First License Requirements