Summary of Application Requirements
Review WVBE Policy 5202 and Certifications for complete requirements
Initial Application
- Application Fee: $35
- Payment link: https://wveis.k12.wv.us/certpayment/
- Validity Period: 3 years
- General Requirements: US Citizen or hold eligible documentation (see WVBE Policy 5202); good character; age 18 or older; physically, mentally, and emotionally qualified.
- Education Level: Minimum of a bachelor’s degree (Regionally accredited IHE)
- Grade Point Average: Minimum overall cumulative GPA of 2.5 for a bachelor’s degree OR minimum overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 for a master’s degree
- Educational Work Experience: Requires verification that a minimum of two years of successful full-time teaching experience was completed within a public school in the state that issued the expired professional teaching certificate. Requires verification of successful completion of a state-approved clinical experience/student teaching experience or equivalent
- Coursework/Training: Requires verification that a state-approved teacher preparation program was completed.
- Credential: Submit an expired out-of-state certificate (renewable and equivalent to a WV Professional Teaching Certificate) that was issued without restrictions and has been expired for five years or less at the time of application.
- Employment Required: No
- Official Recommendation: Official recommendation from the designated college official at a regionally accredited institution of higher education or a state education agency verification that a state-approved teacher preparation program was completed.
- Official Transcripts (when applicable): To send official transcripts to our office electronically, please have those sent to cert.transcripts.wvde@k12.wv.us. If you select to send them electronically, they must be sent directly from the institution to our office to the aforementioned email address.
- Primary Contact Info: Brad Fittro, Email: bfittro@k12.wv.us
Paper Application Instructions:
Paper Application Instructions:
Paper Application Instructions (only for those not available electronically):
Step 1: Download Application Form from the Application Forms Website.
Step 2: Print the paper application(s) and complete all required applicant information fields. Correspond with necessary entities (ex. school district, institutions of higher education, etc.) to acquire all required information and signatures for completion of the application.
Step 3: Payment for paper applications should be completed online prior to submitting an application to Office of Certification. Pay for paper applications at https://wveis.k12.wv.us/certpayment/. If employment within the West Virginia educational system is required for the license/certificate you seek, please verify with your employer that the application has been completed correctly before submitting an online payment.
Step 4: Submit the paper application for processing with all required supportive documentation (ex. official transcripts, etc.) to the Office of Certification. Pease mail to the following address:
West Virginia Department of Education
Office of Certification Services
Building 6, Suite 550
1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East
Charleston, WV 25305-0330
Note: If you are employed within a West Virginia educational system, the application must be uploaded by the employer’s human resources office.
Step 5: If you are a first-time applicant for licensure (have never held a license/certificate issued by the WVDE), you will receive an email with a service code to make your background check appointment once the application is received by our office. You will need to follow these directions for first-time applicants. (*Note: This requirement does not apply to Forms 23 and 24B.*)