Substitute Teacher Permit

To become a substitute teacher in West Virginia, you must first meet specific educational and training requirements. Once these requirements are met, you must contact your local school district.

General Requirements

Contact Your Local District

The first step is to reach out to the human resources (HR) office at the county school district where you want to work. They will provide specific information on local job openings, required training options, and the type of permit to apply for.

Complete Training

The school district may direct you to complete our online training courses or courses through a county-authorized program. 

Restricted Short-Term Substitute Permit

Minimum criteria for a restricted short-term substitute teaching permit in West Virginia includes (but is not limited to) an associate degree or minimum equivalency hours. Equivalency in lieu of a conferred associate degree should include a minimum of 60 semester credit hours or 90 quarter hours, a cumulative GPA of 2.0, and completion of county authorized initial substitute teacher training. Restricted Short-Term Substitute candidates must have reached the age of 21. Coursework should provide evidence of competencies in core areas such as English, reading, writing, and mathematics.

• Individuals who hold a restricted short-term permit may substitute teach in the same classroom, at any grade level, for 10 consecutive days or less. A person with a restricted short-term substitute permit may substitute short-term throughout the year as long as they do not exceed ten consecutive days in the same classroom.

Restricted short-term substitute permits are valid for one year and expire at the end of each school year.

Short-Term Substitute Teaching Permit

The minimum criteria for a short-term substitute teaching permit in West Virginia includes a bachelor's degree and a 2.0 GPA. Individuals who hold a short-term permit may substitute teach in the same classroom, at any grade level, for 30 days or less. A person with a short-term substitute permit may not substitute for more than 30 consecutive days in same classroom. 

Short-Term Substitute permits are valid for 3 years.

Long-Term Substitute Teaching Permit

The minimum criteria for a long-term substitute teaching permit in West Virginia includes a bachelor's degree and a 2.0 GPA. A long-term substitute permit allows you to substitute teach within a specific endorsement area at specified grade levels for more than 30 consecutive days in the same classroom. You must meet additional coursework criteria as demonstrated on your college transcripts, which includes (but is not limited to) at least 12 semester hours of credit with a grade of C or higher in the subject area for which you intend to substitute.

If you are seeking elementary education endorsements, you must have a minimum of 12 semester hours which includes at least one college level mathematics course and a combination of core content coursework in English, science, and social studies. 

• One course related to child development, early learning, or reading and writing may be used in lieu of a core content course other than mathematics).

Long-Term Substitute permits are valid for 3 years.

Substitute Teaching in Areas of Career Technical Education

Contact your local school district to inquire about substitute teaching employment opportunities in areas of career technical education (CTE). We encourage you to review the state-minimum eligibility criteria for the Substitute CTE Permit. To apply, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• have good character
• Be physically, mentally, and emotionally qualified
• Meet the identified education level (ex. high school diploma, GED®, etc.)
• Hold identified industry credentials for the endorsement
• Meet identified wage-earning experience requirements

Candidates must receive the appropriate recommendation from their employer and complete initial substitute teacher training. Endorsement-specific requirements may be accessed in CTE Endorsements and Testing Manual.

To review the complete requirements of licensure, please review Policy 5202, Minimum Requirements for the Licensure of Professional/Paraprofessional Personnel and Advanced Salary Classifications. For more information on licensure pathways, please visit our Educator and Staff Development page.