PHASE 3- Upgrade from a Temporary to a Professional Educator's Certificate
An educator which holds a nonrenewable Temporary Certificate may apply for upgrade to an initial five-year renewable Professional Certificate by submitting the online application at the Florida department of education. A professional certificate will be issued once all required documents and test scores are submitted to the bureau. The certificate is sent to the email address currently on file. Candidates are not able to obtain “back-to-back” Temporary Certificates. Only the Professional Certificate can be issued for the school year immediately following the validity period of the Temporary Certificate. Click HERE for information on how to Upgrade From The Temporary To The Professional Certificate
Certification updates as of April 3, 2023
The Florida Education Association lobbied for and effected changes that will help teachers on temporary certificates. Those changes are now law. These are small but meaningful, steps to help keep teachers in the classroom.
Starting July 1, 2023, the Florida legislature expanded opportunities for retired first
responders to request a waiver of initial certification and certification examination
fees. For more information, visit the Retired First Responder Waiver website.