Florida Certification Renewal

Renewal Deadlines & Processing Fees

Educators may apply for renewal during the year preceding the expiration date of their Professional Certificate. The renewal application processing fee is $75.00. Renewal applications should be submitted prior to the expiration date of the current certificate. Renewal applications received up to one year after the expiration date will incur a $30.00 late fee (above and beyond the $75.00 standard processing fee).

Renewal Requirements

Renewal credit must be earned by accumulating a sufficient number of district in-service points, appropriate college credit, or acceptable college credit equivalencies for renewal during the last validity period of your Professional Certificate. Renewal credit must include a minimum of at least one (1) semester hour or its equivalent in teaching students with disabilities (SWD) each renewal period. The School District of Lee County is responsible for renewing the certificates of its employees, once an application is submitted. You may obtain information on the requirements for renewal by visiting the Professional Development Certification Renewal site (Employees Only) and the Florida Educator Certification Renewal Requirements page.

Renewal Application Process

Step 1: Gather Materials

  • Print a copy of your inservice record to have available when completing your application for certificate renewal. 
  • Have a copy of your Florida Educators Certificate available as you will need to know the subject area(s) you currently hold when completing your application.

Step 2: Complete Application

Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) Issued Professional Educators Certificate

  • Sign-in or establish an online user account with the Bureau of Educator Certification Online Licensing Service site and complete an application for renewal.
  • It is recommended to use a non-district email on your account.
  • Your application must only reflect one district affiliation of Lee, District – 36.

District Issued Career and Technical Certificate

  • If you need to renew your District Issued Career and Technical Educators Certificate (Auto Mechanics, Building & Construction, JROTC, etc.), please contact your HR Staffing Specialist to obtain the renewal application.

Step 3: Print a Copy

  • Print a copy of your completed renewal Application Summary.
  • Add your employee ID and school/department location on the top of the first page of the Application Summary.

Step 4: Submit Required Documents

  • Send the printed Application Summary, copy of your inservice record, and a $75.00 check or money order (made payable to The School District of Lee County) to Human Resources. The $75.00 fee covers all areas currently listed on your Professional Certificate at the time of renewal.
  • If you hold both a FLDOE issued Professional Educators Certificate and a District Issued Career and Technical Educators Certificate, only one $75.00 fee is required.

Step 5: Follow-up

  • You will receive an email when your certificate has been issued and is ready to print.
  • Provide a copy of your certificate to your Principal/Supervisor.

FLDOE Educator Certification Online Licensing Service User Guides 

If you need assistance after reviewing the Online Licensing Service user guides, please contact your HR Staffing Specialist.

Credit Areas Appropriate for Renewal (College Credit)

Any of the following courses can be taken towards renewal of ANY Five Year Professional Florida Educator's Certificate. The subject area of the coursework taken DOES NOT have to match the subject area(s) on the Florida Educator's Certificate, so long as the coursework represents one of the courses listed below. To search for course availability in your area, please visit Florida Distance Learning Consortium.

General Training

  • at risk students
  • building self esteem
  • child abuse and neglect
  • child development
  • classroom management
  • collaboration techniques for dealing with families, school or social services
  • content courses in economics, english, math, science, social science, foreign languages, and humanities (art, music, culture)
  • cooperative learning strategies
  • critical thinking skills
  • curriculum design and development
  • drug or substance abuse
  • ecology
  • effective teacher training
  • evaluation or assessment techniques for students, programs, materials, and processes
  • exceptional student education training
  • experiences with young children and families
  • first aid, health and safety
  • global economy
  • informal evaluation techniques
  • integration of curriculum
  • learning strategies
  • library services for special populations
  • multicultural education
  • problem solving skills
  • school and community relations
  • skill building techniques
  • social services training
  • special needs of students
  • strategies for teaching LEP students
  • teaching and testing performance outcomes
  • team building techniques
  • technology
  • research of effective school design and development

School Administration Accountability

  • instructional design
  • leadership skills
  • school and community relations
  • school facilities
  • school law
  • school organization
  • school finance

Vocational and Adult Education Accountability

  • adult learning
  • principals of adult education
  • principles of vocational education 
  • vocational education for special needs students
  • vocational guidance

How to renew your teaching certificate if you are NOT employed with the School District of Lee County

Sign-in or establish an online user account with the Bureau of Educator Certification Online Licensing Service site and complete an application for renewal of your Florida Department of Education issued Professional Educators Certificate. Your application must only reflect one district affiliation. If you were previously employed with a Florida school district please update your affiliation to reflect the district affiliation of District – 100 when completing your application.