Types of Certificates and Licenses

Initial Certificate
Description: The entry-level certificate for classroom teachers. Issued in specific subject/grade titles.
Validity: Valid for 5 years.
Leads to: Professional Certificate

Provisional Certificate
Description: The entry-level certificate for pupil personnel professionals and school administrators, issued in a specific subject/grade titles. Previously, the entry-level certificate for classroom teachers as well, but discontinued as of February 2, 2004.
Validity: Valid for 5 years.
Leads to: Permanent Certificate

Professional Certificate
Description: The advanced-level certificate for classroom teachers. Issued in specific subject/grade titles.
Validity: Continuously valid with completion of required professional development hours on a five-year professional development cycle.

Permanent Certificate
Description: The advanced-level certificate for pupil personnel professionals and school administrators. The Permanent certificate also remains the advanced-level certificate for classroom teachers who hold a valid Provisional certificate.
Validity: Valid for life, unless revoked for cause by the New York State Education Department.
Click Here for more information on the Permanent Certificate.

Annotation
Description: A certificate that is attached to a regular base certificate, recognizing that the holder has additional knowledge and/skills beyond the base certificate. Annotations are not required and are not-free standing.
Validity: Valid as long as the base certificate remains valid.

Extension (subject)
Description: A certificate that is attached to a regular base certificate, authorizing the holder to teach an additional student population, grade, or subject not authorized by the base certificate. Extensions are not free-standing and may be attached to multiple base certificates.
Validity: Valid as long as the base certificate remains valid.
Go to Permanent Certificate for more information.

Internship Certificate
Description: Certificate issued to a student in a registered or approved graduate teacher education program, permitting the holder to serve an internship in a public school. Issued at the request of the college or university, provided that the student has completed one-half of the program's semester hour requirement.
Validity: Valid for two years and not renewable.

Transitional A
Description: The classroom teaching certificate issued to a school district to permit the employment of an individual in a specific career and technical education title (in agriculture, health, or a trade) who does not meet the requirements for an Initial certificate, but who possesses the requisite occupational experience.
Validity: Valid for 3 years.
Leads to: Initial Certificate

Transitional B
Description: The first-level teaching certificate issued to a school district to permit the employment of an individual who is enrolled in an alternative teacher certification program. The Transitional B is tied to the school placement. Issued in classroom teaching titles.
Validity: Valid for 3 years while the individual is matriculated in an alternative program.
Leads to: Either the Provisional or Initial certificate, depending on its issue date.

Transitional C
Description: The first teaching certificate issued to a school district to permit the employment of an individual who is enrolled in an alternative graduate teacher certification program at the graduate level. Issued in classroom teaching titles.
Validity: Valid for 3 years while the individual is matriculated in an alternative program.
Leads to: Professional Certificate