The Substitute Teaching License is issued through the ODE to qualified individuals at the request of a school district (e-signature of superintendent). The substitute license is available for periods of one year or five years and may be renewed online after Jan. 1 of the year the license will expire. 

 New Substitute Teaching License (1 year or 5 year)

Applicants will select teaching field(s) based on the post-secondary degree(s) they hold.

• Post-secondary degree in Education:

  • Issued with a teaching field of “Education Degree-Unlimited.”

  • Valid for teaching unlimited days in a specific class in any subject or grade level, including intervention specialist areas.

• Post-secondary degree in a subject related to an area of licensure:

  • Issued with a teaching field in a designated subject area related to the post-secondary degree (e.g., Integrated Mathematics). Review the list of subject areas available here

  • Valid for teaching unlimited days in the designated subject area in any grade level.

  • Valid for teaching one semester in a specific class in other subjects with local board approval.

• Post-secondary degree in a subject unrelated to any area of licensure:

  • Issued with a teaching field of "General Substitute."

  • Valid for teaching one semester in a specific class at any grade level with local board approval (the employing Ohio school board must approve extended assignments).

• For individuals who are limited to one semester in a specific class, the local board of education may approve additional subsequent semesters in the same class.

• Career-Tech Workforce Development (CTWD) – The district e-signer must electronically approve the online application to verify that you have the necessary skills and/or education to serve in the teaching field requested. Be sure to indicate in the application which Ohio school district or career center your application is to go to for electronic approval. Review the list of CTWD subject areas available here

• Reminder: Substitute teaching licenses are for substitute teaching. Substitute licenses do not meet proper certification requirements as required in Revised Code section 3319.074

Please DO NOT apply for this license (new) through the ODE online system (OH/ID Account) until you have notified and/or completed the process at the Ohio school, district or educational service center for which you are interested in serving as a substitute teacher.  You will need to notify the organization that you will be selecting as you apply online; the organization's e-signer will need to electronically sign your license application.  Otherwise, it is possible that your application will be declined.

Following the recent passage of House Bill 583, the Department will be issuing nonrenewable temporary substitute teaching licenses for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years. The 1 Year Temporary Non-Bachelor's Substitute Teaching License allows applicants who do not hold a post-secondary degree, but meet the employing school or district’s set of educational requirements, to serve in the role of a substitute teacher.  

The legislation does not allow the Department to issue this credential until Sept. 23. However, under Ohio Revised Code sections 3319.36  and 3319.101, schools and districts may conditionally employ an individual with a pending application for a substitute teaching license for up to 60 days from the date of application.  

To ensure schools and districts can conditionally employ these individuals between Aug. 1 and Sept. 23, the Department will begin accepting applications for 1 Year Temporary Non-Bachelor’s Substitute Teaching Licenses Aug. 1. The process for employing these individuals will be as follows:  

1. Applicants submit their temporary substitute license application Aug. 1 or after for the 2022-2023 school year. 

2. Once the Department receives an application, the local school board may conditionally employ the person as a substitute teacher for a period of 60 days. To hire them, the employing superintendent must believe the person’s application indicates the person is qualified to obtain the substitute teaching license.  

3. On Sept. 23, the Department will begin rapidly processing all pending applications to ensure they are processed within the sixty-day conditional employment period.  Please note that the period of conditional employment shall last for 60 days or until the licensure application has either been issued or declined, whichever comes first. 

Note: This 1 Year Temporary Non-Bachelor’s Substitute Teaching License is available only at the request of the employing Ohio school or district. It is valid for teaching in any assigned class of any subject area and grade level. Applicants must have current background checks on file with the school district and the Ohio Department of Education.

For further information about substitute licenses and the application process, click the Ohio Department of Education link below:

 Ohio Department of Education Substitute and Temporary Substitute License Information