Renew a Teaching License in CO
(not a Colorado teacher, click here to find your state)
How do I renew a teaching license in CO?
Visit the Colorado Department of Education site for more details on re-licensure, official forms for relicensing in CO, and the teaching license renewal process. All applications require that you obtain and upload items such as official transcripts, worksheets and/or signed documents.
Effective July 1, 2021, educators are required to renew their professional license every seven years instead of every five (Colorado House Bill 21-1104).
What state requirements does a teacher in Colorado need to meet for renewal?
A valid or expired professional license may be renewed with six semester hours of credit or 90 clock hours of professional development renewal activities (online courses) earned during the validity (from the issuance date to the expiration date) of your professional license.
Teachers in CO take RenewaTeachingLicense.com semester hour courses with Adams State University, a regionally accredited university, to help meet state requirements for renewing a teaching license in Colorado.
All Professional Learning Board courses include a free PD Tracker.
Use these downloadable checklists for details and the process of renewing a teaching license in Colorado.
How does a teacher in Colorado meet the renewal requirement for Special Education and Behavioral Health?
As a result of HB 20-1128 and HB 20-1312, educators must complete a minimum of 10 contact hours of training in special education and behavioral health. This is a recurring requirement for all educators seeking to renew any teacher, special service provider, principal and/or administrator whose professional license expires on or after June 30, 2025.
How does a teacher meet the new ELL/CLD requirement for license renewal in Colorado?
Effective Sept. 1, 2025, the Colorado state board requires 45 clock hours of applicable professional development in culturally and linguistically diverse education training for teachers who hold a professional teaching license with an elementary, English, math, science, social studies or any middle-level endorsement. This is a one-time requirement for licensure renewal.
A designation will be added to a certificate to indicate “yes,” they have met the requirement; “no,” they have not yet met the requirements and still need to do so; or “optional” for those individuals whose licenses are not endorsed in one of the areas listed above.
Teacher have two options to meet CO state requirements for culturally and linguistically diverse education training:
- Submit a certificate of completion from the approved provider. OR
- Download and complete the matrix, aligning any completed coursework or PD activities to the required standards and elements. For these 45 hours, teacher may use credit dating back further than five (5) years.
How do I get free clock hours for teachers in Colorado?
Get Online PD for Colorado Teachers
Looking for online continuing education and staff development for schools or districts? Check out 100% online PD at ConnectedPD.com!
How do I contact the CO Department of Education?
Contact the Colorado Department of Education
6000 E Evans Ave
Building #2, Suite 100
Denver, CO 80222
303-866-6628
CDELicensing@cde.state.co.us
Disclaimer: Please ensure the information and courses meet requirements for your teaching certificate and circumstances and align with what your state Department of Education requires. The new continuing education information and courses listed on this page are current as of August 24th, 2023 to meet the best information available. State licensing requirements and school district approval processes may change and it is your responsibility as a licensed or certified teacher to know your state certification renewal requirements and the process for submission and approval of all professional and staff development hours for renewing a license, licensing and certificate renewal and expired or lapsed certification. Professional Learning Board can not guarantee acceptance by your school, district, state Department of Education or licensing authority.
