License processing time is 30 days from receipt of a complete application, including permissions requests. During summer months, the processing time may be closer to the 30 days allowed. Submitting requests promptly helps to ensure compliance with licensure requirements for the start of the new school year, SY2025-2026, and reduces time resolving violations on the annual Staff Automated Report (STAR).

Tier 1 and Tier 2 Licenses: Renewable online after July 1 in the year of expiration.

Tier 3 and Tier 4 Licenses: Renewable online after January 1 in the year of expiration.

Permissions: Renewable after July 1 in the year of expiration.

Educators seeking visas may need to renew their license before July 1. In 2023, the legislature granted the Board the ability to process these applications early. Debby Odell, Licensing and Operations Manager, has the specialized knowledge and experience to help educators navigating the early renewal process. Please contact her directly at debby.odell@state.mn.us.

Teachers moving to a new licensure category, such as from a Short-Call Substitute to a Tiered License, need to complete a paper application. Teachers moving between tiers also need to complete and submit a paper application.

For all teachers with Tier 3 licenses issued on or after July 1, 2023, these teachers will also need to have clock hours to move from a Tier 3 to a Tier 4 license starting on January 1, 2026. This is in addition to the requirement for three years of teaching experience in the licensure field.

Licensure and Permission Renewals

As educators prepare for licensure renewal, the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) would like to share some helpful tips that will streamline the renewal process for educators and school districts.

Licenses

Tier 1 and Tier 2 Licensure Renewal

Renewal: After July 1 in the year of expiration; eligible for online renewal.

Tier 1: All Tier 1 licenses are issued for the duration of a single academic year, which includes summer school and Extended School Year (ESY). An individual is limited to three renewals of a Tier 1 license. To remain in compliance with federal regulations, Special Education licenses are limited to two renewals.

First-Time Tier 1 Renewals: To renew a Tier 1 license, a teacher must attempt the Minnesota Teacher Licensure Examinations (MTLE) content exams aligned with the teacher's assignment, if applicable.

Tier 1 and Tier 2 licenses are eligible for online renewal. The online renewal application requires an applicant to:

1. Confirm and/or update contact information;
2. Complete the Conduct Review Statement; and,
3. Submit credit card payment.

The application is not considered complete until the applicable verification forms are submitted to PELSB via mail or dropped off in-person. PELSB has 30 days from receipt of completed application to process license.

Tier 3 and 4 Licensure Renewal

Renewal Period: Applications for renewal may be submitted after January 1 in the year of expiration; eligible for online renewal.

Tier 3 and Tier 4 licenses are eligible for online renewal. Applicants should wait until they are certain their clock hours have been entered into the PELSB system. Absent any flags from the Conduct Review Statement, online renewals for Tier 3 and Tier 4 licenses are processed within 1-2 business days.

Further information about renewals can be found on the Renewal page of PELSB's website.

Permissions

Renewal Period: Permissions may be renewed after July 1 in the year of expiration.

Out-of-Field Permissions (OFP), Cross-Curricular Delivery Permissions (CCDP), and Discretionary Variances (DV) are issued for the duration of a single academic year.

Posting Requirements for Out-of-Field Permissions (OFP) Renewals

If a teacher has already held an OFP in the same assignment in the same district, the district must advertise the position for a minimum of 60 days on a board-approved statewide job board. Positions must be posted on the Minnesota state-wide job board, MNSchoolJobs.org. Note: the hiring district must repost a position for an additional 15 days if an applicant accepts the position but later turns it down.

Jason Jensen, Licensure Permission Specialist, shares, "One of the most common reasons for an OFP request to be returned is that the district did not select the current applicable license. For instance, requesting Biology when the current license is Life Science. The best reference is using the Licensure Assignment Table.

Additional Tips from Jason about checking OFP requests:

• No posting is required if the assignment is for .25 FTE or less.
• Start date and end date need to be for the student contact days, not contract dates.
• Make sure that the appropriate district staff signs and dates the request. The signature must be signed in pen or an e-signature; the signature cannot be typed.
• Districts need to submit a revised request if the applicant is going to be teaching through summer or Extended School Year (ESY) past the original end date on the OFP. Please date and initial on the third page of the OFP. Districts are urged to submit revision requests as promptly as possible for the remainder of the current academic year.
• Processing time for all licenses, including permissions requests, is 30 days from receipt of a complete application.

Further information about permissions can be found on the Special Permissions page of PELSB's website.