The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is the only agency authorized to issue educator/teacher licenses. The initial application is completed online at https://vadoe.mylicense.com/eGOV/PersonSearchResults.aspx.

The purpose of the FCPS Office of Licensure is to serve as a liaison to the VDOE for actively contracted teacher-scale employees and school administrators.

A license is not needed in order to apply for a vacant teacher-scale position at a school or center, but it is important to remember that other applicants with licenses may be interviewing for the same vacant teacher-scale positions.

Prospective candidates are able to receive an employment offer for a vacant teacher-scale position without holding a Virginia teacher license, but they will first need to interview with a school principal and then be selected as a finalist for the position. The school-assigned hiring specialist in HR will then contact the candidate directly to affirm their eligibility for employment, which includes being eligible for the appropriate VA license and endorsement needed for the teaching assignment/position.

• In order to obtain a provisional license to teach or to obtain a teaching position, a candidate must meet one of the VDOE’s Alternate Routes to Licensure. Virginia Department of Education’s licensure requirements.
• After qualifying for one of these current available routes, the candidate must then complete a VDOE online application at https://vadoe.mylicense.com/eGOV/PersonSearchResults.aspx.
• The candidate can then accept an official offer of employment for a contracted teacher-scale position that matches their endorsement eligibility area. 
• After employment is finalized and a teaching contract has been issued, the FCPS Office of Licensure will work with the contracted teacher to get a provisional license issued by the VDOE.

Review the VDOE’s criteria for licensure via reciprocity and then submit an online application on the VDOE website at https://vadoe.mylicense.com/eGOV/PersonSearchResults.aspx.

Please work with VA College/University directly to have them complete the licensure application process for you.

• In order to obtain a provisional (Special Education) license to become a special educator, a candidate must:
• FIRST, “…have completed at least three semester hours of coursework in the competencies of foundations for educating students with disabilities and have an understanding and application of the legal aspects and regulatory requirements associated with identification, education, and evaluation of students with disabilities. A survey course integrating these competencies would satisfy this requirement.”  
• SECOND, apply for applicable special education teaching positions.
• THIRD, interview with a school principal and then be selected as a finalist for an applicable special education teacher position.
• After employment is finalized and a teaching contract has been issued, the FCPS Office of Licensure will work with the new employee to get their provisional (Special Education) license issued by the VDOE.

The FCPS Principal must work with their school’s assigned hiring specialist in Human Resources to determine eligibility criteria.

• If a candidate receives an official Statement of Eligibility from the VDOE, they will need to be officially hired into a contracted teacher-scale vacancy that matches their endorsement eligibility area. After employment is finalized and a teaching contract has been issued, the FCPS Office of Licensure will work with the new employee to get a provisional license issued by the VDOE.
• If a candidate receives a course-by-course evaluation form the VDOE, then they will need to successfully complete a VA state-approved educator preparation program and/or the cited coursework. Visit the VDOE’s College & University Programs webpage for a listing of VA state-approved educator preparation programs and contact information.

All initial Virginia Licensure applicants are required to pass the VDOE-prescribed Praxis assessment for their area of endorsement, unless the applicant is able to submit the appropriate documentation to meet the licensure assessment Exemption Criteria. The VDOE-prescribed Praxis tests and Exemption Criteria are posted on the VDOE Professional Teacher Assessment Document (WORD).  Candidates can contact the Virginia Department of Education at [email protected] or 1-800-292-3820 directly for additional Praxis and licensure assessment information. 

If a candidate has an expired Virginia license, they will need to contact the Virginia Department of Education at [email protected] or 1-800-292-3820 for information regarding their licensure status and what steps/requirements are needed to complete to resolve and re-activate their Virginia License. 

Prospective candidates should go through the VDOE and not FCPS with their requests. The VDOE is a state agency and can assist the general public with all Virginia Licensure inquires. Only actively contracted FCPS teacher-scale employees should be working with the FCPS Office of Licensure.

Prospective teachers with three or more years of full-time occupational experience but no PreK-12 teaching experience should consider enrolling in an approved Virginia Career Switcher Alternative Route to Licensure Program.

• To obtain a Virginia license with foreign credentials, the candidate must first obtain official VDOE-approved US Equivalent degree and coursework transcripts (WORD).
• The candidate must then qualify via one of the VDOE’s Alternate Routes to Licensure.
• The candidate must then submit an online application on the VDOE website at https://vadoe.mylicense.com/eGOV/PersonSearchResults.aspx.
• The candidate will then need to apply for and accept an official offer of employment for a contracted teacher-scale position that matches their endorsement eligibility area. 
• After employment is finalized and a teaching contract has been issued, the FCPS Office of Licensure will work with the employee to get a provisional license issued by the VDOE.