• License Renewal Requirements

    "Continuing licenses shall be issued with five-year renewal cycles. Holders must renew their licenses at the end of each five-year period. Credit earned for renewal purposes shall apply to the person’s license field(s) and professional duties.

    Renewal or reinstatement of a license shall be based on 8.0 units of renewal credit with at least three credits in a teacher’s academic subject area. A unit of credit shall be equal to one quarter hour or two-thirds of a semester hour of Institutes of Higher Education (IHE) credit, or ten clock hours of professional development.

    Five-year renewal cycles shall be initially based on the completion of credit requirements to qualify for licensure or the completion of licensure renewal requirements. A new five-year renewal cycle is established for a Continuing license when an expired license is renewed. A new five-year renewal cycle is also established upon the completion of program requirements for converting an Initial license to a Continuing license." (Policy LICN-005)

    PCS Renewal Credit Requirements
    (PCS requires all teachers in K-8 schools to meet literacy.)

    K-5 or K-8 Schools: 
    Minimum total of 8 credits: (3) in Content, (3) in Literacy, (2) in Digital Learning

    Middle (6-8) or High (9-12) Schools:
    Minimum total of 8 credits: (3) in Content, (2) in Digital Learning, (3) in General*

    Administrators:
    Minimum total of 8 credits: (3) in Admin, (2) in Digital Learning, (3) in General*

    Pre-K or Service Personnel: (Media Coordinators, School Counselors, Social Workers, etc.)
    Minimum total of 8 credits: (3) in Content, (2) in Digital Learning, (3) in General*

    Speech and Language Pathologists & Audiologists:
    Must submit a current active license in their respective fields issued by the North Carolina State Board of Examiners for Speech and Language Pathologists and Audiologists at the time of license renewal. No further continuing education credits shall be required for license renewal.

    *General credits can be content, digital learning, or any other relevant to the license area or subject taught.

    Pitt County Schools uses the Human Resource Management System (HRMS) to record and track educator's renewal credits, which is restrictive enough to prevent teachers from earning both Academic Credit and Literacy Credit for the same course. This is due to the rule (based on State Board policy) that states that an individual course/workshop cannot be counted towards two state sub-category licensure requirements simultaneously (i.e. Literacy and Academic Credit). However, CEU credits for a course can be split between these two categories and our Personnel Department will split credit when needed to provide the most benefit to our educators.

    Professional Development opportunities are offered through 


    Automated Renewal Window

    The automated window opens around April 15 and closes June 30. DPI will initiate the licensure renewal application for each educator who is in their renewal year. The educator must log into the licensure renewal application initiated by DPI in their online licensure account, complete and save the Statement of Applicant questions, and pay the $35 processing fee. 2023 Educator License Renewal Instructions.

    IMPORTANT: PCS requires educators, who are in their renewal year, have their CEUs completed by the last day of the school year. 

    *If an educator is affiliated with multiple PSUs, this will interfere with the renewal process. Please unaffiliate with PSUs you are not currently employed with.