Renewing a Professional Certificate
The Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) Bureau of Educator Certification renews Professional Certificates every five years. Renewal requires 6 semester hours, 120 approved inservice points, or a combination of the two, under Rule 6A-4.0051 and section 1012.585, Florida Statutes.
- Conversion. 20 inservice points equal 1 semester hour.
- Exam equivalency. A passing score on a Florida subject-area exam can supply 3 semester hours of equivalency.
- Required content. Credit in teaching students with disabilities is required. Reading or leadership credit may also be required, depending on the subjects your certificate covers.
For how points, hours and credits relate, see clock hours, CEUs and semester credits.
How pay moves: the F.S. 1012.22 limit
Section 1012.22, Florida Statutes, governs district salary schedules. It allows an advanced degree to count in the salary schedule only where the degree is in the individual's area of certification. Florida districts also operate performance salary schedules.
Credits short of a degree have no statutory salary pathway. In Florida, a "lane change" in the usual sense (see lane change, explained) is limited to an in-field advanced degree. Coursework is chiefly a renewal tool.
District schedules
Items marked "confirm" are being verified for this guide and will be updated with a source and date.
Every Florida district
Advanced degrees count in the salary schedule only where the degree is in the area of certification.
Source: F.S. 1012.22 (2025).Polk County Public Schools
In research.
Source to be added. Confirm advanced-degree rules on the current schedule.Lee County Public Schools
In research.
Source to be added. Confirm advanced-degree rules on the current schedule.Before you enroll in anything
- Check your certificate's expiration date and the subjects it covers.
- Plan for the required students-with-disabilities credit, and check whether reading or leadership credit applies to you.
- Total your 6 semester hours or 120 points (20 points per semester hour), or use a subject-area exam for 3 hours.
- If you are thinking about pay, check that any advanced degree is in your area of certification.
- Ask your district in writing how its schedule treats the degree. Keep the reply.
Do not buy credits expecting a raise. Florida law gives non-degree credits no salary-schedule pathway; confirm local policy first.
Teaching near a state line? See the Georgia guide, or compare course providers.
Sources
- Florida Department of Education, Renewal requirements (Rule 6A-4.0051; F.S. 1012.585).
- Florida Senate, Section 1012.22, Florida Statutes (2025).
- National Education Association, Rankings of the States 2025 and Estimates of School Statistics 2026, Table B-2 (teacher counts).
Last reviewed 2026-11-03. How we correct errors.