Renewing a license: 270 points over 10 years
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) renews the Renewable Professional Educator License on a 10-year cycle with 270 professional development points, under 8VAC20-23-110. Holders of the older 5-year license use 180 points.
Coursework is optional for renewal. The regulation states that coursework at an institution of higher education is not required to renew. Points can come from other professional development activities.
Where coursework is used, Virginia's Licensure Renewal Manual is reported to award 30 points per semester credit and 20 per quarter credit. That ratio is in the manual, not the regulation, and the only copy checked for this guide was hosted by a school division. Confirm the current manual with VDOE before you count on it. For how units compare, see clock hours, CEUs and semester credits.
How pay moves: division lanes
Virginia school divisions set their own teacher salary scales. Fairfax County Public Schools' FY2026 teacher scale (195-day) is a published example, with six education columns:
| Column |
|---|
| BA |
| BA+15 |
| BA+30 |
| MA |
| MA+30 |
| PhD |
Other divisions use different columns and rules. The general mechanics are covered in lane change, explained.
Division schedules
Items marked "confirm" are being verified for this guide and will be updated with a source and date.
Fairfax County Public Schools
Submit Form HR-353 (Additional Salary Request) with official transcripts by the last business day of the month. Approved adjustments begin the following month and are not retroactive. Each credit level needs its own form.
Source: FCPS Additional Salary Request page, Form HR-353 and FY2026 teacher scale (195-day).Loudoun County Public Schools
In research.
Source to be added.Prince William County Public Schools
In research.
Source to be added.Chesterfield County Public Schools
In research.
Source to be added.Virginia Beach City Public Schools
In research.
Source to be added.Before you enroll in anything
- Check which license you hold (10-year or legacy 5-year) and how many points you still need.
- Confirm with VDOE how many points a semester credit earns under the current renewal manual.
- For salary, open your division's current scale and its additional-salary rules.
- In Fairfax, file one HR-353 per credit level, with official transcripts, by the last business day of the month.
- Ask HR in writing whether the specific course counts. Keep the reply.
Fairfax adjustments are not retroactive. A late transcript means the change starts a month later; it is not back-paid.
Teaching near a state line? See the Tennessee and Maryland guides, or compare course providers.
Sources
- Virginia Administrative Code, 8VAC20-23-110, Requirements for renewing a license.
- Virginia Department of Education, Licensure.
- Fairfax County Public Schools, FY2026 teacher salary scale, 195-day (PDF).
- Fairfax County Public Schools, Additional salary request, Form HR-353 and HR-353 (PDF).
- 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.