Substitute Teacher states
51
Bottom 10% lowest
Occupational licensing · Education · 51 state boards
Substitute Teacher Licensing Requirements by State
Substitute Teacher licensing rules differ by state. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) compilation and responsible state boards (current as of May 15, 2026), this registry compares education hours, initial and renewal fees, exams, background checks and reciprocity notes across 51 boards. Use the table to compare differences, then verify the current rule with the responsible board before applying.
Substitute Teacher across 51 state boards. Nearest coverage peers (51-state band): Childcare Center Director, Elementary School Teacher, School Counselor.
- States regulated
- 51
- Require an exam
- 100%
Board Pathway Strip
Substitute Teacher: 51 boards · exam on 100% · background check on 100%. Same-lane boards: Childcare Center Director, Elementary School Teacher, School Counselor.
Fills in for absent teachers. Requirements range from diploma to license.
Substitute Teacher: 51/51 boards require an exam (100%); unusually uniform for education. Childcare Center Director is the usual same-lane contrast.
Board thresholds for Substitute Teacher drift board-to-board; the same pattern shows up on Childcare Center Director and Elementary School Teacher in education. Methodology notes live on our methods page.
Board gates for Substitute Teacher: exam on 51/51 (100%), background check on 51/51 (100%) , most boards skip mandated CE hours . Stack that against Childcare Center Director / Elementary School Teacher before calling this license soft or hard.
Other licenses near Substitute Teacher's board count
Coverage band
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Substitute Teacher boards vs Childcare Center Director / Elementary School Teacher - state table
51 statesWhat to do with this
Substitute Teacher is regulated in 51 states -- here's how to use that before you act.
- Compare Substitute Teacher's requirements against every other tracked profession. Browse all professions
- #89 of 97 professions by number of states requiring a license -- see which states are strictest overall. State burden rankings
- Check whether your license transfers under an interstate compact before assuming you need to start over. Reciprocity guide
Requirements are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research and verified against state board sites where possible; always confirm current rules with the licensing board before relying on any single row.
Every figure on PlainCredential is rendered directly from NCSL and state occupational- licensing board data, no number is typed in by an editor. Substitute Teacher requirements from NCSL and state board schedules: 51 rows, no hand-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.