Secondary School Teacher / Alabama
2026 data Alabama board official source

Alabama Secondary School Teacher License Requirements

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher.

Requirements, fees, and renewal timing for this license, sourced from state board records.

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Instructs students in grades 7-12. Requires state teaching certificate.

What the Alabama data shows for Secondary School Teachers

Alabama's path to secondary school teacher licensure runs through board-approved instruction and a passing score on State Subject Area Exam (Praxis II or equivalent), plus a criminal history screening before applicants younger than 18 can be licensed. Alabama folds the credential into its broader occupational licensing statute, which classifies the training track as "Bachelors Degree plus Subject Certification".

Budget $102 to get started, plus $71 at each renewal on a 5-year cycle. Renewal isn't the end of the cost: 150 hours of continuing education are due every 5-year cycle, a recurring time commitment worth planning for.

On reciprocity, secondary school teachers should know: State-specific — NASDTEC agreements between some states.

Licensing Ease Score

C
Licensing Ease Score
58/100
Secondary School Teacher · Alabama

A higher score means this specific license is LESS burdensome to obtain and maintain here than the national requirement corpus, based on education hours, fees, continuing education, and experience requirements, not an overall judgment of the profession or the state.

Education & Training N/A
N/A
Documented education/training hours required
Initial Fee D
$102
One-time application/license fee
Renewal Burden A+
$14/yr
$71 every 5 years
Continuing Education F
30.0 hrs/yr
150 hours every 5 years
Experience Required A+
None required
Supervised work experience required before licensure

Licensing Requirements in Alabama

Education / Training Hours
Bachelors Degree plus Subject Certification
Not specified
Exam Requirement
State Subject Area Exam (Praxis II or equivalent)
Required
Initial License Fee
$102
Renewal Fee
$71
Renewal Cycle
Every 5 years
Continuing Education
150 hrs/cycle
Criminal History Check
Required
Minimum Age
18 years

Compare & Explore

Compare all states for Secondary School Teacher All Alabama licenses
Data sources: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice, state licensing boards. Verify current requirements with Alabama licensing authorities before making career decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What license do I need for Secondary School Teacher in Alabama? ▼
Alabama's requirements cover, the State Subject Area Exam (Praxis II or equivalent) exam, and an initial fee of $102. Applicants also go through a criminal background check.
How do I get certified as a Secondary School Teacher in Alabama? ▼
Certification as a secondary school teacher in Alabama means clearing the state's checklist, and a passing exam score. The Alabama licensing board can confirm the current details.
Can I transfer my Secondary School Teacher license to Alabama from another state? ▼
Here's how reciprocity typically plays out for secondary school teachers: State-specific — NASDTEC agreements between some states. Many occupations are additionally covered by interstate licensing compacts that ease cross-state moves. Check with the Alabama licensing board for how this applies to you.
Does Alabama require a background check for Secondary School Teacher licensing? ▼
Background screening is part of the secondary school teacher licensing process in Alabama. The state licensing board determines which offenses disqualify an applicant and how appeals are handled.
What are the continuing education requirements for Secondary School Teacher in Alabama? ▼
Licensed secondary school teachers in Alabama must complete 150 hours of continuing education every 5 years. The renewal fee is $71.

Related Guides

What to do with this secondary school teacher license

Secondary School Teacher in Alabama, with a documented reciprocity path, is one requirement row in a secondary school teacher-wide, 50-state comparison.

  • See how Alabama's secondary school teacher requirements compare to every other state before relocating. Secondary School Teacher in every state
  • Confirm whether your out-of-state secondary school teacher license transfers under an interstate compact before starting a new application. Reciprocity guide
  • See how Alabama's overall licensing burden compares to other states, not just this one profession. Alabama overview

Requirements shown are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research; verify current rules with the Alabama licensing board before making career decisions.

Source: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice License to Work (3rd Ed.), state licensing board websites

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Institute for Justice, the PlainCredential comparison corpus (current as of May 15, 2026) maps 4,947 state licensing requirement records; see the methodology.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.