The good news is you are eligible to apply for a Florida Professional Teaching Certificate that is valid for five years and renewable. If you did not pass all of your Florida Teacher Certification Exams, you will need to do so before you can be issued a professional certificate.

To begin the Florida certification process go to http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/steps.asp .

After the Department of Education has received and evaluated your completed application, you will receive an Official Statement of Status of Eligibility. This allows you to be hired by a school district. Once you are hired, you will need to submit fingerprints for a background check. When your fingerprints have cleared, you will receive your Florida Professional Teaching Certificate.

If you are not going to teach in Florida, you may still be able to obtain a Florida Professional Certificate which may make certification in another state easier. Go to http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/step4.asp and read the section on “Individuals Not Seeking Florida Employment.” NASDTEC Knowledgebase is the most comprehensive source of information on Teacher Education and Certification in the United States and Canada.