Virginia Teacher License Renewal: The Points System Explained

Virginia license renewal combines a point target with required training. The point total depends on the license term: most current Renewable Licenses run for 10 years, while a 5-year renewable license is a legacy credential. Verify the term printed on your own license before planning; renewal moves are not determined by simply choosing a longer cycle.

The two point targets

A 10-year Renewable License requires 270 professional development points (PDPs). A 5-year renewable license requires 180. The Department of Education’s renewal manual governs how activities are documented and counted.

How coursework converts to points

One semester credit hour from an accredited two- or four-year institution is worth 30 PDPs: a 3-credit course is 90 points, six credits equal 180, and nine equal 270. Coursework is one of eight options, not a universal requirement. Do not enroll based on the conversion alone: confirm the institution, course content, transcript evidence, and any advance approval required for the activity with your division or VDOE.

Points don't come only from coursework

Virginia recognizes eight categories: college credit, professional conferences, curriculum development, publication of an article, publication of a book, mentorship, educational projects, and other professional development activities. Use work tied to the subjects or role on your license and keep the renewal record and supporting documents. The state rule says certain proposed activities need advance approval by the employing educational agency; ask before beginning them.

Required training: universal and endorsement-specific

Training is a required renewal condition, but do not assume every training sits outside the points calculation: the renewal manual assigns PDPs to required modules, and those points count toward the target. For a 10-year license, the current manual assigns 5 points each to child-abuse recognition, first aid/CPR/AED, and dyslexia; 5 points to each of two special-education modules; and 15 points to cultural competency. CPR training must include hands-on practice. The VDOE module certificates should be printed and saved because they are not stored for later retrieval. Use the separate VDOE manual for a 5-year license; do not assume every point value is identical.

Other training depends on the credential: school-counselor endorsements require training on recognizing mental-health disorders and behavioral distress (10 PDPs in the 10-year manual); history-and-social-science endorsements require African American history instruction (check the current manual for its point value); and middle-school civics/economics or high-school government/history endorsements require a 5-point Virginia history or state-and-local-government module. Confirm module completion and points against VDOE’s current training index and renewal manual.

Building your point total across the full cycle

Keep a running renewal record with the activity date, category, point value, approval, and proof such as a completion certificate or official transcript. Reconcile it with your division before the final year; a certificate showing attendance does not by itself prove that an activity was approved or recorded in the correct renewal category. For example, a professional conference must be at least four hours, and the current 10-year manual caps that option at 60 points. Other non-course categories have their own caps and evidence rules, so check the manual instead of projecting a full renewal total from one attractive-looking activity.

Which license length should you plan for?

Read the validity dates and license type in your credential record rather than inferring the point target from a coworker’s license. Most current Renewable Licenses have a 10-year validity period and require 270 points; a 5-year renewable license requires 180. Contact the division licensure office if the record is unclear or you are changing employers.

Where and how to file

Virginia school divisions and accredited nonpublic schools recommend renewals using the point system. If you are employed by an educational agency, coordinate your renewal record, required training, and any advance approvals with its licensure office. If you are not employed by an educational agency, submit an application, fee, individualized renewal record, verification of all requirements, and official transcripts for coursework to VDOE’s Office of Professional Licensure. VDOE processes applications through Virginia Licensure Online (VALO); follow the current portal instructions and save the confirmation.

How the individualized plan works

The point system is based on an individualized professional-development plan, and some activity proposals require advance approval. At the start of a cycle, ask your division what evidence it expects, which work needs approval beforehand, and how it records required modules that also award PDPs. Recheck the plan when you change divisions so the prior activity log and supporting records travel with you.

Renewing after a division change

The credential is state-issued, but the employing division maintains and recommends renewal records. When moving between Virginia divisions, request a copy of your current renewal record, training certificates, transcripts, and prior approvals; ask the new division to confirm what it has accepted before relying on a point balance. The regulation requires advance approval for certain renewal options and submission of an individualized record, so retain written confirmation rather than assuming an internal learning-system total transferred.