Provisional licenses are issued by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) at the request of the hiring school division.

The provisional license is a nonrenewable license valid for a period not to exceed three years. It is issued to an individual who has minimal competency gaps for full licensure as set forth by the VDOE in the Virginia Licensure Regulations for School Personnel. The individual must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.

The provisional license, with the exception of those individuals seeking licensure through a career switcher program, is issued for three years. Individuals must complete the requirements for the regular, five-year license within the Provisional License’s three-year term.

A provisional licensure is one alternative route to licensure approved by the VDOE. For example, individuals who graduate from an accredited college or university without education coursework would not meet the VDOE requirements for an initial teaching license. However, such individuals may seek an alternative route to licensure like the provisional license. VDOE regulations allow an individual with minimal competency gaps to be employed by a school division and be granted a provisional license.

This license must be requested by the hiring school division, not by the individual.

The VDOE is the licensure authority for all teaching licenses for grades K-12 in the state. The VDOE grants licensure to individuals who meet the requirements either via a state-approved Teacher Education program or through an alternative route to licensure.

Please contact a Licensure Specialist in the Office of Teacher Education and Licensure at the VDOE at (804) 225-2022 with any questions specific to a provisional license and/or fulfilling competency gaps during the term of your provisional license.

The SPCS Education Department offers several courses that are open to provisional license holders seeking coursework related to the VDOE’s professional studies requirements. Those courses include:

• EDUC 517U Foundations of Education
• EDUC 550U Content Area Literacy
• EDUC 558U Classroom and Behavior Management
• EDUC 565U Foundations and Legal Aspects of Special Education (for those with a provisional license in Special Education)
• EDUC 598U Selected Topics: IEP Implementation (for those with a provisional license in Special Education)

Provisionally licensed individuals should confirm with a VDOE Licensure Specialist that a course meets VDOE’s professional studies requirements before registering for any course. 

Review the current schedule of classes to see which classes are being offered or will be offered in an upcoming term.