Certification Application Process

How Does the Application Process Work?

Before you begin, review the important information below about processing times, fees, supplemental documentation, and transcripts. 

Please note: We receive a high volume of applications, so processing times vary.  It may take a few weeks to process an application, depending on when we receive your application during the year.  

Register For Certification

The Certification Portal is the online system where you can apply for a license to work in a West Virginia public school and check the status of your application. To get started, all applicants must first register for an account to create their personal certification record.

Pay Online and Submit Supplemental Documents

All processing fees are non-refundable, and you can only pay online. Cash or checks are not accepted. You may email supplemental documents (Form 7, Form 4B, Form 9, Form V10, or Release of Information) or general inquiries to certification.wvde@k12.wv.us.

Submit Your Official Transcripts

We will only accept official transcripts directly from the college or university. Electronic transcripts (eScrips) may be emailed to us by your institution at cert.transcripts.wvde@k12.wv.us. 

Physical transcripts can be mailed to your county human resources office or to our office at:

West Virginia Department of Education 
Office of Certification, Building 6,
Suite 550 1900 Kanawha Boulevard East 
Charleston, WV 25305-0330

Paper Application Submission

Step 1: Download the application form.

Step 2: Fill out the form and submit all required information to your school district certification officer, employer, or college/university for signature. Next, send the application to our office. If you are mailing a form to the Office of Certification, it must be the original. We only accept your original applications, meaning no copies or faxes of the original. If your application requires employment, your employer must submit it.

Step 3: Complete your payment before submitting the application.

Step 4: Check your email inbox for emails from the Office of Certification. After we receive your application, you may be required to have a background check.  If so, we will email a service code to schedule an appointment to have your fingerprints taken. First-time applicants should refer to the directions for first-time applicants.

Step 5: Once your application is approved, you will receive an email with instructions on downloading your certificate.

Electronic Application Submission

To begin submitting an electronic application, log in to the Certification Portal.  

Step 1: Click "create new application" or click the "renew" button next to your credential to renew it. Next, you will verify your information, like your address and phone number. To edit the information, click the “edit” button in the top right corner.  Once finished, click "save."

Step 2: You will need to answer the six (6) legal disclosure questions. These are all "yes or no" questions. If you answer "yes," you must give the occurrence date, name of the incident, and a description. If this legal disclosure was previously reported using a paper form, you need to report it again and make sure the box is checked.

Step 3: Select your county of employment or state that you are not currently employed by the West Virginia public school system. There may be more questions to answer, depending on the application. 

Step 4: Add supporting files.  If you have more than one file, organize them into one document and upload it. You may also click “select files” again to upload files one by one.

Step 5: Once you submit your form, your college or university, and/or employing county, may need to review the application. Once approved, you will receive an email notification for payment.  Log into the Certification Portal and click “pay now” next to the application to add the form to your cart. Click "checkout" and complete the payment. This sends the application to the Office of Certification for review. 

Step 6: If you have not been licensed through the Office of Certification in the past, a state and federal background check is also required for this application.  If needed, we will email you a code along with instructions. You may not use previously completed background checks or go through any other entity for this requirement.

Step 7: Once your application is approved, you will receive an email with instructions on downloading your certificate.