Apply for New York State Certification

Apply Through Your TEACH Account

1. Before you apply, go to Inquiry Links, Account Information. Check if your workshop data, fingerprint data, certification test data, and all other data is complete. How to Check Your TEACH Account (PDF)
2. Log in to your TEACH account.
3. Click on TEACH Online Services.
4. Click on Apply for Certificate.
5. Select your certificate. Refer to the Student Information Sheet (PDF) for instructions including your application program code directly related to your college program. You will not need to send transcripts to the Office of Teaching Initiatives (OTI) if you will be finishing an Approved Teacher Preparation Program listed on the Student Information Sheet.
6. Select the type of certificate.
7. If you will be applying using the Individual Evaluation pathway instead of applying for certification related to finishing a current approved teacher preparation program, do not use a program code for your application. Select “No, I have not completed, nor am I enrolled in, an Approved Teacher Preparation Program at a New York State College or University for this certificate and this type.” You will also need to order transcripts and have them sent to OTI. Your employer will need to send in a verification of teaching experience form. You will need to check your application status by going to your New York State TEACH account. There, you can check the application details by going to the inquiry links, account information, certificates, applications, view evaluation history.
8. Certifications for School Counseling, School Psychologist, School Building Leader and School District leader candidates.
9. Bilingual School Counseling and School Psychologist candidates: When you pay for your bilingual PPS (Pupil Personnel Service) certification application, you may see only one option for your application, a $100 application fee for an individual evaluation. This is probably due to a glitch in the system. If you see that option, you can start the application process but should not pay for the application until the application is manually fixed. After you graduate, the certification officer, Helen Spencer will add a recommendation for that title to your New York State TEACH account. After you see that recommendation, you can e-mail to the New York State Education Department OTI and ask for the provisional bilingual application pathway to be changed to approved teacher preparation program. The subject line for the e-mail should be: Pathway Change/Certificate Change. Include your full name that you use in your TEACH account, date of birth or the last four digits of your Social Security number, the application that you would like changed, and the change you want. After your application has been manually changed, you can log in to your New York State TEACH account, select payment links, and pay the $50 application fee.  
10. Select I want my application to be reviewed by the State Education Department.
11. Make your payment and check your application. See How to check that your data is complete and your application and certification status (PDF).
12. What’s next.
13. More information on types of titles.

More information on checking your application is available at NYSED.

Any items marked “unmet” or “deficient” must be checked manually, which may take about 16 weeks. You can show your employer your application status.