Alternative Teacher Certification in Florida

Florida alternative certification requirements, step by step

Each requirement below is stated as Florida Department of Education Bureau of Educator Certification publishes it, with the governing source cited.

1. 1

   Meet eligibility for a Temporary certificate pathway

   Qualify for Florida certification employment while completing requirements, typically by holding a bachelor's degree and passing required FTCE exams for your subject area. The Temporary certificate serves candidates who are employed and still completing requirements; it is not the fully qualified Professional credential.

   Source: fldoe.org

2. 2

   Pass required FTCE examinations

   Complete the FTCE General Knowledge, Professional Education, and subject area examinations applicable to your intended teaching field. Florida uses FTCE rather than Praxis, so map your field to the Bureau’s subject-area chart before you register.

   Source: fldoe.org

3. 3

   Apply and receive a Statement of Eligibility

   Submit your certification application ($75 per subject) and receive an Official SOE valid for three years. The SOE documents authorization to seek employment while outstanding items are finished.

   Source: fldoe.org

4. 4

   Secure employment on a Temporary certificate

   Obtain a teaching position and receive a Temporary certificate while completing your educator preparation requirements. Temporary certificates are nonrenewable beyond five school years — a policy that pushes districts and educators toward timely conversion.

   Source: fldoe.org

5. 5

   Complete requirements and convert to Professional certificate

   Finish all preparation and employment requirements, then apply for a Professional Florida certificate. Professional renewal later requires six semester hours of credit, including coursework in teaching students with disabilities (SWD).

   Source: fldoe.org

Florida's Temporary certificate pathway is the state's primary mechanism for hiring educators who have met partial requirements—often content testing and degree credentials—but still need to complete a preparation program while employed. The five-school-year nonrenewable cap on Temporary certificates creates urgency for both the educator and the employing district to finish coursework and professional education requirements before the credential expires.

Career changers frequently enter through this route after passing FTCE exams and receiving a three-year Statement of Eligibility. The $75-per-subject application fee applies across pathways, and candidates must track which FTCE subtests remain outstanding as they move from Temporary to Professional status. Because Florida distinguishes Temporary from Professional certificates in renewal rules, educators should not assume Temporary status carries the same six-semester-hour SWD-inclusive renewal expectations as the Professional credential.

District human resources offices coordinate closely with the Bureau of Educator Certification to ensure Temporary hires remain compliant with FTCE and program completion timelines. Out-of-state teachers with valid standard certificates may bypass much of the Temporary pathway through reciprocity, but career changers without prior certification typically rely on Temporary employment authorization as their bridge into the profession.

Required exams and fees

Florida uses FTCE. Fees and cut scores appear only when published by the cited source (as of August 2026).

Full Florida exam requirements →

Moving a license to Florida

Alternative Temporary pathways are for candidates completing requirements while employed; out-of-state educators with valid standard certificates may qualify through reciprocity.

Official Florida reciprocity guidance