6A-4.0012. Application Information

(1) Application process. To apply for evaluation of eligibility for a Florida Educator’s Certificate, an individual shall submit to the Bureau of Educator Certification the following:

(a) A completed Form CG-10, Educator Certification Application and a nonrefundable application fee. Form CG-10, Educator Certification Application, (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-16017), effective November 2023, is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule. The form may be submitted online via the Department of Education, Educator Certification website at http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/on-line-application-status-lookup-site.stml, or may be retrieved from the website and submitted via postal delivery to the Florida Department of Education, Bureau of Educator Certification, Room 201, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400. The nonrefundable application fee is prescribed below:

1. Request for evaluation of eligibility for an initial athletic coaching, temporary or professional certificate (INITIAL) – $75.00 per subject;

2. Request for upgrade to a professional certificate to include all coverages and endorsements already issued on a temporary certificate (UPGRADE) – $75.00;

3. Request for addition of a coverage or endorsement to a valid certificate (ADDTEMP, ADDPRO) – $75.00 per subject;

4. Request for update to and a printed copy of a valid certificate solely to reflect a change in name (NMCHANGE) – $20.00;

5. Request for a duplicate printed copy of a valid certificate (COPYCERT) – $20.00;

6. Request for deletion of a coverage or endorsement from a valid certificate (DROPSUBJ) – $20.00 per subject;

7. Request for upgrade to a five-year athletic coaching certificate (UPGRADE) – $75.00;

8. Request for a new five-year athletic coaching certificate (REAPPLY) – $75.00;

9. Request for verification of qualifications for current or expired Florida certificates – $20.00, or

(b) A completed Form CG-10R Renewal or Reinstatement Application and a nonrefundable application fee. Form CG-10R, Renewal or Reinstatement Application (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-16018), effective November 2023, is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule. The form may be submitted online via the Department of Education, Educator Certification website at http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/on-line-application-status-lookup-site.stml, or may be retrieved from the website and submitted via postal delivery to the Florida Department of Education, Bureau of Educator Certification, Room 201, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400. The nonrefundable application fee is prescribed below:

1. Request for renewal of a professional certificate that has not yet expired (RENEWAL) – $75.00;

2. Request for renewal of a professional certificate that is received by the Bureau of Educator Certification or by a district school board office after the expiration of the professional certificate as specified in Rule 6A-4.0051, F.A.C., shall be submitted with a $30.00 late fee in addition to the nonrefundable application fee (LATE RENEWAL) – $105.00; and,

3. Request for reinstatement of an expired professional certificate (REINSTATEMENT) – $75.00 per subject.

(c) A completed Form CG-10M Temporary Military Veterans Certificate Application and a nonrefundable application fee of $75.00 per subject unless eligible for the Military Certification Fee Waiver per subsection (8) of this rule. Form CG-10M, Temporary Military Veterans Certificate Application, (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-15907), effective September 2023, is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule. The form may be submitted online via the Department of Education, Educator Certification website at http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/on-line-application-status-lookup-site.stml, or may be retrieved from the website and submitted via postal delivery to the Florida Department of Education, Bureau of Educator Certification, Room 201, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400.

(d) A completed Temporary Teacher Internship Certificate Application and a nonrefundable application fee of $75.00 per subject, Form CG-10TI, Temporary Teacher Internship Application, (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-15908), effective September 2023, is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule. The form may be submitted online via the Department of Education Educator Certification website at http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/on-line-application-status-lookup-site.stml, or may be retrieved from the website and submitted via postal delivery to the Florida Department of Education, Bureau of Educator Certification, Room 201, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400.

(e) A completed Temporary Teacher Apprenticeship Certificate Application and a nonrefundable application fee of $75.00 per subject, Temporary Apprenticeship Certificate Application Form CG-10A, (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-16019), effective November 2023, is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule. The form may be submitted online via the Department of Education Educator Certification website at http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/on-line-application-status-lookup-site.stml, or may be retrieved from the website and submitted via postal delivery to the Florida Department of Education, Bureau of Educator Certification, Room 201, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400.

(f) A completed Restricted Classical Teaching Certificate Application and a nonrefundable application fee of $75.00, Form CG-10C, Restricted Classical Teaching Certificate Application, (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-16832), effective August 2024, is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule. The form may be submitted online via the Department of Education Educator Certification website at http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/on-line-application-status-lookup-site.stml, or may be retrieved from the website and submitted via postal delivery to the Florida Department of Education, Bureau of Educator Certification, Room 201, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400.

(g) A completed Inactive Status Certificate Application and a nonrefundable application fee of $75.00, Form CG-10IS, Inactive Status Certificate Application, (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-16833), effective August 2024, is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule. The form may be submitted online via the Department of Education Educator Certification website at http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/on-line-application-status-lookup-site.stml, or may be retrieved from the website and submitted via postal delivery to the Florida Department of Education, Bureau of Educator Certification, Room 201, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400.

(h) A completed Reactivation Certificate Application and a nonrefundable application fee of $75.00, Form CG-10RS, Reactivation Certificate Application, (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-16834), effective August 2024, is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule. The form may be submitted online via the Department of Education Educator Certification website at http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/on-line-application-status-lookup-site.stml, or may be retrieved from the website and submitted via postal delivery to the Florida Department of Education, Bureau of Educator Certification, Room 201, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400.

(2) College transcripts. Each college transcript filed for certification purposes shall bear the seal of the institution and the signature of the registrar or other official designated by the president of the institution and shall include descriptive titles, credits, and grades for all courses listed. Transcripts from institutions outside the United States shall include an English translation. Transcripts shall not be returned after the application has been processed and the applicant has been advised regarding eligibility for certification.

(3) Completed applications.

(a) A completed application shall consist of the completed web-based or hardcopy application form, nonrefundable application fee, official documentation of academic preparation as specified in Rule 6A-4.003, F.A.C., and other documents required by rule or law to process the application. The applicant shall be advised of additional information that is required to complete the application.

(b) If the information required to complete the application has not been received in the Bureau of Educator Certification, Florida Department of Education, or in the district school board office within twelve (12) months from the date of receipt of the application, the application shall expire and the fee shall be forfeited.

(4) Funding for the recovery network program for educators. Two (2) dollars of each seventy-five (75) dollar certification fee shall be designated to fund the recovery network program for educators.

(5) District application process. Form CG-10D, Online Educator Certification Application – District Version, (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-16020), effective November 2023, is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule. Each district school board office shall process requests prescribed in paragraphs (a)-(e), submitted via Form CG-10D, Online Educator Certification Application-District Version for the issuance of certificates for employees of the school district via the Department of Education, Educator Certification web-based system at https://webnetwork.fldoe.org/ as follows:

(a) An application for renewal of a professional certificate. School district employees shall submit a completed online application, Form CG-10D, Renewal Application, at http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/on-line-application-status-lookup-site.stml, and the nonrefundable application fee prescribed in paragraph (1)(b) of this rule, to their employing district school board office.

(b) An application for an addition of a subject to a valid professional certificate based upon a passing score earned after July 1, 2002, on the bachelor’s degree level Florida subject area test. School district employees shall submit a completed online application, Form CG-10D, Addition of Subject via District Application, at http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/on-line-application-status-lookup-site.stml, and the nonrefundable application fee prescribed in subparagraph (1)(a)3. of this rule, to their employing district school board office.

(c) An application for an addition of an endorsement area to a valid certificate based on the completion of approved inservice core components or a district add-on endorsement program. School district employees shall submit a completed online application, Form CG-10D, Addition of Endorsement via District Application, at http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/on-line-application-status-lookup-site.stml, and the nonrefundable application fee prescribed in subparagraph (1)(a)3. of this rule to their employing district school board office.

(d) An application for a valid certificate printed solely to reflect a change in name. School district employees shall submit a completed online application, Form CG-10D, Request Name Change, at http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/on-line-application-status-lookup-site.stml, and the nonrefundable application fee prescribed in subparagraph (1)(a)4. of this rule to their employing school district; and,

(e) An application for a duplicate printing of a valid certificate. School district employees shall submit a completed online application, Form CG-10D, Request Copy of Certificate Application, at http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/on-line-application-status-lookup-site.stml, and the nonrefundable application fee prescribed in subparagraph (1)(a)5. of this rule to their employing district school board office.

(6) The employing school district shall remit on a monthly basis to the Department of Education thirty (30) dollars of each seventy-five (75) dollar fee and seven (7) dollars of each twenty (20) dollar fee collected for processing application requests for the issuance of certificates for costs to maintain the Department of Education, Educator Certification electronic database, web-based application processing systems, and the official personnel records of persons to whom certificates are issued.

(7) The employing school district is responsible for retention of all documentation of each application request it processes for the issuance of a certificate for any individual employed by the school district and maintaining custody of the documentation as records in the employee personnel file. The documentation shall include, but need not be limited to, the employee’s completed application request form and documentation of academic preparation, professional development training, or other evidence establishing the successful completion of applicable educator certification eligibility requirements. Upon request or as required by law, the documentation of educator certification application requests incorporated in the employee personnel file shall be made available to authorized Department of Education personnel in the course of conducting an investigation of any legally sufficient complaint filed against such employee.

(8) Military Fee Waivers.

(a) An individual is eligible for a waiver from the Department for the  application fees prescribed in subparagraph (1)(a)1., 2., or 3. of this rule if he or she:

1. Is a member of the U.S. Armed Forces or a reserve component who is serving, or who has served, on active duty or is the spouse of such a service member;

2. Is an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces or an honorably discharged veteran of a reserve component or is the spouse or surviving spouse of such veteran; or

3. Is the surviving spouse of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces or reserve component who was serving on active duty at the time of death.

(b) To apply for a military fee waiver, a request must be submitted via the Department of Education, Educator Certification website at https://web03.fldoe.org/TeacherCertFeeWaiver along with documentation establishing that the applicant meets the requirements for a fee waiver under subparagraph (8)(a)1., 2., or 3., of this rule. The following chart lists the required documentation:

BASIS FOR WAIVER OF FEE	DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED
Member of Armed Forces	Military ID card
Spouse of member of Armed Forces	Military dependent ID card (DD Form 1173)
Member of reserves	Military ID card or NGB22 Form or DD 256A Form
Spouse of member of reserves	Military dependent ID card (DD Form 1173) or Military dependent ID card (DD Form 1173-1)
Honorably discharged veteran	Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214 Member 4)
Spouse or surviving spouse of honorably discharged veteran	DD Form 214 Member 4 of spouse and marriage certificate
Honorably discharged veteran of reserves	DD Form 214 Member 4, NGB22 Form or DD 256A Form
Spouse of honorably discharged veteran of reserves	DD Form 214 Member 4, NGB22 Form or DD 256A Form of spouse and marriage certificate
Surviving spouse of member of armed forces on active duty at time of death	Official documentation from Department of Defense
Surviving spouse of member of reserves at time of death	Official documentation from Department of Defense

(c) Additional documentation. Where the required documentation submitted does not establish eligibility, due to a name change or other circumstance, the applicant will be notified by the Department within ninety (90) days and afforded the opportunity to submit additional documentation to verify eligibility. 

(d) Individuals eligible for veterans and military fee waivers shall not be responsible for payment of the following initial certification fees as per paragraphs (1)(b) and (1)(c) of this rule:

1. Request for evaluation of eligibility for an initial athletic coaching, temporary or professional certificate (INITIAL) – $75.00 per subject;

2. Request for upgrade to a professional certificate to include all coverages and endorsements already issued on a temporary certificate (UPGRADE) – $75.00;

3. Request for addition of a coverage or endorsement to a valid certificate (ADDTEMP, ADDPRO) – $75.00 per subject;

4. Request for evaluation of eligibility for an initial temporary military veterans certificate (INITIAL) – $75.00 per subject.

(e) All documents submitted to verify eligibility for military fee waivers will be retained in the certification record maintained by the Department and will not be returned to the applicant. Approval for military fee waivers remain valid for five (5) years from the date issued unless a document used to verify eligibility indicates an earlier expiration date or end date of its validity and in that case, validity of the military fee waiver expires when the verifying document expires. In no case, shall a person use or attempt to use a fee waiver if the person does not meet the eligibility criteria set forth in Section 1012.59(3), F.S.

(9) Retired First Responder Fee Waivers. professional certificate (INITIAL) – $75.00 per subject;

(a) An individual is eligible for a retired first responder fee waiver from the Department for the application fees prescribed in subparagraph (1)(a)1., 2., or 3. and fees under (1)(b) and (d) of this rule if he or she:

1. Is a retired law enforcement officer as defined in Section 943.10(1), F.S.;

2. Is a retired firefighter as defined in Section 633.102(9), F.S.; or

3. Is a retired emergency medical technician or paramedic as defined in Section 401.23, F.S.

(b) To apply for a retired first responder fee waiver, a request must be submitted via the Department of Education Educator Certification website at https://web03.fldoe.org/TeacherCertFeeWaiver along with documentation establishing that the applicant meets the requirements for a retired first responder fee waiver under subparagraph (9)(a)1., 2., or 3., of this rule.

(c) Where the required documentation submitted does not establish eligibility, due to a name change or other circumstance, the applicant will be notified by the Department within ninety (90) days and afforded the opportunity to submit additional documentation to verify eligibility. 

(d) All documents submitted to verify eligibility for retired first responder fee waivers will be retained in the certification record maintained by the Department and will not be returned to the applicant. Approval for retired first responder fee waivers remain valid for five (5) years from the date issued unless a document used to verify eligibility indicates an earlier expiration date or end date of its validity and in that case, validity of the fee waiver expires when the verifying document expires. In no case shall a person use or attempt to use a retired first responder fee waiver if the person does not meet the eligibility criteria set forth in Section 1012.59(3), F.S., and this rule.

(10) Exceptional Student Education K–12/Elementary Education K–6 Waivers.

(a) An individual is eligible for a waiver from the Department for the application fees prescribed in subparagraph (1)(a)1.-3. of this rule if he or she is a teacher who:

1. Holds a valid active Temporary or Professional Certificate in Exceptional Student Education K–12 and applies to add a subject coverage in Elementary Education K–6; or

2. Holds a valid active Temporary or Professional Certificate in Elementary Education K–6 and applies to add a subject coverage in Exceptional Student Education K–12.

(b) To apply for an Exceptional Student Education K–12 or Elementary Education K–6 fee waiver, submit via the Department of Education Educator Certification website at https://web03.fldoe.org/TeacherCertFeeWaiver along with documentation establishing that the applicant meets the requirements for a certification fee waiver per paragraph (10)(a) of this rule.

BASIS FOR WAIVER OF FEE	DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED
Holds a Temporary or Professional Certificate in Exceptional Student Education K–12 and applies to add a subject coverage in Elementary Education K–6	Valid active certificate in ESE K–12
Holds a Temporary or Professional Certificate in Elementary Education K–6 and applies to add a subject coverage in Exceptional Student Education K–12	Valid active certificate in K–6

(c) Additional documentation. Where the required documentation submitted does not establish eligibility due to a name change or other circumstance, the applicant will be notified by the Department within ninety (90) days and afforded the opportunity to submit additional documentation to verify eligibility.

(d) All documents submitted to verify eligibility for the Exceptional Student Education K–12/Elementary Education K–6 fee waivers will be retained in the certification record maintained by the Department and will not be returned to the applicant. Approval for fee waivers remains valid for five (5) years from the date issued unless a document used to verify indicates an earlier expiration date or end date of its validity and, in that case, validity of the fee waiver expires when the verifying document expires. In no case shall a person use or attempt to use a Exceptional Student Education K–12/Elementary Education fee waiver if the person does not meet the eligibility criteria set forth in Section 1012.59(4), F.S., and this rule.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02, 1012.55, 1012.56, 1012.586, 1012.59 FS. Law Implemented 1012.31, 1012.32, 1012.55, 1012.56, 1012.586, 1012.59, 1012.798 FS. History–New 7-6-82, Amended 9-27-83, Formerly 6A-4.012, Amended 12-25-86, 10-26-88, 5-2-90, 4-24-91, 7-7-92, 5-3-94, 7-18-95, 9-17-01, 11-25-03, 12-27-04, 1-1-08, 10-21-09, 12-31-14, 11-21-17, 11-28-18, 9-20-22, 9-26-23, 11-21-23, 8-27-24.