License application process (for initial licenses)

Education Academic Services License Office staff

Contact Veronica "Roni" Bodoh with your certification and licensing questions. She can be reached at 608/262-5630, bodoh@education.wisc.edu.

Obtaining and submitting your license application

1. Plan to submit your application sometime near the end of the semester that you expect to complete your requirements. Submitting your application early has no effect on how quickly your application is processed.
2. Obtain an on-line application from the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) via the web at http://dpi.wi.gov/tepdl/applications.html. For a first-time license in any licensure area (except Reading and Adminstration), download the PI-1602-IS application form. Reading and Administrator licensees should download the form PI-1602-AD.
3. Complete all parts of the license application:
   • Be sure to complete the "Conduct and Competency Review" page and sign it in the presence of a notary public. Note that EAS does not provide notary services. Most applicants obtain notary services from the UW-Madison Registrar's Office or from their financial institution. A notary is available in B141 Education Sciences, Educational Portfolios and Career Services; ask for Jim.
   • In the License(s) Requested section (Part II), indicate your license developmental range(s) only--e.g., early childhood-middle childhood, middle childhood-early adolescence, early adolescence-adolescence--not grade levels. Also indicate your subjects, categories, or positions--e.g., Elementary Education, Physical Education, Secondary History.
   • Applicants who have worked, resided, or physically attended classes in a state other than Wisconsin, a listed U.S. territory (American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or Virgin Islands), Canada, or Great Britain within the last twenty years after age 17 are required to submit fingerprint cards with their applications. See this web page for more information: http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/tepdl/getapp.html#fp.
   • Applicants who have completed all certification requirements at UW-Madison need not submit transcripts with their applications.
   • Be sure to sign the application. Include a $100 check or money order made payable to DPI with your application, or indicate credit card information on the application form. Attach the check or money order to the front, upper left-hand corner of the application. The cost for each application is $100, regardless of the number of licensure areas requested on the form.
4. Submit your license application directly to Education Academic Services. If mailing rather than delivering in person, address your application to License Processing - EAS, 116 Rusk-Schreiner Halls, 115 North Orchard Street, Madison, Wisconsin 53715. DO NOT send your application to the Department of Public Instruction; this may significantly delay the licensing process. Do not attempt to email a completed application to EAS; electronic submissions cannot be processed.

License processing

For new program completers: The UW-Madison Licensure Office will hold your application until all requirements have been met. This could include waiting for a bachelor’s degree to be posted, grades, or possibly a program coordinator’s approval. For new graduates, degrees are not posted until your student teaching experience or courses for the semester have been completed. Depending on when your application is submitted, your application might be in the UW-Madison Licensure Office for an extended period of time.

Wisconsin applications will not be returned to the person applying. The UW-Madison Licensure Office will complete the Institutional Endorsement of the application. Once signed, the application will then be forwarded to DPI.

A Verification of Program Completion Form (VPC) will be prepared for INITIAL applications only. The certificate will be mailed to you after your application is endorsed. The certificate indicates eligibility while DPI is processing the official license and is usually accepted in lieu of a license by school districts. Districts may occasionally request a copy of your license application.

During high peak licensure times (January, May/June and August) our main focus is on application processing. Processing for new program completers is completed as quickly as possible. Once the application leaves UW-Madison School of Education license office, final processing through DPI can take up to an additional 8-10 weeks.

IMPORTANT: We strongly encourage you to obtain the initial Wisconsin teaching license even if you plan on leaving the State of Wisconsin. Obtaining your Wisconsin teaching license may smooth the process for obtaining an out-of-state license. By obtaining your Wisconsin teaching license shortly after program completion, it may prevent additional requirements or course work if you ever return to Wisconsin.

Applicants will know our office has completed processing their application when they receive the Verification of Program Completion Form (VPC). To check on the status of your application at DPI, use the Wisconsin Educator License Lookup at the Department of Public Instruction (http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/tepdl/lisearch.html). Always make sure to check with our office before contacting DPI.

Applying for an initial license in another state

1. Research out of state requirements before applying for teaching positions out of Wisconsin. Contact the Department of Education in the state you wish to seek employment.
2. Complete the appropriate out-of-state application forms and mail to the School of Education Licensure Office (if it requires institutional endorsement), EAS, 116 Rust-Schreiner Hall, 115 North Orchard Street, Madison, Wisconsin 53715. Include an official copy of your transcript and your Wisconsin teaching license (if you have one). Some states may require original copies of Praxis I or Praxis II exam scores.
3. For new program completers: The Licensure Office will hold your out-of-state application until all requirements have been met. This includes waiting for a bachelor’s degree to be posted, grades, and possibly a program coordinator’s approval. For new graduates, degrees are not posted until your student teaching experience or course work for the semester has been completed.
4. The Licensure Office will complete the Institutional Endorsement (in lieu of the signature of the Dean) of the application. Once the out-of-state application form is signed, the application will be forwarded to the address of your choice with an additional copy for you.
5. If you are applying for both your Wisconsin license and an out-of-state license, please submit both applications together. They will be processed together, decreasing your wait time by both State Departments of Education.

During non-peak times, applications are processed on a first come, first served basis, regardless of State.

Please note that each State differs in its licensing requirements. You may be required to take additional tests; for example, Praxis I and Praxis II may not be the correct test for a given State.

Job hunting without your license

School districts generally understand how the license application process works. Students who are interviewing for positions during the semester they are completing their requirements may on request obtain a "pre-approval" letter from Education Academic Services that tentatively verifies program completion as of the end of the semester or student teaching experience. Requests for a "pre-approval letter" should include your name, address, expected completion date, subject, development level, and contact information (phone and email address).

Renewing a license (for those licensed before September 1, 2004)

License renewals are handled directly by the Department of Public Instruction. For more information on license renewal, see http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dlsis/tel/renewal.html.

Comments or Problems: easinfo@education.wisc.edu.
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