Complete guide to renewing your California teaching credential, including clear credentials, induction programs, and the CSTP framework.
California PD and CPE tracking is one part of the educator experience. EX in Education connects that record to coaching, goals, evaluations, and retention, so districts can support every educator from hired to thriving.
Unlike most states, California does not require ongoing professional development hours for clear credential renewal. However, preliminary credentials must be cleared through an induction program, and tracking your PD is still valuable for career advancement and district requirements. It's also one more record districts can connect to coaching cycles, goals, and evaluations, instead of managing it separately.
Your first California teaching credential. Valid for 5 years and not renewable. Must be cleared before expiration.
Your professional California teaching credential. Education Code section 44251 makes it valid for the life of the holder, as long as you submit a renewal application and fee every five years and continue to meet the professional fitness requirements.
Valid for the life of the holder. Life credentials were issued until September 1, 1985, and are no longer initially issued. Previously issued life credentials remain valid and require no renewal.
Which route you take depends on how long you taught out of state. Title 5 CCR section 80413.3 splits out-of-state credential holders into two groups, and the 150-hour option belongs to only one of them.
Clear the credential with a California English learner authorization plus either a master's degree or higher in a field related to the credential or 150 clock hours of activities addressing one or more of the six CSTP.
The 150-hour option is not available. Clearing requires a California preliminary credential, completion of a program of beginning teacher induction, and a California English learner authorization.
District or school-provided training
Professional workshops and seminars
Courses addressing one or more of the six CSTP
Related to CSTP standards
The CSTP provides a common language for describing the scope and complexity of the teaching profession. These standards guide induction programs and professional growth, and districts using EX in Education can align coaching conversations and goal-setting to the same six standards.
Connect learning to students' prior knowledge, life experiences, and interests
Promote social development and responsibility within a caring community
Demonstrate knowledge of subject matter and student development
Use effective instructional strategies and resources
Apply knowledge of assessment purposes, processes, and reporting
Reflect on teaching practice, pursue professional growth, collaborate with colleagues
*With two or more years of out-of-state teaching. With less than two years, clearing requires a beginning teacher induction program instead.
Start a conversationEven without state renewal requirements, tracking your PD is valuable for:
In EX in Education, what you track for California renewal sits beside new-hire onboarding, walkthroughs, coaching cycles, goals, evaluations, staff surveys and recognition. Leaders see how every educator is doing from their first week onward, not only whether they are current, and the renewal record builds out of the growth work already happening.
Start a conversation about CaliforniaNo. Education Code section 44251 conditions a clear credential on a renewal application, the fee and the professional fitness requirements in sections 44339, 44340 and 44341 - not on professional development hours. Preliminary credentials are a different matter: they cannot be renewed at all and must be cleared, normally through a Commission-approved induction program.
Induction is a job-embedded program, typically running two years, that provides new teachers with mentoring and professional development. It's required to clear your preliminary credential. Programs are offered by districts, county offices, universities, and other Commission-approved sponsors. You'll work with a mentor/support provider who helps you meet the CSTP standards.
Preliminary credentials are not renewable. If it expires before clearing, you may need to apply for a Short-Term Staff Permit or other emergency authorization while completing induction requirements. It's important to enroll in an induction program as soon as possible after receiving your preliminary credential.
Out-of-state teachers can obtain a California preliminary credential by submitting transcripts, verifying subject matter competence and a teacher preparation program, and completing fingerprint clearance. Clearing it depends on experience. With two or more years of out-of-state teaching, you need a California English learner authorization plus either a master's degree in a field related to the credential or 150 clock hours of CSTP activities. With less than two years, the 150-hour option does not apply and you complete a program of beginning teacher induction instead.
Yes! While California doesn't require PD for clear credential renewal, EX in Education helps you track induction program progress, document professional activities for out-of-state credential clearing, meet district-specific requirements, build a career portfolio, and prepare documentation for salary advancement or added authorizations. PD tracking is one part of the platform, it connects to the same record as coaching, evaluations, goals, and recognition, so districts can see the whole picture of an educator's growth in one place.
Not in California? Find requirements for your state.
Evaluated in California? See how California teacher evaluation works, and how the evidence connects to the record you keep for renewal.
Part of EX in Education
California PD and CPE tracking are one part of how districts support educators. In EX in Education, they connect to the bigger picture: walkthroughs, coaching, evaluations, goals, PD, recognition, surveys, and retention. Bring your own process, or start from a template, then run it across every school so every educator moves from hired to thriving.