How Many PDPs Do Virginia Teachers Need to Renew Their License?

Virginia teachers renew their licenses using Professional Development Points (PDPs) — not hours, not CEUs, not clock hours. The number of PDPs you need depends on which type of license you hold: five-year license holders need 180 PDPs per renewal cycle, while ten-year license holders need 270 PDPs over the full ten-year period. Understanding how PDPs are earned, what activities count, and how graduate coursework converts into PDPs is the key to planning an efficient renewal strategy.

Virginia’s PDP system is governed by 8VAC20-23-110 of the Virginia Administrative Code. It is designed to be flexible — you can earn PDPs through a wide range of professional activities — but the documentation requirements are strict. Every PDP you claim must be supported by verifiable evidence, and that evidence must be submitted with your renewal application. This guide explains the full system so you can plan ahead rather than scramble at the end of your renewal cycle.

What Counts as a PDP in Virginia?

Virginia recognizes eight categories of professional development activities that earn PDPs. The conversion rate varies by activity type — graduate coursework earns 30 PDPs per credit hour (the highest rate), while most other activities earn 1 PDP per clock hour. Here is how each option works:

Activity	PDP Rate	Documentation Required
Graduate coursework (Option 1)	30 PDPs per credit hour	Official transcript from regionally accredited institution
Professional conferences & workshops (Option 2)	1 PDP per clock hour	Certificate of completion or conference agenda with attendance verification
Mentoring a student teacher (Option 3)	1 PDP per clock hour	Letter from university supervisor or division HR confirming mentoring role and hours
Curriculum development (Option 4)	1 PDP per clock hour	Division-approved project documentation, supervisor verification
National Board Certification (Option 5)	Varies	NBPTS certificate or candidate documentation
Division-sponsored PD (Option 6)	1 PDP per clock hour	Division-issued certificate or HR verification letter
Educational travel (Option 7)	1 PDP per clock hour	Division superintendent approval required; travel log and reflection documentation
Superintendent-approved activities (Option 8)	Varies	Written approval from division superintendent; activity documentation

The practical takeaway from this table is that graduate coursework (Option 1) earns PDPs at 30 times the rate of most other activities. A single 3-credit graduate course earns 90 PDPs — equivalent to 90 hours of conference attendance or division-sponsored PD. For teachers who want to satisfy their renewal requirement efficiently and simultaneously advance their salary lane, graduate coursework is the clear choice.

Mandatory Training Requirements (Separate From PDPs)

In addition to the PDP requirement, Virginia law mandates specific training that every teacher must complete at renewal. These requirements are not counted in the 180 or 270 PDP total — they are separate, non-negotiable requirements that must be satisfied independently. Missing any of them will delay or prevent your renewal from being processed.

• Emergency First Aid, CPR, and AED Certification — must be current (not expired) at the time of renewal. Accepted from Red Cross, American Heart Association, or equivalent.
• Child Abuse and Neglect Recognition and Intervention Training — required by Virginia Code. Most divisions provide this annually; keep your completion certificate.
• Dyslexia Awareness Training — required for all renewal applicants. Online modules are available through VDOE and most divisions.
• Virginia Civics Education Module — required for middle and high school social studies teachers (5 PDPs, which do count toward your PDP total).
• Virginia History and Government Module — required for civics and history teachers (5 PDPs, which count toward your PDP total).

The civics and history modules are the only mandatory training items that also count toward your PDP total. All other mandatory items are separate requirements. Plan to complete them well before your renewal deadline — CPR certification in particular has its own expiration date and may need to be renewed independently of your license cycle.

How to Track and Document Your PDPs

Virginia does not have a centralized online tracking portal like some other states. You are responsible for maintaining your own PDP documentation throughout your renewal cycle. The most reliable approach is to create a simple tracking document — a spreadsheet or folder — where you record each PDP-earning activity as it happens, along with the supporting documentation.

For graduate coursework, the official transcript is your documentation. Request an official transcript from the university immediately after completing each course — do not wait until renewal time, as processing times can be several weeks. For conference attendance and division-sponsored PD, keep the certificate of completion or attendance verification in a dedicated folder. For mentoring and curriculum development, get written confirmation from your supervisor at the time of the activity, not retroactively.

When you submit your renewal application to VDOE, you will need to provide documentation for every PDP you are claiming. Applications with missing or insufficient documentation are returned for correction, which delays processing. Starting with organized records from day one of your renewal cycle is far easier than reconstructing them at the end.

Planning Your PDP Strategy: Graduate Credits vs. Other Activities

Most Virginia teachers satisfy their renewal requirement through a combination of graduate coursework and division-sponsored professional development. The division PD is essentially free — your school provides it as part of the normal school year — so it makes sense to use it. The question is how many PDPs you will accumulate from division PD alone, and whether you need to supplement with graduate coursework.

A typical Virginia teacher might attend 30–50 hours of division-sponsored PD per year, earning 30–50 PDPs annually. Over a five-year renewal cycle, that adds up to 150–250 PDPs — potentially enough to satisfy the 180-PDP requirement without any additional coursework. However, division PD counts only toward renewal; it does not advance your salary lane. If salary advancement is a goal, you need graduate credits regardless of whether you have enough PDPs from other sources.

The most efficient strategy for most teachers is to take one or two graduate courses during the renewal cycle — earning 90–180 PDPs and 3–6 salary credits simultaneously — and supplement with division PD to cover any remaining PDP requirement. Two 3-credit graduate courses satisfy the entire 180-PDP requirement for a five-year renewal and provide 6 graduate credits toward a salary lane change. That is the most cost-effective combination of renewal compliance and salary advancement available to Virginia teachers.

Common PDP Mistakes Virginia Teachers Make

The most common renewal problems Virginia teachers encounter are documentation-related, not PDP-count-related. Here are the mistakes to avoid:

• Submitting unofficial transcripts for graduate coursework. VDOE requires official transcripts. Unofficial copies — including those downloaded from a student portal — are not accepted. Always request official transcripts directly from the university registrar.
• Forgetting mandatory training items. Teachers who have accumulated more than enough PDPs sometimes discover at renewal time that their CPR certification expired two years ago. Check all mandatory items well before your renewal deadline.
• Waiting until the last year of the renewal cycle to start earning PDPs. Spreading PD activities across the full renewal period is easier and less expensive than cramming everything into the final year.
• Counting undergraduate credits toward the PDP requirement. Only graduate-level credits earn 30 PDPs per credit hour. Undergraduate coursework does not count for this purpose.
• Using non-regionally-accredited institutions. Virginia requires regional accreditation for graduate credits used in renewal. Credits from nationally accredited institutions (common in some online programs) may not be accepted.

The Bottom Line

Virginia teachers on a five-year license need 180 PDPs per renewal cycle. Teachers on a ten-year license need 270 PDPs. Graduate coursework earns 30 PDPs per credit hour — the highest conversion rate of any renewal activity — making it the most efficient way to satisfy the requirement. Two 3-credit graduate courses earn exactly 180 PDPs, satisfying the full five-year renewal requirement while simultaneously providing 6 graduate credits toward a salary lane change.

The mandatory training requirements — CPR, child abuse training, dyslexia awareness, and applicable civics modules — are separate from the PDP count and must be completed independently. Keep documentation for every activity throughout your renewal cycle, and submit official transcripts (not unofficial copies) for any graduate coursework.

For more on Virginia’s renewal process and how to submit your application, see: Virginia Teacher License Renewal: Requirements, PDPs & How to Complete It Online. For course options that meet Virginia’s accreditation requirements, see: Best Online Courses for Virginia Teachers: License Renewal & Salary Advancement.