Indiana Teacher License Renewal: The Complete Guide

Indiana teacher license renewal is a five-year (or ten-year) process that gives you two clear pathways: complete 6 semester hours of graduate-level coursework, or accumulate 90 Professional Growth Plan (PGP) points through a mix of professional development activities. If you understand how the system works, indiana teacher license renewal is also one of the most flexible in the Midwest — and the same 6 credits that satisfy IDOE’s renewal requirement can simultaneously advance your salary lane and put thousands of additional dollars in your paycheck every year. This guide covers everything Indiana teachers need to know: the exact requirements by license type, what counts toward renewal, how to apply through LVIS, and how to make your renewal credits work double duty on the salary schedule.

Indiana issues several types of educator licenses, but the two most common for practicing classroom teachers are the Proficient Practitioner (5-year) and the Accomplished Practitioner (10-year) licenses. Both are renewed through the same process and the same options. The renewal application is submitted through LVIS (Licensing Verification and Information System) at lvis.doe.in.gov. You should not apply more than 45 days before your license expires — applying too early will result in a loss of validity on the front end of your new license period.

The most important thing to know upfront: Indiana gives you a genuine choice between two renewal pathways, and the coursework option is almost always the better financial decision for teachers who want to also advance their salary. Six graduate credits satisfy your renewal requirement and can move you to a higher salary lane — a combination that pays for itself many times over during the remaining years of your career.

Indiana Teacher License Renewal Requirements

To renew a 5-year Proficient Practitioner or 10-year Accomplished Practitioner license, Indiana teachers must complete one of the following options during the current license period:

In addition to your chosen renewal pathway, all Indiana teacher license renewals require the following documentation regardless of which option you select:

• Valid CPR and AED Certification from an IDOE-approved provider (expires every 2 years — must be current at time of renewal)
• Child Abuse and Neglect Training (one-time requirement, but must be documented)
• Suicide Prevention Training (required every 3 school years — new requirement effective July 1, 2025)
• Human Trafficking Training (new requirement effective July 1, 2025)

The two new training requirements — suicide prevention and human trafficking — apply to all teachers renewing on or after July 1, 2025. If your license expires in 2025 or later, you must complete both of these trainings before your renewal application will be approved. Many districts have incorporated these trainings into their regular professional development calendar, so check with your building principal or HR office to confirm whether you’ve already completed them.

Renewing with College Coursework: What Qualifies

The coursework option is the most popular renewal pathway for Indiana teachers, and for good reason: the same 6 credits that satisfy IDOE’s renewal requirement can simultaneously move you to a higher salary lane on your district’s compensation schedule. That means you’re not just renewing your license — you’re potentially earning thousands of dollars more per year for the rest of your career.

To qualify for indiana teacher license renewal under the coursework option, your courses must meet the following criteria. First, they must be from a regionally accredited institution — this includes most accredited universities and colleges across the United States, not just Indiana schools. Second, the courses must have been earned after the issue date of your current license — credits from before your license was issued do not count. Third, the courses must be education courses or courses in your licensure content area. A math teacher can take graduate math courses; an elementary teacher can take courses in literacy, curriculum, or instructional strategies.

Graduate-level courses are not required — undergraduate coursework from an accredited institution is technically accepted — but graduate-level courses are strongly recommended because they are the ones that qualify for salary lane advancement. Most Indiana districts only recognize graduate credits (not undergraduate credits) when calculating salary lane placement. If your goal is to both renew your license and advance your salary, choose graduate-level courses every time.

Self-paced, online graduate courses from accredited universities are fully accepted for indiana teacher license renewal. Credits for Teachers offers graduate-level courses accepted by Indiana districts that can be completed entirely online on your own schedule — no set class times, no campus visits required.

Renewing with a Professional Growth Plan (PGP): How It Works

The Professional Growth Plan pathway requires 90 PGP points, approved by your employing school corporation. This option is more flexible in terms of what activities count, but it requires more coordination with your district and does not automatically qualify for salary lane advancement the way coursework does.

PGP points are earned through a wide range of professional development activities. The conversion rate for college coursework within a PGP is straightforward: 1 semester credit hour = 15 PGP points. This means 6 credit hours of coursework would give you 90 PGP points — the full renewal requirement — which is why many teachers who choose the PGP pathway still end up taking graduate courses as the most efficient way to accumulate their points. Other activities that can earn PGP points include district-approved workshops, conferences, curriculum development work, mentoring new teachers, and participation in professional learning communities.

The critical requirement for the PGP pathway is that your plan must be approved by your employing school corporation before you begin accumulating points. You cannot retroactively have a PGP approved — the plan must be in place and approved in advance. If you are in a district that has a structured PGP process, your principal or instructional coach will guide you through the approval process. If you are unsure whether your district uses PGPs, contact your HR or licensure office.

How to Apply for Indiana Teacher License Renewal

The indiana teacher license renewal application is submitted through LVIS (Licensing Verification and Information System), Indiana’s online educator licensing portal at lvis.doe.in.gov. Here is the step-by-step process:

1. Log in to LVIS at lvis.doe.in.gov using your existing account credentials. If you do not have an account, create one using your Social Security Number or IDOE-assigned educator ID.
2. Do not apply more than 45 days before your expiration date. Applying too early will cause your new license to be issued with an earlier start date, effectively shortening your next license period. Wait until you are within 45 days of expiration.
3. Select your renewal pathway (coursework, PGP, or NBC) and upload all required documentation together in a single submission. IDOE will not accept partial submissions — all documents must be uploaded at the same time.
4. Upload your required documents: official transcripts (for coursework option), approved PGP documentation (for PGP option), CPR/AED certification, Child Abuse and Neglect Training completion, Suicide Prevention Training completion, and Human Trafficking Training completion.
5. Pay the licensing fee through the LVIS portal. Fee amounts vary by license type — check the current fee schedule on the IDOE website before submitting.
6. Submit your application and monitor your LVIS account for status updates. If IDOE marks your application as “Additional Documentation Required,” you have 90 days to provide the missing documents before the application is closed.

One important note: if your license has already expired, there is no penalty imposed by the IDOE Educator Licensing office for the expiration itself. However, you cannot legally teach in Indiana on an expired license — your district may place you on leave or require you to obtain an emergency permit while your renewal is processed. Do not let your license expire if you can avoid it.

How to Make Your Renewal Credits Count Twice

The most financially significant aspect of indiana teacher license renewal is the opportunity to use the same 6 graduate credits for both renewal and salary lane advancement. Indiana’s salary schedules are structured around degree lanes — Bachelor’s, Master’s, Master’s+30, and Doctorate — and most districts also recognize intermediate lanes at Bachelor’s+15, Bachelor’s+30, and similar increments. Moving from one lane to a higher lane is permanent and compounds over the remainder of your career.

Here is how the math works: if your district pays a $3,000 annual salary differential between the Bachelor’s lane and the Master’s lane, and you have 20 years left in your career, earning a Master’s degree (or accumulating enough graduate credits to reach the Master’s lane) is worth $60,000 in additional lifetime earnings. The 6 graduate credits required for license renewal are a meaningful step toward that lane change — and if you’re already taking them for renewal, you might as well choose courses that count toward your next salary lane.

Credits for Teachers offers graduate-level courses that are accepted by Indiana districts for both license renewal and salary advancement. Each course is 3 graduate credits, so two courses satisfy the full 6-credit renewal requirement. Courses are self-paced and fully online — you can complete them during the school year, over summer break, or on any schedule that works for you.

Indiana Educator License Types: Which One Do You Have?

Understanding which license type you hold is important because the renewal requirements and timelines differ. Here is a quick overview of the main Indiana educator license types:

Most experienced Indiana classroom teachers hold either the Proficient Practitioner or Accomplished Practitioner license. If you are unsure which license type you hold, log in to your LVIS account — your current license type, issue date, and expiration date are all displayed on your dashboard.

Indiana Teacher License Renewal Timeline and Deadlines

Indiana does not impose a penalty for late renewal — your license will not be revoked simply because it has expired. However, you cannot teach on an expired license, and your district may require you to obtain an emergency permit or take unpaid leave while your renewal is processed. The safest approach is to complete your renewal requirements well before your expiration date and submit your LVIS application within the 45-day window before expiration.

Here is a recommended timeline for indiana teacher license renewal:

• Year 1–2 of your license period: Enroll in your first 3-credit graduate course. Complete CPR/AED certification if it will expire before your license does (CPR/AED must be current at time of renewal, not just at some point during the license period).
• Year 3–4: Complete your second 3-credit graduate course. Verify that your Child Abuse and Neglect Training is documented in LVIS. Complete Suicide Prevention Training if not already done in the past 3 school years.
• Year 4–5: Complete Human Trafficking Training if not yet done. Gather all documentation (transcripts, training certificates). Confirm your CPR/AED certification is still current.
• 45 days before expiration: Log in to LVIS and submit your renewal application with all documentation and payment.

The Bottom Line

Indiana teacher license renewal requires 6 graduate credit hours or 90 PGP points, plus CPR/AED certification and the new suicide prevention and human trafficking trainings effective July 1, 2025. The coursework option is almost always the better financial choice — those same 6 credits can advance your salary lane and pay for themselves many times over during the remaining years of your career. Start your courses early in your license period so you’re never scrambling at the deadline, and choose graduate-level courses that count toward your next salary lane.