Substitute Teacher Requirements

The minimum requirements for substitute teaching assignments in California are a Bachelor's Degree and passage of the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST), an approved out-of-state Basic Skills Requirement exam, or the CSET: Multiple Subject Plus the Writing Examination (CTC leaflet CL-667).  If you meet these requirements, you may apply for an Emergency 30-Day Substitute Permit. The substitute permit is valid in one year increments, renewable online each year, and will allow you to substitute teach on a day-to-day basis. You are limited, however, to substitute for no more than 30 days in the same classroom.   

You may seek employment at any or all of the 42 districts in San Diego County. A complete list of the school districts can be found on our website. You will contact the Human Resource Department in the district where you would like to work or search through the Ed-Join website.

The application process is as follows:
If you need to be fingerprinted, schedule your fingerprint appointment online. You may submit the Emergency 30-day Substitute Permit application on the same day that you are fingerprinted.

Please bring the following items to either of our two office locations to verify eligibility for the Emergency 30-day Substitute permit:

1. Official transcripts from a regionally accredited college or university showing the conferral date of your Bachelor's or higher degree or your original diploma.
2. A photocopy of your CBEST scores, approved out-of-state Basic Skills Requirement (BSR) scores, or the CSET: Multiple Subject Plus the Writing Examination scores which will be returned to you.
3. Either of the following:
   A photocopy of the Request for Livescan Service form returned to you at the time you were fingerprinted for a credential, permit, or certificate.
   A photocopy of your Certificate of Clearance which verifies fingerprints for the CTC if you are currently enrolled in a credential program.

The online submission is a seven-step process.

1. We enter the application information online to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC).
2. The CTC receives verification of bachelor's or higher degree and the basic skills requirement.
3. An email is sent to the applicant confirming receipt of request for the Emergency 30-day Substitute Permit and requesting payment for the application fee by using a credit or debit card.
4. The payment process is completed and the applicant receives an email containing a 16-digit confirmation of payment number.  (Print this page for your records.)
   NOTE:  The date on which the online recommendation is completed by our office is the effective date of the document.  The expiration date of the document is one year from that effective date.
5. The CTC receives fingerprint clearance, as appropriate.
6. 6. The CTC grants and posts the permit information to the online look-up system within approximately 10 working days from date of payment. At that time you may download the document.
7. The CTC automatically downloads the permit to the SDCOE payroll data base and credentials data base within approximately 12-15 working days.