Effective Jan. 1, Assembly Bill 1918 requires a Certificate of Clearance on file at the Commission on Teacher Credentialing prior to activation of any Temporary County Certificates. 

To apply for a Certificate of Clearance, applicants must complete Live Scan fingerprinting (41-LS and Clearinghouse) and then apply online at the Commission of Teacher Credentialing (CTC) website. The fee for this document is $52.50. Once the Certificate of Clearance is granted, the applicant may apply for their first regular credential through our office and claim a $50 fee credit by submitting a copy of the Certificate of Clearance. View this document from the CTC for more details. To watch a video from the CTC about applying for a Certificate of Clearance, click here.

Once on the CTC website, follow these steps to apply for a Certificate of Clearance: 

1. Select "Credentialing Information" and then "Educator Login" on right of page
2. Login by entering User ID and Password or Create a User ID and Password if you are a new user and follow the prompts
3. Select – OK and then NEXT
4. Edit your personal information if necessary and then click "Save"
5. Under the section titled "Apply for a Certificate of Clearance or Activity Supervisor Clearance Certificate", click "Create New"
6. Select "Certificate of Clearance or Activity Supervisor Clearance Certificate" under General Application Category
7. Select "Certificate of Clearance" under Document/Authorization Title
8. Select "Next", read the Professional Fitness Question data and click "Next" again
9. Read and answer each question before proceeding to payment
10. Make payment with debit or credit card
11. Print the confirmation of payment screen and retain in your files at least until the document has been granted
12. Allow 10 to 15 business days for the Certificate of Clearance to be granted
13. Once it is granted, return to the CTC website to print out the document
14. Submit a copy of the Certificate of Clearance with your first credential application to receive the $50 fee credit

Applicants for the 30-day substitute permit will not need to apply for the Certificate of Clearance as the permit is typically granted quickly and does not need a Temporary County Certificate. Applicants for the Child Development permit who are working in a non-public facility will not need to apply for the Certificate of Clearance as they do not need a Temporary County Certificate. 

Return to the main Credentials Page