XIV. Certificate Registration

Illinois' law requires that all certificates must be registered with a regional superintendent of schools. Certificates may be registered at a regional superintendent's office or they may be registered on-line on our OTIS system using a credit card. Each certificate has a specific validity period; the registration fee is computed at $5 per year of the validity period.

• One registration fee applies to all certificates held in all regional offices; however persons who hold substitute certificates must pay a separate registration fee to each regional superintendent with whom they register.
• No certificate may be registered beyond its next renewal date.
• When persons hold more than one type of certificate with varying renewal dates, the fees required for registration and the time period of registration for the certificates will vary according to the certificate selected for the basis of registration.
• The renewal dates of all Standard certificates held by the same person will coincide with the renewal date of the first Standard certificate received.
• The renewal dates of certificates of individuals who hold both Standard and Master certificates will coincide with the renewal date of the Master certificate.
• Administrative certificates will also renew at the same renewal date as any previously issued Standard or Master certificate.
• Certificates that are not registered for more than five consecutive years are considered to have lapsed. State law specifies that lapsed certificates may be reinstated for one fiscal year ending on June 30 after the date of reinstatement by paying the fees owed for each year of non-registration. Reinstated certificates may only be renewed by
  1. providing proof on an official transcript that the holders have earned, within the six-year period that encompasses the certification year of reinstatement and the five-year period immediately prior to the year of reinstatement, five semester hours of college credit from one or more regionally accredited institutions of higher learning in the field of professional education or in courses related to the holder's contractual teaching duties, or
  2. present evidence of holding a valid regular certificate of some other type, whether issued by Illinois or by another state, territory, or possession of the U.S.
• The status of "lapsed certificate" also applies to persons who fail to do the required continuing professional development for a Standard, Master or Administrative certificate or who fail to complete one of the options for moving from an Initial to the Standard certificate. In all cases the reinstatement period is one fiscal year ending on June 30 after the reinstatement date, during which the holder must meet all outstanding obligations related to the validity of the certificate.

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