​In West Virginia, educators must renew their licenses periodically, with specific requirements varying based on the license level:​

Professional Teaching Certificate (3-Year):

• Complete 6 semester hours of coursework (with a 3.0 GPA) related to:
• A Master’s degree related to education, the public school program, your current or future endorsement area(s), or county-prescribed credit based on evaluations
• Hold a Master's +30 salary classification
• Be 60 years of age or older

Professional Teaching Certificate (5-Year)

To move from a 3-year to a 5-year certificate, educators must meet one of the above requirements plus one of the following:

• Successfully complete a Beginning Educator Internship with at least 2 years of teaching (1 year in WV)
• Hold 5 years of teaching experience under a valid license from another state
• Have been initially licensed in WV before January 1, 1992

Permanent Teaching Certificate

To qualify for a permanent license:

• Hold a 5-Year Professional Certificate
• Have a master’s degree in an education-related field
• Have 5 years of teaching experience, including 2 years in the endorsement area and at least 1 year in a WV school system

Happy Teacher Professional Development Graduate Courses can help you fulfill West Virginia’s six semester hours renewal requirement.

• Renewal credits must be completed at a regionally accredited college or university. All of our university partners, including Upper Iowa University and Adams State University, are HLC-accredited.
• You can choose multiple courses to meet the five-semester-hour requirement, including 1-, 2-, and 3-semester-hour courses.

How many hours are listed on the certificate of completion?

• 1 semester credit = 15 hour certificate 
• 2 semester credits = 30 hour certificate 
• 3 semester credits = 45 hour certificate 

Happy Teacher Professional Development also supports West Virginia educators on the path to earning a Master’s in Education through our proud partnership with Upper Iowa University. Together, we offer a flexible, career-aligned graduate program for only $10,000!

Important: Renewal requirements are subject to change. We recommend consulting the West Virginia’s Department of Education’s website to ensure you have the most up-to-date information.

Here are courses popular with West Virginia educators:

• Teacher Leadership
• AI For Educators 
• Effective Classroom Management
• Stress Management
• English Language Learners: Practical Strategies for Educators