How to become a substitute teacher in Minnesota
Minnesota's Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) issues a Short-Call Substitute Teaching License. You need a bachelor's degree, or to be in a teacher prep program with student teaching done. It lasts three years. First-time applicants send a fingerprint card. An Emergency Short-Call license, applied for with a district, accepts an associate's degree plus district training, or a diploma plus a year as a paraprofessional there.
Checked October 30, 2026 on the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB)'s own pages. Rules change; the state's page and your district have the last word.
At a glance
| Least schooling | A bachelor's degree (or teacher prep enrollment with student teaching done) |
|---|---|
| Credential | Short-Call Substitute Teaching License |
| Background check | First-time Minnesota applicants must submit a completed fingerprint card with the application. |
| How long it lasts | Three years. |
| Fee | $89 for a first-time application including the fingerprint card, or $57 for existing license holders (paper application), as of 2026-10-30. |
| Who issues it | Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) |
How to get it
- Earn a bachelor's degree, or finish student teaching in a prep program.
- Apply in PELSB's Online Licensing System (or the paper form if you have no degree yet).
- Send official transcripts from every college you attended.
- First-time applicants: complete and send a fingerprint card.
- Renew every three years online.
Limits and conditions
- A short-term sub may fill the same position for up to 20 consecutive days; longer needs a Tier 1 to 4 license, a matching permission, or a lifetime substitute license.
- The Emergency Short-Call license allows no more than 10 consecutive school days.
- Retired teachers on an annuity may get a Lifetime Substitute Teaching License.
Ready for the first day
Sources
- PELSB: Substitute Teaching (opened October 30, 2026)
- PELSB: Application for a Short-call Substitute (2026, PDF) (opened October 30, 2026)
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