College of Education

Professional Certification Program

Renewing a residency


Residency reissue

Beginning September 1, 2000, Washington moved to a new teacher certification structure. All Residency Certificate issued between September 1, 2000-March 14, 2005, were valid for five years. Beginning March 15, 2005 all Residency Teacher Certificates are issued without an expiration date.

Teachers holding a Residency Teacher Certificate (Provisional Status) must have the Residency reissued (within a five year expiration date) upon completing provisional status. “Provisional status” is an employment status for public school employees in which the employer can deny the following year’s contract without showing cause. This is ordinarily the first two years of employment in Washington, or the first year of employment with a subsequent employer. Provisional status can end before the end of the second year if the contract for the third year is signed.

Once the application is complete the teacher will receive a new Residency Reissue Teacher Certificate that will be valid for five years.  Within these five years the teacher is expected to move to the Professional Teacher Certificate.

Residency renewal

Teachers currently enrolled in a ProCert program can apply for a two-year renewal if their certificate will expire before they can complete the program. Teachers can only renew one time. They must move to the Professional Certificate within the additional two years otherwise the Residency Certificate will lapse and the teacher will be required to convert to the guidelines currently in place.

College of Education, Cleveland Hall, PO Box 642114, Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164-2114, 509-335-1738, Contact Us