English Composition 1
A general-education course most colleges post toward a degree.
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →North DakotaTeachers
The 48 college credits for a North Dakota substitute permit
Checked 15 Nov 2026 by the team. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
The short answer
A North Dakota substitute teaching license is an interim license from the Education Standards and Practices Board (ESPB) under NDAC 67.1-02-04-02. It needs an official transcript with at least 48 semester hours of college coursework, or a high school diploma plus ESPB's roughly 20-hour online training. It is valid two years; without a bachelor's degree, the limit is 30 consecutive days in one classroom.
The rule
Under NDAC 67.1-02-04-02, ESPB may grant an interim substitute license, valid at least two years, to an applicant with two years of postsecondary education (48 semester hours), or with a high school diploma and the state-approved substitute training, when a shortage of regularly licensed substitutes exists.
The rule asks for 48 semester hours (or a high school diploma plus the 20-hour training). The legal source is NDAC 67.1-02-04-02.
| Item | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| College route | Official transcript with at least 48 semester hours of college coursework | s1, s2 |
| Training route | High school diploma or GED plus ESPB's online substitute training (about 20 hours, $99) | s1, s2 |
| Classroom limit | No more than 30 consecutive days in the same classroom without a bachelor's degree | [2] |
| Validity | At least 2 years; expires on the applicant's birthday | s1, s2 |
| Fees | ESPB page: $95 licence plus $30 one-time application fee (rule text says $90) | s1, s2 |
| Background check | Fingerprint background check before the licence is issued | s1, s2 |
Who decides
North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board (ESPB) decides how this rule applies to you. We read its published rule and the pages below; each was checked on 15 Nov 2026.
Which credits count
What counts
- 48 semester hours of college coursework on an official transcript.
- Credits from any college subjects; the rule asks for postsecondary hours, not a set of courses.
What does not count
- Course certificates that no college has put on an official transcript.
- Hours below 48 for the college route; under 48, the training route applies instead.
Courses that fit
Each course below is ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended for college credit. Whether it counts here is the decision of the college and of North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board (ESPB).
College Algebra
Maths most degree plans require.
Self-paced online College Algebra course (Math 111). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Introduction to Psychology
Social science useful in any classroom.
Self-paced online Introduction to Psychology course (Psychology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Educational Psychology
How students learn, useful for a substitute and a future teacher.
Self-paced online Educational Psychology course (Psychology 120). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
US History 1
A history course for the general-education core.
Self-paced online US History 1 course (HIST 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Introduction to Sociology
Another common social science.
Self-paced online Introduction to Sociology course (Sociology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →The path via a college transcript
- Count your college hoursGather every college transcript you have and add up the semester hours. Quarter hours convert at about two-thirds of a semester hour each.
- Pick the routeWith 48 or more semester hours, apply on the college route. With fewer, the 20-hour online training route is usually quicker and cheaper.
- Close a small gap, if that is your planIf you are a few courses short and want the hours for a degree anyway, take general-education courses that a college will post on its transcript.
- Ask ESPB in writingBefore relying on transfer credit, ask ESPB whether the transcript you will send meets its official transcript rule.
- Apply on ND TeachApply online, send the official transcript, complete the fingerprint background check and pay the fees.
TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit; Newlane is a third. North Dakota University System colleges set their own transfer rules. Ask the college and ESPB in writing before you enrol.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
What it costs
| Option | Price | For this rule | Price checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPI Study PRO | $99 a month, every course | $99 for each month you are subscribed; take as many courses as you finish in that time | 15 Nov 2026 |
| ESPB online substitute training (Frontline) | $99 | Replaces the 48-hour route for applicants with fewer credits; about 20 hours | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Sophia Learning | $99 a month, or $799 a year | About $99-$198 a course, depending on pace | 15 Nov 2026 |
| StraighterLine | $99 a month plus $79 a course | About $178-$277 a course over 1-2 months | 15 Nov 2026 |
For the licence alone, the $99 training is the cheapest route for most people without 48 hours. College courses make sense when you also want the hours for a degree or a full teaching licence later. ESPB's licence fee ($95) and application fee ($30) apply on either route.
What UPI Study cannot do here
- UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited; it cannot issue the official transcript ESPB asks for.
- UPI Study cannot tell you ESPB will count any course; ESPB reviews the transcript.
- UPI Study cannot lift the 30-consecutive-day limit; only a bachelor's degree does that under the rule.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
Confirm in writing first
Ask ESPB in writing whether the official transcript you plan to send, including any transfer credit on it, meets the 48 semester hour requirement before you take more courses.
The North Dakota substitute teaching license
North Dakota's substitute teaching license is an interim license issued by the Education Standards and Practices Board (ESPB). The rule is NDAC 67.1-02-04-02, last amended on 1 January 2024. It lets ESPB license substitutes when there is a shortage of regularly licensed substitutes, and the license covers grades K-12 in North Dakota schools.
There are two routes. The college route needs an official transcript showing at least 48 semester hours of college coursework. The training route needs a high school diploma or GED and completion of ESPB's online substitute training, which ESPB's page lists at $99 and about 20 hours. Both routes need a fingerprint background check and an online application through ND Teach.
Limits that apply to both routes
Without a bachelor's degree, a substitute may not spend more than 30 consecutive days in the same classroom. That applies whether you qualified with 48 hours or with the training. A long-term assignment beyond 30 days in one room needs a bachelor's degree under the rule.
The license is valid for at least two years and expires on your birthday. ESPB's page lists a $95 license fee and a one-time $30 application fee; the rule text still says ninety dollars, so pay what ESPB's application asks for on the day.
- 30 consecutive days in one classroom without a bachelor's
- Valid at least 2 years, expires on your birthday
- Fingerprint background check first
Which route makes sense
If you already have 48 semester hours, the college route needs only your official transcripts. If you have fewer, the training route is usually quicker and costs less than college courses. College courses are worth it when you want the hours anyway, for example toward an associate or bachelor's degree, which is what lifts the 30-day limit and leads toward a full teaching license.
For people a few courses short of 48 who plan to keep studying, general-education courses that a college will post on its transcript can serve both goals. Ask ESPB in writing how it treats transfer credit on the transcript you will send.
Questions people ask
How do you become a substitute teacher in North Dakota?
Apply to ESPB through ND Teach with either an official transcript showing 48 semester hours of college coursework, or a high school diploma or GED plus ESPB's online substitute training. Complete the fingerprint background check and pay the fees, then apply to districts.
Do I need a degree to substitute teach in North Dakota?
No. The interim substitute license needs 48 semester hours or a high school diploma plus the training. Without a bachelor's degree, you may not spend more than 30 consecutive days in the same classroom.
How long is the North Dakota substitute license valid?
At least two years. It expires on your birthday. ESPB's application page lists the fees and the steps; the page did not describe renewal, so ask ESPB what it needs before your license expires.
How much does the North Dakota substitute license cost?
ESPB's page lists a $95 license fee plus a one-time, non-refundable $30 application fee. The training route adds $99 for the online course. Fingerprinting may cost extra depending on where you have it done.
Do online college courses count toward the 48 hours?
ESPB asks for an official transcript documenting 48 semester hours of college coursework. Courses count only once a college posts them on its transcript. Ask ESPB in writing whether the transcript you plan to send meets its rule.
What is the North Dakota 2 year substitute teacher license?
It is the interim substitute license under NDAC 67.1-02-04-02. It is valid for a minimum of two years and expires on the applicant's birthday. ESPB issues it on either the 48-hour college route or the training route.
Read next
- How to substitute teach in North Dakota without a degreeYou can substitute teach in North Dakota without a degree. ESPB issues an interim substitute license to people with 48 semester hours of college...
- Does transfer credit count toward the North Dakota substitute credit rule?ESPB asks for an official transcript documenting at least 48 semester hours of college coursework. Its page does not say how it treats transfer...
The same topic in nearby states
Ready when you have it in writing
Add general-education courses with ACE or NCCRS credit recommendations toward a degree, moved via a college transcript, once ESPB confirms in writing how it treats transfer credit.
Sources
- ESPB: Substitute License Requirements and Application (official)Official transcript documenting a minimum of 48 semester hours of college coursework, plus an ESPB background check and an online application; applicants with fewer than 48 credits take a Frontline online course ($99, about 20 hours) and send the completion certificate, fingerprint packet and a high school diploma, GED or college transcript; license fee $95 plus a one-time $30 application fee; valid 2 years, expires on the applicant's birthday; covers grades K-12. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- NDAC 67.1-02-04: Alternative Access Licenses (section 67.1-02-04-02, Interim licenses for substitute teachers) (official)Interim licensure for substitutes with two years of postsecondary education (48 semester hours), or a high school diploma plus the state-approved substitute training, when a shortage exists; no more than 30 consecutive days in the same classroom without a bachelor's degree; fingerprint background check; fee stated as ninety dollars for two years; valid a minimum of two years; last amended January 1, 2024; authority NDCC 15.1-13-09, 15.1-13-10. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- ESPB: Substitute License Requirements and ApplicationPrice for ESPB online substitute training (Frontline), checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Sophia Learning: Plans and pricingPrice for Sophia Learning, checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- StraighterLine: PricingPrice for StraighterLine, checked on 15 Nov 2026.