Educational Psychology
Directly related to classroom teaching for most licence areas.
Self-paced online Educational Psychology course (Psychology 120). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →OhioTeachers
6 semester hours to renew an Ohio teaching licence
Checked 15 Nov 2026 by the team. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
The short answer
Ohio teaching license renewal for a five-year professional or associate licence needs six semester hours of coursework related to classroom teaching or your licence area, or 18 CEUs (180 contact hours), under OAC 3301-24-08. Your district's Local Professional Development Committee (LPDC) must approve the plan. If you are not employed in an Ohio school, you can apply directly to the state with six semester hours.
The rule
OAC 3301-24-08 renews the five-year professional or associate educator licence with six semester hours of coursework related to classroom teaching and/or the area of licensure, or eighteen CEUs (180 contact hours), as approved by the employing district's local professional development committee; educators not employed in Ohio schools may apply directly to the state with evidence of six semester hours.
The rule asks for 6 semester hours, or 18 CEUs (180 contact hours), every five years; 9 semester hours to reinstate a licence lapsed up to five years, 12 if lapsed longer. The legal source is OAC 3301-24-08.
| Situation | What renewal needs | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Employed in an Ohio school | 6 semester hours or 18 CEUs (180 contact hours), approved by your district LPDC | [1] |
| Not employed in an Ohio school | Apply directly with 6 semester hours, or other options under a plan reviewed by a regional provider LPDC | [1] |
| Licence lapsed up to 5 years | 9 semester hours of related coursework to reinstate | [1] |
| Licence lapsed over 5 years | 12 semester hours of related coursework to reinstate | [1] |
Who decides
Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (Office of Educator Licensure); the employing district's Local Professional Development Committee (LPDC); a regional provider LPDC for educators not employed in Ohio schools 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
- Six semester hours of coursework related to classroom teaching and/or your licence area, as your LPDC approves.
- Eighteen CEUs (180 contact hours) or equivalent activities your LPDC approves.
- If you are not employed in an Ohio school: six semester hours sent directly to the state with your renewal.
What does not count
- Coursework your LPDC has not approved, if you renew through a district.
- Coursework unrelated to classroom teaching or your licence area.
- Course completion without a college transcript, when semester hours are needed.
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 Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (Office of Educator Licensure); the employing district's Local Professional Development Committee (LPDC); a regional provider LPDC for educators not employed in Ohio schools.
Psychology of Diversity
Fits many LPDC goals on serving diverse learners.
Self-paced online Psychology of Diversity course (Psychology 112). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Abnormal Psychology
Related for intervention specialists and school support roles; ask your LPDC.
Self-paced online Abnormal Psychology course (Psychology 180). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Research Methods in Psychology
Supports data and research-based practice goals.
Self-paced online Research Methods in Psychology course (Psychology 111). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
College Algebra
Content coursework for mathematics licence areas.
Self-paced online College Algebra course (Math 111). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Pre-Calculus
Content coursework for mathematics licence areas.
Self-paced online Pre-Calculus course (MATH 115). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →The path via a college transcript
- Check your licence datesFind your licence's expiry date in your OH|ID account and count back: coursework should be finished since the licence was issued.
- Write or update your IPDPIf you work in an Ohio school, your Individual Professional Development Plan goes to your district's LPDC. Ask the LPDC in writing whether each planned course fits your plan before you enrol.
- Take the coursesChoose courses related to classroom teaching or your licence area. ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses reach a transcript only once a college posts them.
- Have a college post the creditSemester hours show on a college transcript. Ask the college to post the credit via a college transcript in time for your renewal.
- Apply for renewalYour LPDC verifies completion, then you apply through OH|ID. If you are not employed in an Ohio school, send evidence of six semester hours directly with your application.
TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit; Newlane is a third. Your LPDC and the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce decide what counts for renewal. Ask 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 |
| Sophia Learning | $99 a month, or $799 a year | About $99-$198 for two 3-credit courses taken in one or two months | 15 Nov 2026 |
| StraighterLine | $99 a month plus $79 a course | About $257-$356 for two courses over one or two months | 15 Nov 2026 |
Graduate courses from teacher-education providers and universities are also common for renewal; compare their per-credit price, and check whether your LPDC or district contract prefers graduate credit.
What UPI Study cannot do here
- UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited; it cannot renew your licence or decide what your LPDC counts.
- UPI Study courses carry ACE or NCCRS credit recommendations; semester hours appear only when a college posts them on a transcript.
- UPI Study courses are undergraduate; if your district or contract needs graduate credit, they do not fit that need.
- We cannot say any LPDC or the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce will count a UPI Study course; each decides.
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 your LPDC (or, if you are not employed in an Ohio school, the Office of Educator Licensure) in writing whether each course counts toward renewal, before you enrol.
What OAC 3301-24-08 asks for
Ohio's five-year professional and associate educator licences renew under OAC 3301-24-08. You need six semester hours of coursework related to classroom teaching and/or your area of licensure, or eighteen continuing education units, which is 180 contact hours, completed since the licence was issued. If you work in an Ohio school, the activities must be approved by your district's Local Professional Development Committee.
The rule's authority is Ohio Revised Code 3319.22 and 3319.29, and the current text took effect on 4 November 2021. The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce runs licensure through the OH|ID portal.
The LPDC comes first
Every Ohio district has an LPDC that reviews each educator's Individual Professional Development Plan. The LPDC decides whether a course fits your plan and your licence area, so ask before you enrol, not after. A short email listing the course title, provider, credit hours and how it links to your teaching goals is usually enough.
Keep the LPDC's answer. When you finish, the LPDC verifies the completed hours and you then apply for renewal through OH|ID.
- Course title and provider
- Semester hours and the transcript it will appear on
- How it links to your IPDP goals
- When you expect to finish
Renewing when you are not teaching in Ohio
If you are not employed in an Ohio school, the rule lets you apply directly to the state for renewal with evidence of six semester hours of related coursework. That is the simplest route for teachers who are home with family, working outside education, or teaching in another state. CEUs and other activities need an Individual Professional Development Plan reviewed by a regional provider with an LPDC.
If the licence has already lapsed, more coursework is needed: nine semester hours to reinstate a licence lapsed for up to five years, and twelve if it lapsed for more than five. Renewing before expiry keeps you at six.
Where UPI Study courses may fit
UPI Study's courses carry ACE or NCCRS credit recommendations. Credit counts as semester hours only once a college posts it via a college transcript. TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit, and Newlane is a third.
Courses such as Educational Psychology and Psychology of Diversity relate to classroom teaching for many licence areas, and College Algebra or Precalculus relate to mathematics licences. Your LPDC decides whether each fits, and UPI Study courses are undergraduate, so they do not meet a district or contract need for graduate credit.
Questions people ask
How many CEUs do I need to renew my Ohio teaching license?
Eighteen CEUs, which is 180 contact hours, or six semester hours of related coursework, every five years under OAC 3301-24-08. If you work in an Ohio school, your LPDC must approve the activities.
How do I renew my Ohio teaching license if I am not teaching?
If you are not employed in an Ohio school, you can apply directly to the state with evidence of six semester hours of coursework related to classroom teaching or your licence area. CEUs need a plan reviewed by a regional provider.
Do renewal courses have to be graduate credit?
The rule says semester hours related to classroom teaching or your licence area, approved by your LPDC. Some districts or contracts want graduate credit for pay steps, so check both your LPDC and your district before you enrol.
What happens if my Ohio license has lapsed?
To reinstate a licence lapsed for up to five years you need nine semester hours of related coursework; over five years, twelve. Continuous employment under a valid credential during the lapse can change this, so check with the Office of Educator Licensure.
Can online courses count toward Ohio license renewal?
They can if your LPDC approves them and the credit is on a college transcript when semester hours are needed. Online format is rarely the issue; fit with your licence area and your IPDP is what LPDCs check. Ask the LPDC in writing before you enrol.
Who approves my Ohio renewal coursework?
Your district's Local Professional Development Committee approves activities for educators employed in Ohio schools and verifies completion. The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, through its Office of Educator Licensure, issues the renewed licence after you apply in OH|ID.
Read next
- Renewing an Ohio licence while not teachingIf you are not employed in an Ohio school, OAC 3301-24-08 lets you apply directly to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce for renewal with...
- LPDC approval: ask before you enrolFor Ohio teachers employed in a school, renewal coursework under OAC 3301-24-08 must be approved by the district's Local Professional Development...
The same topic in nearby states
Ready when you have it in writing
Take two related courses with ACE or NCCRS credit recommendations, then have a college post the six semester hours, after your LPDC confirms in writing that they fit your plan.
Sources
- Ohio Administrative Code 3301-24-08: Professional or associate license renewal (official)Five-year licence; renewal with six semester hours related to classroom teaching and/or the licence area, or 18 CEUs (180 contact hours), as approved by the LPDC; educators not employed in Ohio schools may apply directly with six semester hours, or use other options under a plan reviewed by a regional provider; 9 semester hours to reinstate a licence lapsed up to five years, 12 if more; effective 4 Nov 2021; authority ORC 3319.22(A) and 3319.29(H). 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.