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Step 4: Submitting Fingerprints for Certification
Employees of Public Schools
Employees of Florida traditional and charter public schools have fingerprints taken through the school district's personnel office for employment and certification purposes.
- If the results of your fingerprints are clear, your certificate is issued within 30 days of our Bureau's receipt of your district's request.
- If the results of your fingerprint processing reflect any criminal offense record or if you reported a record on your application for a Florida Educator's Certificate, your application will be referred to Professional Practices Services for review. That office will contact you regarding information needed to review your records for determination of eligibility for a certificate. Issuance of your certificate will be pending the results of this review.
Employees of Nonpublic Schools
Individuals who hold a Statement of Status of Eligibility verifying eligibility for a Florida Temporary Certificate may be issued a Florida certificate if the employing nonpublic school has a state-approved program for demonstration of professional education competence.
- If you are employed in an approved nonpublic school, your employer will supply you with the required fingerprint card for you to complete. Return the completed card with a $57.25 processing fee to your school administrator, who will forward both your completed card and a request to issue your certificate either directly to our Bureau or to the accrediting association to which your school belongs. The Bureau will submit your card and fee to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the FBI for processing.
- If the results of your fingerprints are clear, your certificate is issued within 30 days of our Bureau's receipt of the cleared records from both FDLE and FBI.
- If the results of your fingerprint processing reflect any criminal offense record or if you reported a record on your application for a Florida Educator's Certificate, your application will be referred to Professional Practices Services for review. That office will contact you regarding information needed to review your records for determination of eligibility for a certificate. Issuance of your certificate will be pending the results of this review.
Individuals Not Seeking Florida Employment
The Florida Temporary Certificate is not issued until the individual is employed in a Florida school and his/her fingerprints have been cleared. Please see the above sections entitled Employees of Public Schools and Employees of Nonpublic Schools for additional information.
The individual who holds a Statement of Status of Eligibility verifying eligibility for a Florida Professional Certificate is issued the certificate after his/her fingerprints have been cleared. The individual who is not seeking employment in Florida or has an immediate need for issuance of the Professional Certificate can request a fingerprint packet by contacting the Bureau of Educator Certification by E-mail at edcert@fldoe.org or by telephone at 800-445-6739 or from outside the U.S. at 850-245-5049. The fingerprint-processing fee is $57.25. Please note: If an individual chooses to have his/her fingerprints processed prior to Florida employment for issuance of the Professional Certificate, it may be necessary to have the fingerprints reprocessed, and the individual may have to pay a second processing fee as a condition of employment in a Florida public school.
- Carefully follow the directions in your fingerprint packet and return the completed fingerprint card with a $57.25 processing fee to the Bureau of Educator Certification. The Bureau will submit your card and fee to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the FBI for processing.
- If the results of your fingerprints are clear, your Professional Certificate is issued within 30 days of our Bureau’s receipt of the cleared records from both FDLE and FBI.
- If the results of your fingerprint processing reflect any criminal offense record or if you reported a record on your application for a Florida Educator’s Certificate, your application will be referred to the Bureau of Professional Practices Services for review. That office will contact you regarding information needed to review your records for determination of eligibility for a certificate. Issuance of your Professional Certificate will be pending the results of this review.