Applying for Substitute Certification

The Certification Office cannot submit substitute certificate applications on your behalf, but we are here to help guide you through the process. This page provides step-by-step information about the materials and actions required to apply for a New Jersey Substitute Teacher Certificate. Be sure to review all directions carefully before beginning your application.

The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) updated the substitute certificate pathway as of September 11, 2024. To be eligible for a Substitute Teacher Certificate, applicants must:

Have completed at least 30 semester-hour college credits at an accredited institution
Be at least 18 years of age

What You Need to Apply

To apply for a New Jersey Substitute Teacher Certificate, you must complete the following requirements. These items may be completed in any order, but the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) will review your application only after all required materials have been received.

Substitute certificate applications are submitted directly through the NJEdCert online system. Because some items—such as transcript processing or fingerprint archiving—may take additional time, applicants are encouraged to begin multiple components at the same time.

Required components:

Criminal History Background Clearance
Official Transcript
NJEdCert Account and Application
Application Fee

For the most current eligibility requirements and additional information, please visit the NJDOE Substitute Certificate webpage.

Criminal History Background Clearance

All substitute certificate applicants must have a valid New Jersey school fingerprint clearance. If you have already been fingerprinted for the NJ school system, you may not need to be fingerprinted again. Your Criminal History Background Clearance is the record issued after you were fingerprinted.

For your substitute certificate application, you need a Criminal history background clearance that is within 5 months old. So you will EITHER submit your current Criminal history background clearance OR request the state to reprocess your fingerprints, so the background clearance is updated. Follow these steps:

Use this direct link to access the state’s fingerprint system and enter your information.
Your current fingerprints will appear. Check the most recent approval date (first column, top date).

If the date is within the last 5 months: You can use this criminal history background check. Save the page as a PDF and upload onto your NJEdCert Portal account (Details below to create a NJEd Cert portal account).

If the date is NOT within the last 5 months: You’ll need to archive your fingerprints (re-process them so the background clearance is updated.).

Look at your fingerprint document and write down the PCN number for your most recent fingerprint entry.
Use this direct link to the archive application and enter your information.
Click Option 1.
Fill out the form, including your PCN.
Select Substitute Teacher for Job Position/Category.
For New School Info, select SPONSORS and then select The College of New Jersey.
Complete the rest of the steps and pay the required fee.

It may take up to two weeks for the state to archive your fingerprints. You can check for your updated background clearance here. Save the page as a PDF and upload onto your NJEdCert Portal account (Details below to create a NJEd Cert portal account). If you have not been fingerprinted yet, please reach out to the STEP Office.

Official Transcript

Applicants must arrange for their official transcript to be sent electronically directly to the New Jersey Department of Education.

The Certification Office cannot request transcripts on your behalf due to FERPA regulations. Log into PAWS to request your official transcript (go to the “Academic Records” tile, select Request Transcript from the left-hand menu). You must request that your official transcript be sent electronically to: New Jersey Department of Education, specifically the Certification Office (certapplication@doe.nj.gov). Students having trouble logging into PAWS can access the National Student Clearinghouse website. After submission, please allow up to 15 business days for your transcript to appear on your NJEdCert portal account.

NJEDCert Account and Application

All substitute certificate applications are submitted through the New Jersey Department of Education’s NJEDCert Portal. This is the state system used to apply for and track educator credentials. We’ve created this Step-by-Step NJEDCert Guide to help you through this process!

Step 1: Create Your NJEDCert Account

Visit the NJEDCert portal and create a new account. Important tips when creating your account:

Use a permanent personal email address (not your TCNJ email).
Keep a record of your username and password so you can return to the system to track your application status.

Step 2: Complete Your Substitute Certificate Application

Once logged into NJEDCert, click “Apply Now”. Important tips when applying:

Mark “No” for whether you have an undergraduate or graduate degree, if you’ve completed an educator prep program, and if you’ve had any relevant employment.
Substitute certification is referred to as a “Credential” and is titled “Instructional Substitute”.

Step 3: Upload Required Documents

Within your NJEDCert account, you will upload or track required materials, including:

Criminal History Background Clearance (upload PDF of approval page)
Official transcript (sent directly to NJDOE from your institution)

Your application will remain incomplete until all required materials have been received and attached to your record.

Step 4: Submit and Pay the Application Fee

After completing the application, you will be directed to the NJDOE payment system to submit the $125 application fee.

Once application is completed and payment is made, your application will move into NJDOE review.

Tracking Your Application

You can log into your NJEDCert account at any time to:

Monitor application status
View messages or deficiencies
Access your certificate once issued

Processing Timeline and Certificate Validity

Once all required materials have been received, the New Jersey Department of Education typically processes substitute certificate applications in 6–8 weeks.

Applicants can monitor their application status by logging into their NJEdCert portal account.

The New Jersey Substitute Certificate:

Is valid at any public or charter school in New Jersey
Is valid for five years from the date of issuance