Certificate of Clearance or Emergency 30-day Substitute Teaching Permit

Credential Program Materials

Candidates must verify their personal and professional fitness for service in public schools through a state and federal review (a background check). This clearance is granted through the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC).

Candidates must be granted either a Certificate of Clearance or an Emergency 30-day Substitute Teaching Permit prior to admission to the Teacher Credential Program.

This process can be in progress when you apply, but the clearance must be granted by April 2023 for Fall 2023 admission.

How to Apply

There are 2 steps in applying for either of these clearances:

Livescan fingerprinting
Online Application with the CCTC (for the Certificate of Clearance) or in person application at the SDCOE (for the Emergency Permit)

We recommend having this completed at the San Diego County Office of Education. As of 2021, they are only accepting appointments, which can be booked by clicking the link above.

You can also have this completed at any Livescan location using the 41-LS form below. The Clearance must be granted to be offered admission to the credential programs, so it is best to start this as early as possible.

Apply for the Certificate of Clearance:

Download Certificate of Clearance Instructions (PDF)
Download Livescan Fingerprint form (41-LS)

The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) also offers a helpful video to navigate this application process.

For questions about this process, contact the CCTC directly at [email protected]

Apply for the Emergency 30-day Substitute Teaching Permit

Contact the San Diego County Office of Education for details: 858-292-3581.

Pros and Cons

Compare the pros and cons of each method:
Certificate of Clearance	Emergency Permit
Bachelor's degree can be in progress	Must have earned a Bachelor's degree
Requires Live Scan fingerprinting (41-LS Fingerprint Form only) and online application to CCTC	Requires Live Scan fingerprinting (41-LS Fingerprint Form AND Fingerprint Clearinghouse) and online application to CCTC (handled at the San Diego County Office of Education)
Valid for 5 years	Must be renewed each year
Does NOT allow substitute teaching	Allows you to substitute teach
Must be valid throughout our program and when you apply for your credential	Must be valid throughout our program and when you apply for your credential