Delaware Teacher License Fee Reimbursement

The $100 Fee Is Reimbursable

Every first-time applicant for a Delaware teaching license pays a $100 non-refundable application fee through DEEDS. The fee must be paid by credit card — the state payment gateway does not accept debit cards. And the "non-refundable" label on the payment screen is technically accurate at the time of submission: if your application is denied or you withdraw it, you do not get the $100 back.

But if you are hired by a Delaware public or charter school and are fully licensed and certified, the $100 fee is fully reimbursable under House Bill 307.

Who Qualifies

The reimbursement applies to educators who meet all three conditions:

1. Paid the $100 initial application fee through DEEDS
2. Were issued a valid Delaware teaching license (Initial, Continuing, or Advanced)
3. Were hired as a full-time employee by a Delaware public school district or charter school

The reimbursement covers only the first application fee. If you later pay fees for additional certifications or endorsements (which are actually free to add in DEEDS), those are not part of this program. The $100 is a one-time reimbursement tied to your initial license application.

How the Reimbursement Works

You do not need to file a separate reimbursement request. The DDOE handles this through a semi-annual batch process. Twice a year, the department cross-references newly licensed and employed educators against the fee payment records in DEEDS. Educators who qualify are identified automatically.

The DDOE then mails a physical check to the educator's home address on file. This means your mailing address in DEEDS needs to be current — if you moved after applying, update your address through your EdAccess profile before the reimbursement cycle.

When to Expect the Check

The semi-annual processing means there can be a delay of several months between when you are hired and when the check arrives. If you were licensed and hired in September, the reimbursement check may not arrive until the spring batch. The published process uses a mailed check.

If more than a year has passed since you were hired and you have not received the reimbursement, contact the DDOE Educator Support Team with your DEEDS application number and hiring date. In some cases, the district's employment verification may not have been submitted correctly, which would prevent your name from appearing in the batch.

What the $100 Fee Actually Covers

The application fee is a one-time charge that covers the administrative cost of processing your initial license and your first Standard Certificate. Adding additional certifications to your license after the initial issuance is free. Renewing a Continuing License is free. The only time you will pay the DDOE again is if you let your license lapse completely and need to reapply from scratch.

For a step-by-step walkthrough of the entire application and fee process, including how to avoid the most common DEEDS submission mistakes, the Delaware Teacher Certification Guide covers every stage from payment through active license.

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