IDOE Emergency License

What an IDOE Emergency Permit Is

People often search for an IDOE emergency license, but the Indiana Department of Education's official term is an Emergency Permit (EP). It is a temporary credential issued at the request of a school district or special education cooperative when the employer is having difficulty staffing an assignment with a properly licensed educator. It is not a stand-alone credential you can obtain without a school employer.

For an instructional Emergency Permit, the applicant must have at least a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited university and commit to working toward an approved program that leads to the needed content area or an Initial Practitioner license. IDOE also directs permit holders to meet with a licensing advisor at an Indiana institution about the route to full licensure.

How Transition to Teaching Fits In

The Transition to Teaching (T2T) Permit is separate from an Emergency Permit. It is a three-year, non-renewable permit for someone enrolled in an approved Indiana T2T program and hired by an Indiana school employer. Eligibility and testing requirements vary by program and content area, so do not treat a T2T Permit as an emergency permit or assume that an Emergency Permit automatically converts to one.

For instructional special education areas, IDOE's current Emergency Permit instructions say that Emergency Permits are not available. The department directs applicants to its Alternative Special Education License information instead. Confirm the current route with the school employer and IDOE before relying on any special education pathway.

How the IDOE Processes Emergency License Requests

This is where people get tripped up: you cannot obtain an IDOE Emergency Permit on your own without a school employer. The school must have the staffing need and review or approve the application, while you complete the applicant-side steps in LVIS 360.

Step 1 — The school confirms the assignment. The district or school corporation confirms that it is hiring you for an assignment it is having difficulty staffing with a properly licensed educator.

Step 2 — Complete the LVIS application. Sign in to LVIS 360, choose the teacher Emergency Permit application, verify the current employer, select the licensing area, and upload the documents requested by LVIS. IDOE's current Emergency Permit guidance lists these requirements for an original permit:

• Official transcripts for the applicant's degrees, including a transcript showing a conferred bachelor's degree
• Valid CPR/AED/Heimlich certification from an IDOE-approved provider, including the required hands-on mannequin component
• Suicide-prevention training certificate; IDOE does not accept a module or combination of modules taking less than one hour
• Human-trafficking training
• Child-abuse-and-neglect training
• For a Career and Technical Education area, verification of 4,000 hours of non-teaching industry experience in a signed letter on business letterhead

Step 3 — The school reviews the application. LVIS routes the application through school review and then, when submitted for state review, to IDOE. The district must confirm the employer and assignment information.

Step 4 — IDOE reviews and issues. If the application and documents meet the requirements, IDOE issues the permit digitally through LVIS 360. The permit is managed through LVIS; follow the portal's instructions for viewing or printing the credential.

The district and applicant should confirm any applicable LVIS fee and current instructions before submitting. IDOE's Emergency Permits page and the LVIS 360 portal are the authoritative places to check for changes.

Setting Up Your LVIS 360 Profile Before the School Requests It

The practical step is to create or update your LVIS 360 profile before the school submits or approves the application. IDOE cannot review documents that have not been provided.

Start at LVIS 360 and follow the current account instructions. Use consistent identifying information and check that your employer and licensing area are correct before submitting.

Upload the required training certificates and official transcripts requested by the application. For an instructional Emergency Permit, the degree transcript must show that the bachelor's degree was conferred; an enrollment record alone is not enough.

When the school reviews the application, missing materials can move it into a documentation-needed status. A complete application gives the school and IDOE the information they need to review the request.

The timing rules matter. IDOE says original and renewal Emergency Permit applications should be submitted after July 1 for the upcoming school year, and the application must be submitted within four weeks of the teaching assignment beginning.

The Additional-Documentation Window

If LVIS marks an application as requiring additional documentation, IDOE's teacher-application guidance says it remains open for 90 days before it is closed. After closure, you may need to apply again and submit another fee. Watch the status and email log in LVIS for the specific request and deadline.

Examples of issues that can trigger an IDOE document return:

• An online-only CPR certificate that doesn't document the hands-on component. IDOE does not accept CPR training delivered 100% online.
• Transcripts showing enrollment rather than degree conferral. An instructional Emergency Permit requires evidence of a conferred bachelor's degree.
• A missing training certificate or an employer or licensing area that does not match the application. Check the red missing-item notices in LVIS before submitting.

IDOE Emergency License Limitations

Emergency permits from the IDOE come with hard boundaries:

One school year at a time. An Emergency Permit expires at the end of the school year, June 30. A school employer may request an annual renewal only if you meet the renewal requirements, including proof of continued progress toward full licensure.

Assignment-specific. The permit is for the content area and assignment identified by the school employer. Confirm the licensing area and any assignment limits with the district.

Employer-specific. The LVIS renewal instructions say that if the current employer is not correct, the applicant should stop the renewal application and apply for a new original Emergency Permit. If you change school employers, ask the new employer what application is required.

Not a permanent credential. The permit holder must commit to working toward an approved program that leads to full licensure. IDOE's renewal guidance describes proof such as qualifying coursework or documented testing attempts; renewal is not automatic.

Contacting the IDOE About Emergency Licensing

The IDOE's Office of Educator Licensing handles emergency permit questions. The department currently lists weekly open office hours on Tuesday afternoons from 2:30–3:30 p.m. EST and Thursday mornings from 10:30–11:30 a.m. EST. You can also reach the office at [email protected] or (317) 232-9010; check the current IDOE licensing page before relying on office-hour times.

Applicants can track the application status and requested documents in LVIS 360. School HR or licensing staff can confirm the employer-side review with the district.

For a complete walkthrough of LVIS 360, document requirements, and how to transition from an emergency permit to full Indiana teacher certification, the Indiana Teacher Certification Guide covers every step from initial profile setup through standard licensure.

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