Substitute Teacher License Alabama

What You Actually Need

Alabama's substitute teacher license has a surprisingly low entry bar: a high school diploma, GED, or state-issued high school equivalency diploma and a clear criminal background check. No college degree, no Praxis exam, no student teaching. That's it for eligibility.

The catch is procedural. You cannot apply for a substitute license yourself. Your local school district's superintendent must request it on your behalf through the ALSDE's AIM portal. So the real first step isn't filling out forms — it's getting hired as a substitute by a district.

How the Application Process Works

The sequence looks like this:

1. Apply to a school district's substitute pool. Each district manages its own substitute hiring. Some handle recruitment internally (Birmingham City Schools, Montgomery Public Schools), while others outsource to staffing agencies like Kelly Education (Huntsville City Schools, Pike County Schools). Check your target district's HR portal or website for openings.

2. Complete your background check. Once a district selects you, you'll register for a Fieldprint fingerprint scan through the AIM system. The fee is $46.20 for in-state electronic Livescan. Your prints go to both the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation (ASBI) and the FBI, with suitability results posted to the TCERT database within 2 to 5 business days.

3. The superintendent requests your license. After your background clears, the superintendent submits the substitute license request through AIM. The ALSDE issues the credential. You don't submit the application yourself at any stage.

A substitute license is valid for up to five years. Renewal follows the same superintendent-request process.

What a Substitute License Is Not

This is worth being direct about: a substitute license is not a professional teaching credential, and it does not lead to standard certification. Time served as a substitute does not count toward the teaching experience requirements for a Professional Educator Certificate. Substitute teachers are also excluded from the Alabama Teacher Mentor Program (ATMP), so you won't get the structured mentorship that alternative-route teachers receive.

If you hear a principal say "sub for a year and we'll get you certified," that's not how the system works. Substitute service doesn't build toward any standard credential pathway.

Pay Rates Vary by District

Substitute teacher pay in Alabama is set by individual school districts, not the state. Rates vary significantly:

• Huntsville City Schools (through Kelly Education): up to $100+ per day depending on assignment type
• Pike County Schools (through Kelly Services): around $100 per day
• Montgomery Public Schools: rates set through direct district hiring
• Birmingham City Schools: manages substitute lists internally with locally determined rates

Daily rates for uncertified substitutes typically fall in the $75–$110 range, though some districts pay more for long-term substitute assignments.

From Substitute to Full Certification

If you want to move from substitute teaching into a full professional credential, the substitute license itself doesn't give you a head start — but your district connections might. Here's the practical path:

If you have a bachelor's degree: You're eligible for alternative certification. The Provisional Certificate in a Teaching Field (PCTF) or Conditional Certificate in a Teaching Field (CCTF) both require a sponsoring superintendent, and a district that already knows your classroom performance from substitute work is more likely to sponsor you. You'll need a 2.50 GPA (or between 2.00 and 2.49 with a 5% increased Praxis score).

If you don't have a bachelor's degree: Your options are limited to the substitute license. Alabama does not offer a pathway from a high school diploma to a full teaching certificate without earning at least a four-year degree.

The key difference between substituting and alternative certification is employment structure: alternative route teachers hold a full-time contract position in a specific teaching field with a sponsoring superintendent who initiates their certification. Substitutes fill daily vacancies without that formal pathway.

Making the Transition

If you're currently substituting and ready to pursue full certification, the Alabama Teacher Certification Guide maps out each alternative route side by side — including which ones require a district sponsor, what GPA thresholds apply, and exactly how to sequence your background check, testing, and application to avoid delays.

See more Alabama guides →