{"id":6998,"date":"2026-06-05T09:59:53","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T09:59:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prepsaret.com\/praxis\/?p=6998"},"modified":"2026-06-22T07:06:57","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T07:06:57","slug":"maryland-emergency-teacher-certification-requirements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prepsaret.com\/praxis\/maryland-emergency-teacher-certification-requirements","title":{"rendered":"Maryland Emergency Teacher Certification Requirements"},"content":{"rendered":"

Maryland does not use the term ’emergency teacher certificate’ in its current regulatory framework. What other states call emergency certification, Maryland addresses through a system of four distinct non-standard or provisional license types: the Conditional License, the Conditional Special Education License, the Temporary Professional Teacher License, and the Adjunct Teacher License.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Each is designed for a specific set of circumstances where a fully certified teacher is unavailable, and each carries its own eligibility requirements, validity period, and restrictions.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is an important distinction for anyone researching Maryland teacher certification: if you are searching for a Maryland emergency teacher certificate, you are most likely looking for one of these four non-standard license types \u2014 primarily the Conditional License, which is Maryland’s broadest and most commonly issued stopgap teaching credential.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Conditional License is the instrument Maryland school systems use when they cannot fill a position with a fully qualified, professionally licensed teacher.<\/span><\/p>\n

The regulatory foundation for all four non-standard licenses is COMAR Title 13A, Subtitle 12, Section 13A.12.02 \u2014 Maryland’s comprehensive educator licensure regulation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The most significant recent development is the April 1, 2024 overhaul of COMAR 13A.12, which extended the Conditional License validity period from the former 2-year duration to a maximum of 5 years under the new regulatory framework, and renamed the former Conditional Certificate to Conditional License throughout.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Understanding both the old and new frameworks is essential because many practitioners and districts still reference the old terminology.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2021-22, Maryland had 1,616 unfilled teaching positions and 6,724 teachers considered underqualified \u2014 many of them in conditional or temporary teaching roles. These numbers underscore why Maryland’s non-standard licensing framework matters: it is not theoretical; it is the daily operational reality of Maryland’s 24 local education agencies and Baltimore City Public Schools.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Key Clarification: Maryland’s Non-Standard Teaching Licenses at a Glance<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
THERE IS NO ‘EMERGENCY CERTIFICATE’ IN MARYLAND: Maryland does not issue a credential specifically labeled ’emergency certificate.’ Instead, it issues four types of non-standard licenses for situations where a fully certified teacher is unavailable.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
LICENSE TYPE 1 \u2014 CONDITIONAL LICENSE (CL): The primary non-standard teaching license. Valid up to 5 years (non-renewable). School system must request it. Requires bachelor’s degree. Candidate must pursue pathway to professional licensure.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
LICENSE TYPE 2 \u2014 CONDITIONAL SPECIAL EDUCATION LICENSE: Specifically for special education vacancies. Valid 3 years (non-renewable). Additional IDEA-driven requirements apply.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
LICENSE TYPE 3 \u2014 TEMPORARY PROFESSIONAL TEACHER LICENSE: For out-of-state licensed teachers or those who failed to meet renewal requirements. Valid 2 years (non-renewable). More limited scope.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
LICENSE TYPE 4 \u2014 ADJUNCT TEACHER LICENSE: For content area experts without formal teacher preparation. Valid 1 year, renewable. Limited to specific teaching contexts.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
All issued by MSDE at the request of a local school system, State-operated school, or approved nonpublic school \u2014 not applied for by the candidate independently.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sources: COMAR 13A.12.02.02 (regs.maryland.gov; law.cornell.edu\/regulations\/maryland); MSDE Educator Licensure Overview (April 1, 2024); MSEA Certificate-to-License Conversion chart (May 2024).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Maryland Emergency\/Non-Standard Teacher Licenses: Key Numbers<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
4<\/b><\/p>\n

Non-Standard License Types<\/b><\/p>\n

Conditional, Cond. SpEd, Temp. Prof., Adjunct<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n

5 yrs<\/b><\/p>\n

Conditional License Validity<\/b><\/p>\n

COMAR 13A.12.02.02E(1) \u2014 non-renewable<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n

3 yrs<\/b><\/p>\n

Conditional SpEd Validity<\/b><\/p>\n

COMAR 13A.12.02.02F(1) \u2014 non-renewable<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n

2 yrs<\/b><\/p>\n

Temporary Professional Validity<\/b><\/p>\n

COMAR 13A.12.02.02A(1) \u2014 non-renewable<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
1 yr<\/b><\/p>\n

Adjunct Teacher License<\/b><\/p>\n

COMAR 13A.12.01.02 \u2014 renewable annually<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n

BA Req.<\/b><\/p>\n

Min. Degree (Most Types)<\/b><\/p>\n

Bachelor’s degree \u2014 COMAR 13A.12.02.02<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n

6,724<\/b><\/p>\n

Underqualified Teachers (2021-22)<\/b><\/p>\n

MSDE\/NCES; emergency cert demand<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n

Apr.24<\/b><\/p>\n

Major Regulatory Overhaul<\/b><\/p>\n

COMAR update; 2-yr CL\u21925-yr CL<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Sources: COMAR 13A.12.02.02 (regs.maryland.gov\/us\/md\/exec\/comar\/13A.12.02.02 and law.cornell.edu\/regulations\/maryland\/COMAR-13A-12-02-02) \u2014 all validity periods; MSEA Certificate-to-License Conversion (tabco.org, May 2024) \u2014 Conditional License old 2-yr to new 5-yr; teachercertificationdegrees.com MD (March 2026) \u2014 6,724 underqualified; MSDE Educator Licensure Overview Generic PDF (April 1, 2024).<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Maryland’s Non-Standard License Framework: Legal Foundation<\/b><\/h2>\n

All non-standard teacher licensing in Maryland is governed by COMAR Title 13A (State Board of Education), Subtitle 12 (Educator Licensure), Chapter 13A.12.02 (Teachers). The specific provisions for each non-standard license type are codified in COMAR 13A.12.02.02 \u2014 Licenses for Teachers. This section of the Maryland Code of Regulations is the definitive primary source.<\/span><\/p>\n

COMAR 13A.12.02.02: The Primary Statute<\/b><\/h3>\n

COMAR 13A.12.02.02, titled ‘Licenses for Teachers,’ is current through Register Vol. 52, No. 6, March 21, 2025 (per Justia Law). This regulation establishes all Maryland teacher license types \u2014 both professional and non-standard \u2014 including their validity periods, eligibility requirements, and the conditions under which each can be issued. The full text is available from two authoritative sources:<\/span><\/p>\n