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North Dakota Teaching Endorsements Explained
North Dakota endorsements attach to your ESPB license record and often require new coursework, tests, and an $80 review fee. Learn how to add them and tie them to Praxis.
| Endorsement review fee | $80 one-time, nonrefundable (67.1-02-05-04) |
|---|---|
| Where rules live | NDAC ch. 67.1-02-03 by endorsement type |
| Tests | Praxis content and pedagogy per area (ETS + ESPB) |
Sources checked November 2026
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A teaching endorsement on your North Dakota license tells employers which grades and subjects ESPB authorizes you to teach. Adding one is a licensure action, not a renewal shortcut: expect transcripts, possible Praxis exams, and board fees before NDTeach shows the new line.
What an endorsement is
The North Dakota educator's professional license described in 67.1-02-02-02 qualifies you for classroom teaching with the proper endorsements and restrictions as assigned. Endorsements are the subject and level labels attached to that base license.
Detailed credit and course rules sit in N.D. Admin. Code ch. 67.1-02-03, with separate sections for elementary, secondary, middle level, bilingual, career and technical education, special education, and other fields. When you research a specific goal, open the matching section rather than guessing from national job ads.
67.1-02-05-04 explains how endorsements interact with degrees. Content-area majors and minors must come from regional or state-approved teacher education programs meeting North Dakota approval standards. That keeps endorsement work tied to recognized preparation, not informal workshops.
Adding an endorsement through ESPB
License holders with a valid North Dakota credential may request endorsements in early childhood, kindergarten, elementary, middle school, bilingual, secondary, content minor equivalencies, and other categories named in 67.1-02-05-04(1). Each request needs evidence under the relevant 67.1-02-03 section plus a one-time, nonrefundable review fee of $80.
Between ordinary renewal cycles you can add a new major, minor, or degree by sending official transcripts, a complete application form including part six completed by the college, and the regular renewal fee for your license type (67.1-02-05-04(2)). ESPB extends the expiration date when the credential change posts.
Teachers on life certificates follow 67.1-02-05-04(3): submit official transcripts, pay the review fee, and receive an official duplicate life certificate listing the added credential.
Start in NDTeach after you have registrar documents. ESPB transcripts covers North Dakota University System and out-of-state delivery options. Endorsement packets typically need official transcripts when degrees change, stricter than many renewal uploads.
Praxis and endorsement tests
North Dakota ties many endorsements to ETS Praxis content and pedagogy exams with state cut scores. 67.1-02-02-02 lists board-set cut scores by level, including elementary, secondary core subjects, early childhood, and special education fields.
Use the site Praxis requirements finder to match your target endorsement to test codes and North Dakota passing scores drawn from ETS and ESPB sources. Requirements can differ between initial licensure and adding a field later, so read the section for your scenario rather than copying a colleague's test list.
Alternative and restricted paths may allow additional attempts or board discretion when content tests are not passed on schedule (67.1-02-02-02(10) describes a second alternative access license track for some applicants). Those routes are case-specific; contact ESPB if you are already teaching on a restricted or alternative license.
In-state programs and flexibility tools
Board-approved teacher education programs in North Dakota and accredited out-of-state colleges recommend candidates for majors and minors through program approval. ESPB does not publish a single searchable list inside this guide; program officers at NDUS institutions document pathways.
Special structures in ch. 67.1-02-03 include:
- Minor and major equivalency endorsements when coursework does not match a traditional major title (67.1-02-03-06 and 67.1-02-03-07).
- Teaching alternative flexibility endorsement for certain shortage placements with a board-approved plan (67.1-02-03-11).
- Out-of-field endorsements when districts need temporary subject coverage (67.1-02-03-13).
Each tool has distinct forms and timelines. None of them replace the $80 review step when you are adding a standard endorsement category under 67.1-02-05-04.
ESPB confirmation before you enroll
College advisors can mislabel a graduate class as “endorsement credit” when it only counts toward renewal. Before you pay tuition:
- Identify the 67.1-02-03 section for your endorsement name.
- Compare required semester hours and grade rules with your transcript plan.
- Register for the correct Praxis tests early enough for score reporting.
- Ask ESPB through licensure staff contact if your scenario mixes reciprocity, alternative access, or out-of-field placement.
Employers verify endorsements through license lookup tools after ESPB updates your record.
Sources checked November 2026: N.D. Admin. Code 67.1-02-05 (PDF) (section 67.1-02-05-04); N.D. Admin. Code 67.1-02-03 (PDF).
N.D. Admin. Code 67.1-02-02 (PDF) (section 67.1-02-02-02) and ESPB transcripts.
Quick answers
Can I add an endorsement between renewals?
Yes. N.D. Admin. Code 67.1-02-05-04(2) allows adding a new major, minor, or degree between renewal periods with official transcripts, a complete application including part six from the college, and the regular renewal fee.
Do lifetime license holders add endorsements differently?
67.1-02-05-04(3) lets life certificate holders add degrees or endorsements by submitting official transcripts and the review fee; ESPB issues an updated life certificate.