Prior to July 1, 1983, Life Licenses were issued to individuals who taught for six full semesters in a Wisconsin school district while holding a three-year educator license. Licenses of this type are no longer issued (effective July 1, 1983).
The 2017 Act 59 created a different Lifetime License. Educators who hold a Life License issued pre-1983 now fall under the new provisions created in the 2017 Act 59, described below.
Maintaining a Lifetime License
Wisconsin Administrative Code PI 34 provides that a Lifetime License remains valid if the license holder remains actively employed in the education profession. A Lifetime License will be invalidated if an educator is not actively employed by a school district for five or more consecutive years. The Lifetime License will be invalidated if the educator fails to log into the online system and submit to a background check (and pay a processing fee) once every five years.
Lifetime License Revalidation Requirements
If a Lifetime License has been invalidated, educators are able to reapply for a Provisional License at any time. A Provisional License may be issued to educators who completed an approved educator preparation program. This is a full license. There is no limit to the number of Provisional Licenses an educator may receive.
You may also apply for a Five-Year Long-Term Substitute License. This license allows you to substitute long-term in the subjects and grade levels on your license. A substitute position is long-term if the teacher is gone for more than 45 days. It also allows you to substitute short-term (45 days or less) in any other subject and grade level.
Application
Educators may use the 3020 application to apply for a Provisional License. This application is for educators who meet one of the following criteria:
- Requesting reissuance of a three-year Provisional License since the applicant has not had the opportunity to complete the required 6 semesters of successful experience within the past five years; OR
- Requesting reissuance of a three-year Provisional License since the applicant has not yet satisfied one or more stipulations; OR
- Requesting a three-year Provisional License based on the applicant holding an expired Wisconsin license. Check for Lifetime License eligibility on Lifetime Educator License (Post-2017).
Note: If you have had regular employment in a school during the past five years and believe that your Life License has been incorrectly invalidated, please contact us.