How to Become a Substitute Teacher in Arizona
If you want to become a substitute teacher in Arizona, you can do it in clear steps. You get a fingerprint card, pick the right certificate, and then apply with schools.
Arizona has two main routes for substitute teaching.
- Substitute, PreK–12 Certificate
This is the common path. It is for people with a bachelor’s degree. It is valid for 6 years and can be renewed. - Emergency Substitute Certificate
This is for people with a high school diploma, GED, or an associate degree. A school district or charter must ask for it and sign a request. It lets you sub only in that district. It also has a 120-day limit in the same school each school year.
In other words, your education level helps pick the path. But most of all, both paths start with the same big step. How Much Do Teachers Make in Arizona?
Step 1: Get your Arizona IVP fingerprint clearance card
In Arizona, substitutes who work in classrooms need an IVP fingerprint clearance card. IVP means “Identity Verified Prints.” It is not the same as a regular fingerprint card.
Here is the simple way to do it.
What you do
- Apply through the Arizona Department of Public Safety public portal.
- Choose the option that fits an IVP card.
- Get fingerprinted using the method they tell you to use.
- You might go to a local police site or a fingerprint service.
- DPS says it does not fingerprint the public for this.
Two easy-to-miss details that matter
Arizona’s education office says to do these two things on your IVP application so your info can be shared with the certification office.
- Mark Teacher Certification as the sponsor.
- Include your SSN on the IVP application.
If you skip these, your application can slow down. It can also block you from making your online certification account.
Cost and timing
DPS charges a fee for the fingerprint clearance card. The DPS site lists a “current” fee and also says the fee can change and is not refundable. So plan for that cost.
Also, the fingerprint card is valid for 6 years once issued. That is nice, since you do not have to redo it often.
Step 2: Gather the school proof you need
Now you gather proof of your education. This is the part that causes many delays.
If you want the Substitute, PreK–12 Certificate
You need official transcripts that show a bachelor’s degree or higher.
A key detail: Arizona says official transcripts must come from the college. Transcripts you upload yourself are not treated as official.
So you request the school to send them directly to the certification office in the way Arizona allows.
If you want the Emergency Substitute Certificate
You need proof of one of these:
- High school diploma
- GED
- High school transcript with graduation date
- Associate degree transcript
You also need a district request form signed by a superintendent. More on that soon.
Step 3: Pick the certificate that fits your path
This part is quick when we keep it simple.
Path A: Substitute, PreK–12 Certificate
This is the best fit when you have a bachelor’s degree.
What it lets you do
- Substitute for a teacher who is out for a short time.
- Work in many districts once you are hired by them.
- Keep the certificate for 6 years, then renew.
What you submit
- Certification application
- The certification fee
- Your IVP fingerprint clearance card
- Official transcripts showing your bachelor’s degree or higher
Good to know
Many districts repeat a common rule in their own hiring info. They note that a person holding only a substitute certificate is not placed in a contract teaching job, and is often limited to a set number of days in the same school each year. So if you want long-term classroom roles, Growing Calibrachoa Organically may need a different certificate later.
Path B: Emergency Substitute Certificate
This path is for people who do not have a bachelor’s degree.
What it is
- Arizona says it may be issued at the request of a public school superintendent.
- It lets you substitute only in the district that signs the request.
- It is for an “emergency employment situation.”
What it lets you do
- Substitute teach in that one district.
- Work up to 120 days in the same school each school year.
- Avoid being placed in a contract teaching job.
What you submit
- Certification application
- The certification fee
- Your IVP fingerprint clearance card
- Proof of diploma, GED, or associate degree
- A signed district request form
Renewal basics
Arizona lists a few ways a person can qualify again, such as taking some college credit or doing in-service training hours. The main idea is simple. You show growth since the last time.
Step 4: Apply for certification through Arizona’s portal
Arizona has an online portal where you apply and track your application.
Here is the basic flow.
What the portal step looks like
- Create your account after DPS shares your IVP info.
- Choose the certificate type.
- Upload what Arizona allows you to upload.
- For example, copies of your fingerprint card.
- Make sure “official” items are sent the right way.
- Like official transcripts.
How long processing can take
Arizona posts general processing windows. The time can be shorter in slower months and longer in busy months. A common posted range is about 3–4 weeks in much of the year and up to 4–8 weeks in peak months, after all official documents are received.
Instead of guessing, the best move is to submit the right documents the right way the first time. That avoids delays.
Step 5: Get hired by a district, charter, or staffing group
Your certificate is not always the last step. You still need a job connection.
In Arizona, substitutes are hired in a few common ways.
Option 1: Apply straight to a school district
Many districts have a page called “Substitute,” “Employment,” or “Human Resources.”
Once hired, you may do steps like:
- I-9 work form
- W-4 tax form
- Direct deposit
- Short trainings
- Online substitute system setup
Some districts also ask for a TB test or other health form. It varies.
Option 2: Apply through a staffing company
Some Arizona districts use outside groups that recruit and manage substitutes. Two well-known names in K-12 staffing are ESS and Kelly Education.
This can feel easier because one application may open doors to more schools. But your day-to-day work still happens inside a district, with district rules.
Option 3: Apply to multiple districts at once
This is common in metro areas. It helps fill your calendar. It also gives you choices.
In other words, if one district is slow, another may call the same week.
Step 6: Set yourself up to succeed on day one
Becoming a substitute teacher is not just paperwork. It is also the skill of walking into a room and making the day work.
Here is a simple way to feel ready without overthinking Growing Tomatoes in Alabama.
Build a small “sub bag”
Keep it light.
- Pens, pencils, and a Sharpie
- Sticky notes
- A simple timer
- A small notebook
- Water bottle
- A few calm “early finisher” ideas for kids
- Quiet reading
- Simple drawing prompt
- Word search sheet
Follow the plan, then protect the room
Most teachers leave notes.
So your order is:
- Read the lesson plan.
- Take attendance.
- Start the first task fast.
Kids relax when the day begins right away. 🙂
Use short, clear rules
Long speeches do not help.
Try rules like:
- Voices low
- Hands to self
- Do the work first
Then repeat them the same way each time.
Leave a note for the teacher
This is a pro move.
Write:
- What got done
- Who was helpful
- Who struggled
- Any issues that need follow up
Teachers remember substitutes who do this.
Pay and schedules in Arizona
Substitute pay in Arizona is set by each district or employer. Many pay a daily rate. Long-term sub jobs can pay more per day.
Real district examples show rates in the mid-$100s per full day, with a bump for long-term roles. But the number changes by area, grade level, and shortage needs.
Schedules can also vary.
- Some people work one day a week.
- Some work most days.
- Some take only certain schools.
That is the big appeal. You choose what fits your life.
Common mistakes that slow people down
Harnessing the Sun’s Energy with Passive Solar Greenhouse. These are easy to avoid.
Getting the wrong fingerprint card
Arizona wants IVP for classroom work. If your card does not show an IVP number, it may not work for certification.
Forgetting the sponsor and SSN on the IVP application
Arizona says this helps DPS share your info with the certification office. It also helps you make your portal account.
Uploading transcripts yourself
Arizona says uploaded transcripts are not accepted as official. Your school must send them the right way.
Waiting to contact a district for the emergency path
The emergency substitute route needs a superintendent request. So the district comes first, then the certificate.
First-day momentum
Once your IVP card and certificate are in place, things move. You get in a substitute system. You start seeing jobs. You learn which schools feel like a fit.
After more than a few weeks, you will have your own routine. You will know how to start class, how to keep it calm, and how to end the day well.
That is when substitute teaching stops feeling like “a try” and starts feeling like real work you can count on.
If you want to become a substitute teacher in Arizona, you can do it in clear steps. You get a fingerprint card, pick the right certificate, and then apply with schools. Arizona has two main routes for substitute teaching. In other words, your education level helps pick the path. But most of all, both paths…
If you want to become a substitute teacher in Arizona, you can do it in clear steps. You get a fingerprint card, pick the right certificate, and then apply with schools. Arizona has two main routes for substitute teaching. In other words, your education level helps pick the path. But most of all, both paths…