Educator Endorsements

Getting Started

As you get started with the licensing process, there are two distinct components of which you need to be aware to keep you on track. You need both components to teach Career and Technical Education courses.

License
A license is an authorization issued by the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) that permits the holder to serve in a professional capacity in the public education system or an accredited private school. There are different ways to earn a Professional Educator License.

Educator Preparation Program
Professional Educator License. A license is issued to an individual who completes a university teacher preparation program. Contact the university teacher preparation program for more information.

Associate Educator License (AEL)
The AEL is for anyone who wants to become a Utah teacher and needs to use an alternate pathway to earn a Utah Professional Educator License. A potential educator must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university or have appropriate CTE expertise certification.

Endorsement
An endorsement is a specialty field or area earned through course work equivalent to at least an academic minor or through demonstrated competency. Endorsements are listed on the Professional Educator License indicating the specific qualification(s) of the holder.

For more information, contact:
April Painter
Education Specialist
CTE Endorsements
Phone: (801) 538-7750 | E-mail

Endorsement Applications

To be eligible for an educator license, you must first hold an endorsement. CTE endorsements can be attached to three license areas of concentration: Elementary, Secondary, and CTE (Google Docs). Please review the application to know which area the endorsement connects with.

To Apply

All Educator Endorsement Applications must be submitted digitally to https://usbelicensing.smapply.us. Tutorial available at https://ior.ad/994G.

Download and complete the related CTE endorsement application.
Create an account on the SMApply platform.
Upload any supporting documents (certifications, portfolio links, etc).
Send official transcripts (via Clearinghouse) to transcripts@schools.utah.gov.
Save and upload the application pdf to the SMApply platform.

Please allow up to two weeks for the endorsement to be processed. Application status will be communicated through email updates.

Professional Endorsement Review

Endorsement Applications by Career Cluster

NOTE: The specialist interview professional requirement on all CTE endorsements is no longer required.

Occupational Testing

Successful completion of a profession exam approved by the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) may serve as a substitute for education and/or work experience requirements for certain Career and Technical Education (CTE) endorsements.

Payment for an exam must be received by June 30th in order to be scheduled for the fall testing window. Orders not received by the deadline will be held until the next testing window.

National or State Occupational Competency Examinations

There are national and state competency assessments used in-lieu of occupational experience. Some of these exams are tied to national or state accreditations. These assessments are administered through their individual organizations or government entities. The cost will vary. Please review the respective exam's website of further information on cost, examination site, and dates of availability.

Other certificates/licenses are required in specific program areas and they include:

Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certification

Master ASE Certification in Automotive Service
Master ASE Certification in Automotive Autobody
Master ASE Certification in Medium/Heavy Duty Truck

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

Airframe and Powerplant (A and P) Inspector License for Aviation Maintenance
Commercial Aircraft Pilot and Flight Instructor

American Welding Society (AWS)

Certified Welding Educator
Certified Welding Inspector

Utah State Department of Commerce: Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL)

Construction Licensing:

Contracting-Carpentry
Electrical
Plumbing

National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) Testing

The National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) is a provider of occupational competency assessments used in Utah to evaluate an instructor’s competence in a content area. These assessments are used in lieu of work experience when an individual is applying for a teaching license. The assessments are broken into two parts:

a written assessment: 3 hour time limit, roughly 180 multiple-choice questions
a performance assessment: varied time, varied tasks

To learn more about a specific exam, visit Teacher Testing site and click on the test name for more information. Not all of the exams listed are offered or applicable in Utah. For a complete list of the exams offered through Utah’s testing service, please refer to the order form.

To order a test, complete and submit the order form with payment, per instructions found on the form. Testing sessions for each exam are offered at least once each year, in early August. Additional sessions will be scheduled if there are five or more individuals who would like to take a given exam.

The cost for a NOCTI exam is $250.00. Fees for NOCTI exams include:

Written Exam, Computer: $70
Practical Exam: $80
Proctor Fee: $100

Examination Order Form

Please note the following:

No test will be ordered or scheduled until after payment is received.
A test session will be arranged once the test is received.
Once the test session has been arranged, information on the test date, time, and location will be sent to each applicant.

Utah Photography Teacher Exam (UPTE)

The Utah Photography Teacher Exam (UPTE) was created to fill a void created when NOCTI discontinued their test for this area. This assessment is broken into two parts:

a written assessment: 2.5 hour time limit, multiple-choice questions
a performance assessment: 4 hour time limit

To schedule a test, complete and submit the order form with payment, per instructions found on the form. Testing sessions for each exam are offered at least once each year, in early August. Additional sessions will be scheduled if there are five or more individuals who would like to take a given exam.

Examination Order Form

Please note the following:

No test will be ordered or scheduled until after payment is received.
A test session will be arranged once the test is received.
Once the test session has been arranged, information on the test date, time, and location will be sent to each applicant.

For more information, contact:
Jonathan Frey
State of Utah Testing Coordinator
Phone: (801) 538-7852 | E-mail

CTE Orientation Canvas Course

This course serves as an introduction to the world of Career and Technical Education (CTE). It contains basic information that every CTE teacher needs to understand. This course replaces the CTE New Teacher Academy requirement. Complete the registration steps outlined below to begin coursework.

There are three options for the 2025-26 school year. You may register for the current session, but will not be able to start the course until the start date of each session.

Summer: May 1-August 31 (Registration Opens April 15, 2025)
Fall: September 1-December 31 (Registration Opens August 15, 2025)
Spring: January 1-April 30 (Registration Opens December 15, 2025)

If you do not finish a section by the end date, you will lose all progress and will need to enroll in the next section. An incomplete course will not roll over to the following section.

Course Outline

Introduction

Module 01: CTE Organization and Licensing

Module 02: Career Pathways

Module 03: Strands and Standards

Module 04: Skill Certification

Module 05: Professional Organizations

Module 06: Career and Technical Student Organizations

Module 07: Advisory Boards

Module 08: Safety

Module 09: CTE Funding

Module 10: Program of Quality

Registration

You will work at your own pace as you review the material and assemble a portfolio. College-level, professional work standards are expected.

Canvas CTE Orientation Summer 2025 Course Enrollment

Note: After completing the registration steps, login to the Utah State Board of Education's Canvas site to access the CTE Orientation course. The registration link will not allow you to access work previously created/submitted for the course.

For more information, contact:
April Painter
Education Specialist
CTE Endorsements
Phone: (801) 538-7750 | Email

Educator Endorsements