How to get your Colorado substitute teacher license

• Colorado offers three substitute teacher license types — 1-Year, 3-Year, and 5-Year Substitute Authorizations — each based on your education level.
• No degree is required for the 1-Year Substitute Authorization; a high school diploma and experience working with children is enough to get started.
• Applications go through the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) via the COOL (Colorado Online Licensing) system, and require a fingerprint-based background check.
• Total cost ranges from about $116–$146, combining the CDE application fee ($60–$90) and the $56 fingerprinting fee.
• Most licenses are approved within 1–2 weeks of a completed application and cleared background check.
• You don’t need a license to start working — paraprofessional and teacher’s aide roles are open to candidates who are still completing their certification.

If you’re interested in becoming a substitute teacher in Colorado, you’re in the right place. The state offers three different license types, each with different requirements and costs.

We’ll walk you through all of it, including how to apply for a license and get started to become a sub with Scoot Education.

Download the Scoot guide

Table of Contents

1. Why get certified?
2. Colorado’s 3 types of substitute teacher licenses
   • 1-Year Substitute Authorization
   • 3-Year Substitute Authorization
   • 5-Year Substitute Authorization
3. How to apply for your Colorado substitute authorization
4. Scoot substitute teacher requirements
5. Why sub with Scoot Education?
6. Substitute teach with Scoot Education

Why get certified?

Getting certified opens doors and expands your placement opportunities—most Colorado schools require subs to have state-issued certification.

The process is simple: just apply online and pass a background check. Most of our subs receive their authorization within 1-2 weeks of applying.

Don’t have certification yet? You can still work as a teacher’s aide (TA) or paraprofessional. At Scoot, we’ve placed many TAs and paras in Colorado schools with just 48+ hours of college credit.

Become a Scoot substitute educator!

Apply now

Colorado’s 3 types of substitute teacher licenses

The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) issues three types of substitute authorizations based on your education and experience. All three allow you to work in K-12 classrooms across public school districts, BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services), charter schools, and CDE-approved facility schools. 

Here’s a comparison of each authorization type:

Authorization Type	Valid For	Minimum Requirement	Best For
1-Year Substitute Authorization	1 Year	High school diploma or equivalent + experience working with children	Those without a college degree
3-Year Substitute Authorization	3 Years	Bachelor’s degree or higher (any subject)	College graduates
5-Year Substitute Authorization	5 Years	Current or previous full teacher license (CO or out-of-state)	Licensed teachers

1-Year Substitute Authorization

This is best for those without a college degree. This allows you to substitute teach in Colorado for one year. 

Requirements:

• A high school diploma or its equivalent
• Proof of successful experience working with children
• $60 application fee

3-Year Substitute Authorization

This is best for college graduates. This allows you to substitute teach in Colorado for three years. 

Requirements:

• A bachelor’s degree or higher earned in any content area at a regionally accredited college or university
• Copy of official transcript for every college/university attended
• $90 application fee

5-Year Substitute Authorization

This is best for people who already have full-time teaching experience and are now interested in subbing. This allows you to substitute teach in Colorado for five years. 

Requirements:

• An active or expired Colorado teacher license (not special services, principal or administrator) OR an active out-of-state teacher license
• A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college/university
• $90 application fee

How to apply for your Colorado substitute authorization

Step 1: Get your documents ready

When applying for your authorization, prepare to submit these documents:

• Fingerprint-based background check on file with the CDE
• Valid form of government ID
• Previous work experience
• Self-disclosure documentation of any:
  • Criminal history
  • Disciplinary actions
  • Issues related to licensure or employment

Step 2: Set up your COOL (elicensing) account

Once you’ve gathered all necessary documents, log onto COOL (Colorado Online Licensing) to create your licensure account.

Your COOL account is where you’ll apply for your authorization by submitting the required documents for approval. You can see the status of both your application and background check here.

Step 3: Get a background check

To pass your background check, you’ll:

1. Schedule a fingerprinting appointment with one of these approved vendors: IdentoGo or American Bioidentity Inc./Colorado Fingerprinting
2. Bring a government-issued ID
3. Pay the $56 processing fee

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will forward the submitted fingerprints to the FBI to check for criminal history.

Make sure to submit your application for the authorization within 30 days from the time the CDE receives your background check. If you do not submit a completed application within these 30 days, you will need to submit another set of fingerprints.

Let Scoot cover the fingerprinting fee!

If you apply to become a substitute teacher with Scoot Education, you’ll get fingerprinted via IdentoGo.

We’ll reimburse you up to $56 for the fingerprinting fee on your first paycheck–just remember to upload your receipt to us!

Scoot substitute teacher requirements

If you apply to Scoot, you’ll also submit the following to us:

• Three references–including at least one supervisor and one person who can speak to your experience working with children
• Payroll information
• I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form
• Friendly, professional Scoot profile photo
• Complete state-required and Scoot trainings

Why sub with Scoot Education?

Join our community of educators, get personalized support from your consultant, and access professional development resources! Read our blog post to find out why educators love Scoot.

As of 2024 in Colorado, we have partnerships with 50 schools, some with multiple campuses. Apply once and get access to multiple schools!

Join a community of Scoot subs

Connect with other Scoot subs in your area! We host year-end celebrations and fun events to eat, drink, socialize, and celebrate your wins.

Our Denver team hosted a successful happy hour for our substitute teachers and paraprofessionals!

Get dedicated 1-on-1 support

Our consultant team has got your back! When you sub with Scoot, you’ll get paired with a dedicated Education Consultant.

Your consultant finds jobs that match your skills and preferences. They also check in after each assignment and offer coaching when you need it. Many of our consultants are former teachers who understand the challenges you face.

“Scoot has given me a million opportunities. They’ve been super supportive at every turn. If I ever have a problem, they just give me feedback and help me.”

-Greg Kates, Denver Scoot Substitute Teacher and Paraprofessional

Get free teacher preparation resources

We provide teacher tips and guides to behavior management, special education, and trauma-informed teaching mindsets. We also run summer professional development sessions for our subs in long-term positions.

Substitute teach with Scoot Education

Become a sub with our support. Subbing with Scoot means access to more opportunities, more school districts and more excitement!

Apply now

FAQ

1. How long does it take to get a Colorado substitute teaching license?
   • Most applicants receive their license within 1–2 weeks of submitting a completed application. Processing time depends on how quickly your fingerprint-based background check clears through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and FBI. Submitting your fingerprints early, before your CDE application, can help speed things along.
2. How much does a Colorado substitute license cost?
   • The CDE application fee ranges from $60 (1-Year Substitute Authorization) to $90 (3-Year or 5-Year Substitute Authorization). You’ll also pay a separate $56 fingerprinting fee for your background check. If you sub with Scoot Education, we reimburse the fingerprinting fee on your first paycheck.
3. Do you need a degree to substitute teach in Colorado?
   • No. Colorado’s 1-Year Substitute Authorization only requires a high school diploma or equivalent, plus experience working with children. A bachelor’s degree is only required for the 3-Year and 5-Year authorizations, which offer longer validity periods.
4. How much do substitute teachers make in Colorado?
   • Pay varies by district and experience, generally falling somewhere between $17 and $28 an hour. Districts around Denver and Colorado Springs tend to sit toward the higher end of that range, and long-term or specialized assignments (like special education) often pay more than day-to-day subbing.
5. Can I substitute teach in Colorado without a license?
   • You can work as a teacher’s aide or paraprofessional without a substitute license, but most Colorado schools require state-issued certification to work as a substitute teacher in the classroom. Scoot Education has placed paraprofessionals with as little as 48 college credit hours while they work toward full certification.
6. Which Colorado substitute license should I get?
   • Choose based on your education level: the 1-Year Authorization if you have a high school diploma, the 3-Year Authorization if you have a bachelor’s degree in any field, or the 5-Year Authorization if you already hold (or have held) a full teaching license in Colorado or another state.