Online License Renewal

Please follow these steps in order to renew your license online at ODE.

  1. Sign in to your SAFE account on the ODE website. (
  2. Hover the cursor over Educator Profile.
  3. Select “My Credentials-Renew an Existing Credential”.
  4. Next to the expiring credential, select “Renew” under “Action” and click “Add a New Request”.
  5. Choose the “Effective Year”-this should be the year the license is expiring.
  6. Click “Save Application and Next”.
  7. Complete the required questions.
  8. When you click “Yes” under “Employment in Ohio”, this will give you a “Signature” section. Please search using the IRN 008869 or the name West Geauga LPDC. Click on our LPDC to populate the box.
  9. Click “Save Application and Next”.

10. At the screen that says Step 3/3, go to the bottom of the page and click “Save Application and Done”. You do not need to submit or upload any documents

11. On “My Application” screen that pops up, check the green $ box to pay for the license and then above that, click where is says “Pay (some amount listed) for selected applications."

12. Follow instructions to submit payment, you can now pay with an “e-check” or a credit card.

Things to be aware of:

  1. The WGPDC signers will receive an email that your application needs to be signed, and we will verify your contact/graduate hours to make sure you have fulfilled the requirements and then either approve/deny the request.
  2. You may need to have the FBI/BCI fingerprinting done which can be done at the board office, please contact Sandy Tyler to set up an appointment. You can follow the following steps to verify if you need background checks. Your application can be submitted before you get this done, but the state will not process the application until they receive it. The background checks must be done electronically. Please have one copy electronically submitted to ODE and one copy electronically submitted to the board office.
  3. If you’ve had the BCI background check in the past, you don’t need to have it redone. FBI background checks must be completed every 5 years.To see if you need BCI and/or FBI background checks, log in to your SAFE account on the ODE website and go to “Educator Profile”. Type in your first and last name. If more than one person shows up, click on the red check mark next to your name. Then click on the BCI/FBI tab on the left. This will let you know what background checks you’ve had in the past and when.