To qualify for a license to substitute teach in kindergarten through twelfth grade, a person must:

1. Be a citizen of the United States, or be a lawful permanent resident of the United States with a valid Permanent Resident Card.

2. Have earned a minimum of sixty (60) semester credits, or an associate’s degree or higher, from a regionally-accredited college or university, as reflected on an official transcript.

Below are the steps needed to begin substitute teaching in Elko County School District

1. Application for Nevada Substitute License
   All potential substitute teachers will need to apply for a Substitute License on the Nevada Department of Education (DOE) website or navigate directly to OPAL (the DOE’s licensure application portal).

2. Fingerprints
   Once a substitute license application has been submitted in OPAL, applicants will need to obtain fingerprints. The fingerprinting agency will submit the fingerprints to the DOE electronically to be processed.

3. District Substitute Application
   Once your fingerprints are processed by the DOE, applicants will need to pick up a Substitute Packet at the district office, 850 Elm Street, Elko, NV. Note: applicants may pick these up before their application is processed. Once fingerprints have been processed, applicants will then be able to turn in their completed substitute teacher application to the district.

Emergency Substitute License Grades K-12

Please note: Elko and Spring Creek schools are ineligible.

Upon the written request of a school district whose enrollment is 9,000 pupils or more, the Department of Education may, in an emergency, authorize the school district to hire an emergency substitute teacher to serve as a teacher in kindergarten through grade 12 in a school that is located in a rural area of the school district. Emergency sub licenses can be obtained for certain rural schools. For more information, contact the district’s HR office.

To qualify for an endorsement as an emergency substitute teacher, a person must:

1. Be a citizen of the United States, or be a lawful permanent resident of the United States with a valid Permanent Resident Card, and

2. Have earned a high school diploma or its equivalent, and

An emergency substitute license:

1. Is valid for one (1) year after the date of issuance.

2. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a person who holds or has held a special license as an emergency substitute teacher may apply for such a special license not more than two times after the expiration of his or her original special license as an emergency substitute teacher.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction may authorize such a person to apply for a special license as an emergency substitute teacher more than two times after the expiration of his or her original special license as an emergency substitute teacher at the written request of the school district or charter school that employs the applicant.

To apply, please go to: 

• Department of Education - Educator Licensure