Short answer
How do New Hampshire teachers renew a license and move up the salary schedule?
New Hampshire educator licenses are renewed every three years. Most teachers renew through their school administrative unit's professional development master plan, which can call for at least 75 continuing education hours, with 30 in each endorsement area, or a body of evidence. Salary tracks such as BA, BA+30, MA and MA+30 are set in each district's collective bargaining agreement.
Source: N.H. Code of Administrative Rules, Ed 500. Checked .
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How do you renew a New Hampshire teaching license?
New Hampshire's licensing rules are in the State Board of Education's Ed 500 rules. Under Ed 504, beginning educator and experienced educator licenses are both issued for three years. Under Ed 509, licenses are "renewed every 3 years," with verification of professional development and the fee due by June 30 of the renewal year. Filing late adds a reinstatement fee.
Moving from a beginning to an experienced educator license takes three years of experience, two consecutive years of effective ratings, and a completed renewal cycle.
Ed 509.03 requires professional development completed within the three years before expiration, with evidence for each endorsement area you hold. The details sit in Ed 513, which has every school administrative unit (SAU) keep a five-year professional development master plan. Under Ed 513.02, the master plan can let educators renew in one of three ways:
- A body of evidence showing professional growth.
- Continuing education hours: at least 75 hours, with 30 hours for each endorsement area and 45 hours that are job-embedded or formal.
- A combination of evidence and hours.
The rule's list of eligible activities includes "collegiate or graduate course work" alongside workshops and other learning.
The process runs through your SAU:
- Plan: under Ed 513.03, you write a three-year individual professional development plan with your supervisor.
- Verify: under Ed 513.04, the senior educational official verifies that you completed it.
- Apply: you then submit the Recommended for Renewal application.
Educators who don't work under a master plan follow Ed 513.05. They need at least 75 hours (30 for each endorsement and 45 aligned with the professional standards in Ed 505.03) or a body of evidence, plus two or more goals, in a plan approved by the department.
The Ed 500 rules set no fixed rate for converting a college credit into continuing education hours, so ask your SAU how it records a college course. For general conversion conventions, see clock hours, CEUs and semester credits, and compare cycles on the license renewal hub.
Your SAU's master plan is the rulebook. The state sets the frame, but the local plan and your supervisor's verification decide what counts toward renewal.
How do New Hampshire teachers move to a higher salary lane?
There is no state teacher salary schedule in New Hampshire. Teacher pay is set by bargaining under the public employee labor relations law, RSA chapter 273-A.
- Pay is a bargaining subject. RSA 273-A:1 defines "terms and conditions of employment" to include wages.
- Both sides must bargain in good faith. RSA 273-A:3 sets that duty and requires notice to bargain at least 120 days before the employer's budget submission date.
- Voters approve the cost. Under RSA 273-A:3, only the cost items of an agreement go to the legislative body, such as the district meeting, for approval.
As a result, each district's agreement defines its own tracks and credit rules. Both districts below use a BA+30 and an MA+30 track. What makes a credit count, and when a move takes effect, comes from contract language, so a course that counts toward renewal may or may not move you on the schedule. See how lane changes work and pre-approval forms for the general picture.
What do the largest New Hampshire districts require?
Manchester School District
The district's agreement with the Manchester Education Association runs July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027 and sets six tracks.
- Tracks: BA, BA+30, MA, MA+30, CAGS, DOC.
- Steps: "all educators will advance one level on the salary scale each contract year," and per diem pay is based on 181 days.
- Coursework: course reimbursement requires Superintendent approval for courses at accredited colleges, requested at or before registration, and covers part of tuition.
- Deadline: the agreement does not set a separate filing date for track changes; ask Human Resources how a new track is applied.
Nashua School District
The 2025-2029 teacher contract with the Nashua Teachers' Union spells out "increments for advanced credit" in Section 4:4.
- Columns: BA, BA+30, MA, MA+30, PhD.
- What counts: courses at an accredited college or university that are allied to the profession, or required for an allied advanced degree.
- Deadline: a written request with transcript by September 1 takes effect from the first workday; by February 1, from the 92nd workday of the 184-day year.
- Transcripts: proof that a transcript was requested is accepted, but if it does not arrive within 60 days, the increase stops until it does. Tuition reimbursement needs prior written approval and a two-year commitment.
Both districts use a BA+30 and an MA+30 track. Nashua's September 1 and February 1 dates decide whether a move pays for the full year or the second half, and both contracts link any tuition help to approval before you enroll.
The two contracts differ on steps, too. Manchester's agreement moves every educator one level each contract year, while Nashua's ties pay for advanced credit to a written request and a transcript within set dates. Nashua accepts college paperwork showing a transcript was ordered, but the raise pauses if the transcript is more than 60 days late. Neither contract makes a renewal hour count automatically toward a track: the credit has to meet the contract's own test, such as Nashua's requirement that a course be allied to the profession.
Full district guides for New Hampshire
Before you enroll
- Note your June 30 renewal date. Licenses run three years, and late filing adds a reinstatement fee.
- Read your SAU's master plan. Check whether it uses 75 hours, a body of evidence, or both, and how it records a college course. Our renewal versus salary credit guide explains why the salary test is separate.
- Cover each endorsement. Plan at least 30 hours in each endorsement area if your plan uses hours.
- Ask before you enroll. Manchester and Nashua both require approval before a course for tuition help, and the district decides what counts for a track move.
- Time the transcript. In Nashua, a request with transcript by September 1 or February 1 sets when the increase starts.
The provider directory groups semester-credit providers by need, and the comparison table shows their costs and formats side by side.
New Hampshire questions teachers ask
How often do New Hampshire teachers renew their license?
Every three years. Verification of professional development and the fee are due by June 30 of the renewal year under Ed 509.
How many hours do I need to renew in New Hampshire?
Under a master plan that uses hours, at least 75 continuing education hours, with 30 for each endorsement area and 45 job-embedded or formal. A master plan may also allow a body of evidence instead.
Do college courses count toward New Hampshire renewal?
Ed 513 lists collegiate or graduate course work among eligible activities. Your SAU's master plan decides how a course is recorded.
Who approves my renewal?
Your school administrative unit's senior educational official verifies that you completed your individual plan before you submit the Recommended for Renewal application.
Does New Hampshire have a state teacher salary schedule?
No. Districts bargain wages with their teachers under RSA 273-A, and the cost items of an agreement go to the district's legislative body for approval.
When does a Nashua salary column change take effect?
A written request with a transcript by September 1 takes effect from the first workday; by February 1, from the 92nd workday of the school year.
Sources
- Ed 500, Educator preparation and licensing (including Ed 504, 509 and 513), N.H. Code of Administrative Rules. Checked
- RSA 273-A:1, Definitions, New Hampshire General Court. Checked
- RSA 273-A:3, Obligation to bargain, New Hampshire General Court. Checked
- Master agreements, Manchester School District. Checked
- Manchester Education Association agreement, 2024-2027, Manchester School District. Checked
- Collective bargaining agreements, Nashua School District. Checked
- Nashua Teachers' Union teacher contract 2025-2029, Nashua School District. Checked
Reviewed November 11, 2026 by TeacherPayGuide editors.Report an error