Apply for a New Instructor Certification

Educational Requirements

You must have a minimum of an Associate Degree in the field of psychology, sociology, counseling, social work, criminal justice, education, nursing, or health to apply for a Court-Ordered Education Instructor license.

Instructor Training Course

You’ll need to complete an initial training course for each type of curriculum you wish to teach.

The court ordered instructor training courses are self-paced training courses that will prepare you for the instructor exam. The fee for the instructor exam is $425 and is separate from the application fee.

When you submit your license application and the required fee, you will be given instructions on how to register for the training courses and the exam.

Application and Fees

To apply for a new license, complete and submit the Court Ordered Instructor License Application (PDF) form and select the appropriate endorsement(s). You must successfully pass a criminal history background check.

Download the Application

The application fee is $50 and includes an endorsement to teach one type of curriculum.

After you submit your application form, TDLR will determine your eligibility, and you will receive an email confirmation with instructions on how to register for the instructor course.

Endorsements

Endorsements determine which types of curriculum your license allows you to instruct. You must have at least one endorsement, but you may have multiple.

DWI Intervention

To obtain an endorsement as a DWI Intervention instructor, you must be one of the following:

• Licensed chemical dependency counselor
• Registered counselor intern
• Licensed social worker
• Licensed professional counselor
• Licensed professional counselor intern
• Licensed psychologist
• Licensed physician or psychiatrist

You must also have at least one year of documented experience in case management or education relating to substance abuse and/or mental health.

DWI Education, Drug Offense Education Programs, or Alcohol Education Programs for Minors

To obtain one or more endorsements to instruct courses in DWI Education, Drug Offense Education Programs, or Alcohol Education Programs for Minors, you must hold one of the following credentials:

• Licensed chemical dependency counselor
• Registered counselor intern
• Licensed social worker
• Licensed professional counselor
• Licensed professional counselor intern
• Certified teacher
• Licensed psychologist
• Licensed physician or psychiatrist
• Probation or parole officer
• Adult or child protective services worker
• Licensed vocational nurse
• Licensed registered nurse

You must also have a minimum of two years of relevant and documented experience providing direct client services to persons with substance abuse problems or mental disorders.

Multiple Endorsements

You may obtain certification as an instructor in multiple types of court ordered education courses, but you must take the applicable offender initial training course for each type of curriculum you wish to teach.

The fee for adding additional endorsements is $45 per endorsement. An additional endorsement is required for each type of curriculum that you will teach.

To include multiple endorsements on your license, check the appropriate boxes on the application form and include the required fees with your application materials.

Examinations

After submitting your registration fee for the instructor training course, you will receive an email from TDLR notifying you that you are eligible to take the exam. This email will also contain the course material and with the Candidate Information Bulletin.

The Candidate Information Bulletin will include information on the process to take your examination along with content outlines for each of the four programs. The examination content outline identifies areas of importance to licensees for them to perform their duties to the public in a competent and legally responsible manner. Use the outline as a guide for pre-examination review of reference material. The outline lists the topics that are on the examination and the number of questions for each topic.

After receiving a passing score on the exam, TDLR will issue your license.

Applicants with Criminal Convictions

Please see the Guidelines for License Applicants with Criminal Convictions, which describe the process by which TDLR determines whether a criminal conviction renders an applicant an unsuitable candidate for the license, or whether a conviction warrants revocation or suspension of a license previously granted.

Certified Instructors are required to report, in writing, any felony or misdemeanor convictions.