How to become a substitute teacher in California (2026–27)
Updated 2026-09-29
If you have a bachelor's degree, you can usually be subbing in a California classroom within a few weeks. Most people need one thing from the state: the Emergency 30-Day Substitute Teaching Permit. It costs $100. And you no longer have to pass the CBEST, the state's basic skills test. Since June 29, 2024, a bachelor's degree meets that requirement on its own.
Districts are hiring. Right now there are 481 substitute teacher postings open at 408 districts, charter schools and private schools in 48 counties. The typical district pays about $200 a day (see what every district pays).
Which permit you need
The state's Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) issues the permits. Most people get the first one.
| Permit | Who it's for | How long you can stay in one class |
|---|---|---|
| 30-Day Substitute Teaching Permit | Anyone with a bachelor's degree | 30 days per teacher in a school year (20 in special education) |
| Substitute Teaching Permit for Prospective Teachers | College students who don't have a degree yet, with at least 90 semester units and enrolled at a four-year California college or university | 30 days per teacher (20 in special education), and no more than 90 days in all per school year |
| Career Substitute Teaching Permit | People who've subbed at least 90 days a year for the last three years in a row, at districts in one county or group of districts, endorsed by their district | 60 days per teacher (20 in special education) |
There's also a separate 30-day permit for career technical education (CTE) classes.
The 30-day limit is per teacher. You can cover different teachers all year; you just can't stay in one teacher's room for more than 30 days. When a teacher will be out longer than that, the district needs someone with a teaching credential or a longer-term permit. Those long-term sub jobs usually pay more.
The 30-day and career permits are good for a year and can be renewed. The prospective-teacher permit can be renewed once, after you finish 15 more semester units.
Applying for the permit and getting hired
- Apply to a district's sub list. Many districts keep a "Substitute Teacher" posting open all year on EDJOIN, the job board most California public schools use. Once you apply, the district will tell you how it handles the permit. Many of them walk you through it.
- Get fingerprinted through Live Scan (electronic fingerprinting for background checks), using the CTC's form 41-LS. You'll pay $49 in state and FBI fees, plus whatever the Live Scan location charges. The district will probably run its own background check too.
- Order official transcripts that show your degree, or your units if you're applying for the prospective-teacher permit.
- Apply for the permit on CTC Online and pay the $100 fee, plus a small online service fee. In some counties, the county office of education reviews your paperwork first and recommends you to the CTC online. In others, you apply directly.
- Finish the district's hiring steps. Expect a tuberculosis (TB) risk assessment, a TB test if you need one, an orientation, and sometimes a short interview.
- Set up the district's sub app, usually Frontline or Red Rover, and turn on notifications. Daily assignments show up there, and the good ones go fast.
While the state processes your permit, many county offices can give you a Temporary County Certificate, which may let a district put you to work sooner. Ask your county office whether it offers one.
What substitute teachers make in California
Each district sets its own rate, almost always by the day. The typical district pays about $200 a day this school year. Right now the highest rates are at San Francisco Unified School District ($345.76–$409.91/day), Sacramento City Unified School District ($154.34–$400.72/day) and Sacramento County Office Of Education ($362.51/day).
You can earn more if you have a teaching credential, if you're a retired teacher (some districts pay retirees their own rate), or once you've been in the same classroom for a set number of days. See substitute pay for every district.
Do you still need the CBEST?
Not if you have a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college. That's been the rule since June 29, 2024. If you're applying for the prospective-teacher permit and don't have a degree yet, you can meet the basic skills requirement by earning a B- or better in qualifying college courses, or by passing the CBEST.
Getting more days of work
Sign up with two or three districts. Each one has its own sub list, pay and app, so between them you'll have more to choose from on slow days. Keep your availability up to date in each app so you're only offered days you can actually work.
Teachers notice good subs. In many districts, a teacher can add you to a favorites list, and favorites hear about that teacher's absences first. Follow the lesson plan, write a short note about how the day went, and leave the room the way you found it.
Look at classified sub jobs too. "Classified" is the school word for staff jobs that aren't teaching. Districts need subs for aides, office staff, custodians and cafeteria workers, and none of those jobs need a teaching permit.
What happened to SubSidekick?
SubSidekick was a paid app that texted subs when new assignments came up in Frontline. It shut down in May 2026. Frontline's own free app sends those notifications now, so turn them on in its settings. California School Jobs does something different. We don't send daily assignments; we tell you when a district posts a new job, like when it opens its sub list or hires a long-term sub.
Other questions about subbing
Can I sub without a degree?
Yes, with the prospective-teacher permit, if you have at least 90 semester units and you're enrolled at a four-year California college or university. Classified sub jobs (aides, office, custodial, cafeteria) don't need a permit at all.
How long does it take to start?
It depends on the district and the county. Fingerprints can clear within days, but the state's review can take several weeks, so get your application to a district early and ask about their timeline.
Can I sub in more than one district?
Yes. The 30-day permit comes from the state, so any California district that hires you can use it. The career permit is the exception, since it's tied to the district that endorsed you.
Do I have to renew the permit?
Yes. The 30-day and career permits last a year, so you renew them online every year. The prospective-teacher permit can be renewed only once.
Sources: the CTC's pages on the 30-Day Substitute Teaching Permit, the permit for prospective teachers, the Career Substitute Teaching Permit, ways to meet the basic skills requirement and fees and fingerprinting. Pay figures come from current job postings and update daily.