When you finish the teaching certificate program of a specific state you will receive a certificate, known as a teaching certificate, which gives you the authority to teach in that state. Once you receive your teacher certificate, you will be a credentialed teacher for a specific subject and grade level in the state where you received your credentials. However, much like other licenses, your teaching certificate will expire after a set amount of time (which varies by state) and you will need to renew the certificate from time to time.
Since every state has different requirements, it is important that you pay attention to the expiration date of your teacher certificate to ensure that it does not expire while you are actively teaching. Once you receive your state-issued teaching certificate, you will be legally allowed to teach at nearly any school in your state.