Educator Licensure Reciprocity State Comparison

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As required by House Bill 632 and Senate Bill 352, the Virginia Department of Education compiled the teacher licensure standards and requirements for each state. The following table serves as a comparison tool for licensure across states with basic information as well as links to each state’s department of education and Regulations/Code.

State Information	DOE Link	Education /Experience Requirements	Testing Requirements	Temporary Certificate?	Reciprocity	NASDTEC	Administrative Code	Other Notes
Alabama	Alabama DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Praxis Subject Tests or equivalent; may be waived w/3+ years experience.	Emergency Certificate if all requirements met except testing.	Yes	Yes	Code link	Out-of-state teaching license must be equivalent to an Alabama Professional Educator Certificate.
Alaska	Alaska DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Basic Competency Exam – See theAlaska Department of Education & Early Developmentfor accepted exams.	Non-renewable one-year Tier I Initial Certificate while meeting state requirements.	Yes	Yes	Ethics Code	Must pass Praxis Subject Tests to earn a Professional renewable certificate. Must take a state-approved course in Alaska Studies and Multicultural/Cross-Cultural Communication.
Arizona	Arizona DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	No exams required for candidates w/a comparable out-of-state certificate in good standing.	No	Yes	Yes	Arizona Statutes	Must take approved courses in the Arizona and US Constitutions or pass equivalency exam within 1-3 years.
Arkansas	Arkansas DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Equivalent content area exam for the certificate held. Waived w/3+ years of teaching experience or comparable certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS).	Provisional license if all requirements met except content or pedagogy testing.	Evaluated	Yes	Arkansas Code	Endorsements in Early Childhood, Elementary Education, Middle Childhood, or Secondary Social Studies require approved course in Arkansas History.
California	California DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Comparable content and basic skills exams.	Preliminary certificate if all requirements except testing are met.	Yes	Yes	California Law	Candidates w/less than 2 years of experience must complete an approved teacher induction program.
Colorado	Colorado DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Comparable content area tests required; may be waived w/3+ years full-time teaching experience.	One-year Interim License or three-year Initial License based on qualifications.	Yes	Yes	Colorado Statutes
Connecticut	CT Bureau of Certification	Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program. Teacher prep waived w/30 months of full-time experience.	Equivalent content area and pedagogy tests, waived w/a standard certificate and 3 years of experience or master’s in content area.	Interim certificate if all criteria met except equivalent exams.	Some States	Yes	Connecticut Statutes	Enhanced reciprocity state licenses qualify for streamlined process w/lowered testing and experience requirements.
Delaware	Delaware DOE	Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited school.	Based on credentials evaluation.	Emergency certificate in select content areas.	Yes	Yes	Delaware Code	Special Education teachers required to also hold a standard certificate in a teaching content area.
Florida	Florida DOE	Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited school.	Comparable basic knowledge, content, and pedagogy exams.	Temporary certificate in area of bachelor’s degree major if basic knowledge or pedagogy exam requirements not met.	Yes	Yes	Florida Statutes	Must hold license equivalent to Florida Professional Certificate or valid NBPTS certificate.
Georgia	Georgia Professional Standards Commission	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators if less than 5 years full-time experience or lacking equivalent assessments.	Non-Renewable or Induction Certificate may be extended if content assessment requirements not met.	Yes	Yes	Georgia Commission Rules	Teaching license must be Professional or equivalent; temporary or provisional not accepted.
Hawaii	Hawaii DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program. 3 out of last 5 years full-time teaching experience required for Standard certificate.	Content knowledge exam required if bachelor’s degree is not in endorsement area sought.	Provisional certificate if experience requirements are not met.	Yes	Yes	Hawaii standards board	Content knowledge can also be waived with NBPTS certification or master’s degree.
Idaho	Idaho Department of Education	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school.	No exams required for candidates w/a comparable out-of-state certificate in good standing.	Interim certificate if testing or coursework requirements not met.	Yes	Yes	Idaho adminstrative rules	Institutional Recommendation from accredited preparation program required for any candidate w/less than 2 years of full-time teaching experience.
Illinois	Illinois State Board of Education	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school.	No exams required for candidates w/a comparable out-of-state certificate in good standing.	No	Yes	Yes	Illinois Administrative Code
Indiana	Indiana Department of Education	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school.	Indiana CORE Assessments and Developmental/Pedagogy exams or out-of-state equivalent.	One-year reciprocal teaching license if missing testing or coursework.	Yes	Yes	Indiana administrative Code	Expired out-of-state licenses not accepted. All candidates must be certified in CPR/AED/Heimlich and suicide prevention for professional certificate.
Iowa	Iowa Department of Education	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	If applicant’s state requires exams for licensure, proof of passing scores for the qualifying exams required.	One-year license if coursework or testing requirements not met.	Yes	Yes	Iowa Laws and Rules	Must complete human relations coursework for Initial license. Recency requirement: Must have teaching experience or 6 college credits in last 5 years.
Kansas	Kansas State Department of Education	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and teacher preparation program.	Praxis Subject tests or comparable exams completed in another state if less than 3-5 years of teaching experience in last 6 years.	Two-year Restricted Teaching License Alternative Pathway if preparation program requirements not met.	Yes	Yes	Kansas Licensure Regulations	Recency requirement: Must have 1 year teaching experience or 8 college credit hours w/in last 6 years.
Kentucky	Kentucky Department of Education	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Praxis Subject Tests required if less than 2 years of teaching experience in endorsement area.	No	Yes	Yes	Kentucky General Assembly	Reciprocity is not recognized for out-of-state certificates based on testing only.
Louisiana	Louisiana Department of Education	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and teacher preparation program.	Louisiana Praxis and NTE exams are required for a Level 1 Professional Certificate; waived w/3+ years of verified teaching experience.	Three-year out-of-state (OS) certificate if testing requirements are not met.	Yes	Yes	Louisiana Education Code	If candidate has not taught in the last 5 years, 6 semester credits related to endorsement area must be completed before license can be issued.
Maine	Maine Department of Education	Bachelor’s degree from accredited school.	Based on credential evaluation.	No	Yes	Yes	Maine Education Code	Reciprocity is only recognized for identified teacher shortage content areas.
Maryland	Maryland Department of Education	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Must show passing score on comparable content tests. Comparable basic skills test also required w/less than 2 years experience.	Conditional certificate if candidate has offer for hire from a Maryland school.	Yes	Yes	Code of Maryland	Streamlined application available w/2+ years of experience.
Massachusetts	Massachusetts DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL) required.	Temporary or provisional based on qualifications and MTEL results.	Yes	Yes	Code of Massachusetts
Michigan	Michigan Department of Education	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) if less than 3 years experience.	Temporary Teaching Certificate if certain requirements are not met.	Yes	Yes	Michigan Teacher Cert Code	Must have current training in first aid and CPR and meet reading methods coursework requirement.
Minnesota	Minnesota Professional Educator licensing board	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Minnesota Teacher Licensing Examinations (MTLE) required. No other tests are accepted.	Limited licensure if testing or coursework requirements not met.	Yes	Yes	Minnesota statutes	Minnesota Human Relations coursework required for five-year license.
Mississippi	Mississippi DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Core subject test such as Praxis Subject Assessments passed for certification in issuing state.	Two-year license if testing requirements not met.	Yes	Yes	Mississippi Code	Institutional Recommendation required for select endorsement areas.
Missouri	Missouri DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and teacher preparation program.	Typically none – Missouri transfers out-of-state licenses to the closest in-state equivalent under teacher reciprocity.	Based on equivalency.	Yes	Yes	Missouri Code	Institutional Recommendation required if out-of-state license has expired. Must have college GPA of 2.75 or above.
Montana	Montana Office of Public Instruction	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved or NCATE/CAEP accredited teacher preparation program.	Praxis Subject Assessments required.	Other temporary class licenses issued based on specific deficiencies.	No	Yes	Adminstrative Regulations of Montana	University Recommendation (Institutional Recommendation) from educator preparation program required for Standard license.
Nebraska	Nebraska DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and teacher preparation program.	Praxis Core and Praxis Subject Assessments required.	Temporary or provisional certificate if coursework or testing requirements not met.	No	Yes	Nebraska Administrative Code	Coursework in Human Relations and Special Education required for regular teaching certificate.
Nevada	Nevada DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and teacher preparation program.	Praxis Core, Praxis PLT, and Praxis Subject Assessments required. Candidate must also pass exams in Nevada School Law and Nevada and US Constitutions.	No	Yes	Yes	Nevada Administrative Code	All requests for reciprocity are based on evaluation.
New Hampshire	New Hampshire DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and three years of experience out of last seven in an Interstate Certification Contract state.	Praxis Core and Praxis Subject Assessments required.	See other notes	Yes	Yes	New Hampshire Statutory Authority	Candidates who do not meet experience requirement or are not transferring from an Interstate Certification Contract state may qualify under equivalency orother alternative certification routes.
New Jersey	New Jersey DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school, state-approved or NCATE/CAEP accredited teacher preparation program, and two years of “effective” rated experience within last 3 years.	Praxis Subject Assessments required.	Only if equivalent temporary certificate held in another state.	Yes	Yes	New Jersey Administrative Code	Experience requirement waived with NBPTS certification.
New Mexico	New Mexico Public Education Department	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program and at least one year of teaching experience.	Must have passed teacher competency exam in jurisdiction where current teaching license was issued.	No	Yes	No	New Mexico Statutes	Approved program and testing requirements waived with NBPTS certification. License level for reciprocal teaching certification issued is based on years of teaching experience.
New York	NYSED	Bachelor’s degree with 2.5 GPA or higher from regionally accredited school and teacher preparation program that meets New York approval standards and three years of public school teaching experience in one state.	Must take New York’s edTPA, Educating All Students, Academic Literacy Skills, and Content Specialty exams through NES. NBPTS certified teachers are exempt from exam requirements.	Conditional certificate if candidate meets all requirements except edTPA exam or workshops.	Yes	No	NY Codes, Rules, and Regulations	Initial certificate requires taking workshops in child abuse, school violence prevention, needs of children with autism, and training in harassment, bullying, and discrimination.
North Carolina	NC DPI	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Praxis Subject Assessments required. Elementary and Exceptional Children endorsements also require North Carolina Foundations of Reading and General Curriculum exams.	No	Yes	Yes	General Statutes of North Carolina	Whether candidate receives Standard Professional 1 or 2 depends on years of experience.
North Dakota	ND DPI	Bachelor’s degree with at least a 2.50 GPA from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Praxis Core and Praxis Subject Assessments required.	Interim certificate if coursework or testing requirements not met.	Yes	Yes	North Dakota Administrative Code	North Dakota Native American and Multicultural Studies course required for Initial license.
Ohio	Ohio State BOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE) or Praxis Subject Assessments may be required based on evaluation.	Resident educator license if less than 3 years of experience.	Yes	Yes	Ohio Laws and Administrative Rules	Must have at least 12 semester hours of reading pedagogy for full standard license.
Oklahoma	Oklahoma State DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Oklahoma General Education, Subject Area, and Professional Teaching exams or out-of-state equivalents required.	No	Yes	Yes	Oklahoma Statutes	Verification of experience required.
Oregon	Oregon DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Must have passed acceptable subject matter exam or the Oregon Educator Licensure Assessments (ORELA). Test of US and Oregon civil rights laws and ethics also required.	Reciprocal teaching license is temporary based on fulfilling deficiencies.	Yes	Yes	Oregon Administrative Rules	State of initial certificate must be NASDTEC member.
Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Acceptable basic skills, subject matter, and pedagogy assessments required. Must meet Pennsylvania’s qualifying scores for any exam(s) taken.	No	Yes	Yes	Pennsylvania Code	Teacher preparation program requirement waived with 2 years of experience.
Rhode Island	Rhode Island DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Praxis Core, Praxis PLT, and Praxis Subject Assessments required for most subjects and grade levels.	Qualified applications for teaching reciprocity between states leads to a Temporary Initial Educator Certificate.	Yes	Yes	Rhode Island Statutes	Certificate held must be NASDTEC Stage 3 or higher.
South Carolina	South Carolina DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Praxis PLT and Praxis Subject Assessments required.	No	Yes	Yes	South Carolina Code of Laws	Temporary, lateral, or alternative certificates are not eligible for reciprocal teacher certification. Teaching certificate issued depends on years of experience.
South Dakota	South Dakota DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and teacher preparation program.	Praxis Subject Assessments required.	One-year certificate if missing coursework or testing requirements.	Yes	Yes	South Dakota Laws	Coursework in human relations and South Dakota Indian studies required for unrestricted license.
Tennessee	Tennessee DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Praxis Core, Praxis PLT, and Praxis Subject Assessments required for most subjects and grade levels.	No	Yes	Yes	Tennessee Code	Initial certificate issued is Practitioner Teacher.
Texas	Texas Education Association	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and teacher preparation program.	Texas Education Agency (TEA) orcomparable exams in another staterequired.	One-year certificate if testing requirements are not met.	no	Yes	Texas Code	Credentials review is offered prior to application for a fee.
Utah	Utah State BOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and NCATE/TEAC/CAEP accredited teacher preparation program.	Praxis Subject Assessments typically required but equivalent exams may be evaluated.	No. All qualifying requests for reciprocity receive a Level 1 Utah Educator License.	Yes	Yes	Utah Code Index	Educator ethics review also required. Candidates with less than 3 years of experience must participate in Early Years Enhancement.
Vermont	Vermont Agency of Education	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and teacher preparation program.	Praxis Core and Praxis Subject Assessments required.	No	Yes	Yes	Licensing Rules of Vermont	All qualifying requests for reciprocity from NASDTEC states receive a Level 1 Professional Educator’s License.
	Virginia DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Praxis Subject Assessments required. Praxis Series Reading for Virginia Educators (RVE) required for select endorsements. Assessments waived with 3 years of full-time teaching experience.	Yes. Provisional License available for a 3 year period of time.	Yes	Yes	Virginia Administrative Code	Teacher preparation program requirement may be waived with current and valid teaching certificate from another state or NBPTS certification. Child abuse recognition and intervention, emergency first aid training, Cultural competency, Dyslexia Awareness, and Behavior Intervention and Support required.
Washington	Washington Office of SoPI	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Washington Educator Skills Tests (WEST) B and E or comparable exams taken in another state.	Yes. Typically, approved reciprocal candidates receive a temporary residency certificate.	Yes	Yes	Revised Code of Washington	Coursework in issues of abuse required to upgrade to a Professional certificate.
Washington DC	Office of the State Superintendent	Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program. Teacher preparation waived with 30 months of full-time experience.	Comparable basic skills, content, and pedagogy exams.	No	Yes	Yes	DC Code	Teaching license must be equivalent to DC’s Level II.
West Virginia	West Virginia DOE	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and state-approved teacher preparation program.	Praxis Core, Praxis PLT, and Praxis Subject Assessments required for most subjects and grade levels.	No	Yes	Yes	West Virginia Code
Wisconsin	Wisconsin Deparment of Public Instruction	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and teacher preparation program.	Praxis CORE in any state required. Praxis Subject Assessments taken in Wisconsin required. Wisconsin Foundations of Reading Test (FORT) required for certain endorsements.	No	Yes	No	Wisconsin Code PI	Applicants must have at least one year of licensed teaching experience. Reciprocity is not granted for alternative route certificates or those based on testing only. Tests must be passed prior to applying for a license.
Wyoming	Wyoming Department of Education	Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited school and teacher preparation program.	Must have passed the educator exams for the state in which a teaching certificate is currently held.	No	Yes	Yes	Wyoming Statutes	Alternate route certifications issued by another state can be reciprocated only if candidate has taught in that area for 3 out of the last 6 years.