Navigating Certification and Licensure

In order to be eligible to teach, you must hold a teaching license or certificate. Use the links below to learn more about obtaining and retaining this important credential.

• State Certification/Licensure - Basic information about certification and licensure
  
  
• Traditional Route to Certification - Certification requirements for new teachers who graduate with an education-related bachelor's degree from a traditional teacher preparation program
  
  
• Alternative Certification - How citizens with bachelor's degrees in areas other than education can obtain teaching certification/licensure
  
  
• Reciprocity: Transferring Your Certification from State to State - How teachers who hold (or have held) a license in another state, U.S. territory, or the Department of Defense can earn certification/licensure in another state
  
  
• Renewal - Information on renewing a teaching certificate/license
  
  
• Reinstating an Expired Certificate/License - Information on reinstating a teaching license or certificate
  
  
• Adding an Endorsement Area - Information on adding endorsements to currently held licenses and/or certificates
  
  
• National Certification Testing - Information about a voluntary rigorous process that can result in several positive benefits for teachers and students alike