Transfer Your Teaching License to Arkansas: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Arkansas Department of Education, Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) — Office of Educator Licensure ↗
Moving your teaching license to Arkansas means applying to the Arkansas Department of Education, Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) — Office of Educator Licensure for its own credential, not transferring the one you hold. Expect a provisional certificate to begin, followed by Arkansas's exams and requirements within its completion window. Application fee: $75 ($75.00 nonrefundable online application fee; background-check costs additional).
Moving to Arkansas from a specific state?
Pick your current state — the checker returns your exact pathway.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
The framing that saves relocating teachers real trouble: Arkansas is giving you a runway, not a transfer. The provisional credential lets you take a classroom immediately, but the clock on Arkansas's tests and coursework starts with it. Map the requirements below to a timeline the day you accept a position — the deadline inside your provisional window is the thing that trips people, not the difficulty of any single requirement.
'Reciprocity' is a misnomer — the ADE page itself states 'Licensure in another state or country does not mean licensure in Arkansas will automatically be granted.' You request a reciprocity packet, ADE evaluates it against Arkansas rules and the NASDTEC agreement and issues its own license; if only content testing and/or Arkansas History remain, a Provisional license bridges the gap. Not a streamlined/full-reciprocity state (Act 820 of 2019 grants an automatic equivalent license only to eligible active-duty military, veterans, and their spouses).
Arkansas requirements at a glance
| Exam | Arkansas requires the content-area test(s) that applied to your out-of-state license, and documentation of ADE-approved content-area assessments must be submitted for the standard license; the Foundations of Reading test is required when licensing in K-6 Elementary, K-12 Special Education, or P-4 Early Childhood. National Board certification is accepted where applicable; Praxis exams are registered through ETS. |
|---|---|
| Additional requirements |
|
| Fees | $75 ($75.00 nonrefundable online application fee; background-check costs additional) |
| Processing time | ~2 weeks (ADE sends a written deficiency-response letter within about two weeks of evaluating a complete packet; total issuance time not otherwise stated) |
Step by step
- Confirm Arkansas's current requirements on the Arkansas Department of Education, Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) — Office of Educator Licensure website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Arkansas Department of Education, Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) — Office of Educator Licensure (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold a current or expired out-of-state standard educator's license that has been in good standing for the three most recent years of teaching experience.
- Initiate and complete the Arkansas background check (fingerprinting).
- Submit official transcripts and a Verification of Teaching (experience) form.
- Complete Arkansas History for Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle Childhood Social Studies, or Secondary Social Studies (accredited Arkansas institution or a 45-clock-hour Arkansas IDEAS course).
- A Provisional license is available if all standard-license requirements are met except content testing and/or Arkansas History, issued on a signed VOPLE from the employing superintendent.
- Pay the fees ($75 ($75.00 nonrefundable online application fee; background-check costs additional)) and allow ~2 weeks (ADE sends a written deficiency-response letter within about two weeks of evaluating a complete packet; total issuance time not otherwise stated).
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Arkansas:
Frequently asked questions
Does my teaching license transfer to Arkansas?
Moving your teaching license to Arkansas means applying to the Arkansas Department of Education, Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) — Office of Educator Licensure for its own credential, not transferring the one you hold. Expect a provisional certificate to begin, followed by Arkansas's exams and requirements within its completion window. Application fee: $75 ($75.00 nonrefundable online application fee; background-check costs additional).
Is teaching reciprocity automatic in Arkansas?
No. Arkansas reviews your out-of-state credential and issues a provisional certificate; you complete its tests and coursework within a set window before the full license. It is the right to apply, not an instant swap.
What tests or requirements does Arkansas add?
Arkansas requires the content-area test(s) that applied to your out-of-state license, and documentation of ADE-approved content-area assessments must be submitted for the standard license; the Foundations of Reading test is required when licensing in K-6 Elementary, K-12 Special Education, or P-4 Early Childhood. National Board certification is accepted where applicable; Praxis exams are registered through ETS..
What does a Arkansas out-of-state teaching certificate cost and how long does it take?
$75 ($75.00 nonrefundable online application fee; background-check costs additional); processing ~2 weeks (ADE sends a written deficiency-response letter within about two weeks of evaluating a complete packet; total issuance time not otherwise stated).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Arkansas DESE — Licensure by Reciprocity ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]