Teaching License from California to Colorado: Does It Transfer? (2026)
A teaching certificate transfers from California to Colorado by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) - Educator Talent / Educator Licensing, verify your California license, and meet Colorado's endorsement requirements. Exam requirements are determined individually on review of a completed application and depend on the requested endorsement; a holder of a valid standard out-of-state license with an identical Colorado endorsement plus three years of experience in that content area (within the past seven years) may receive a Professional license, and content mastery can be shown through Colorado's 'multiple measures' options (approved exams or coursework) rather than always retaking Colorado-approved tests.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Colorado reviews each out-of-state teaching credential individually, so what it asks of a California teacher is settled by that review: it decides which Colorado credential you qualify for and what remains. Apply early and treat the review result as your real requirement list.
What changes, California → Colorado
| California (current) | Colorado (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $100 ($100.00 basic nonrefundable application fee (+ $2.65 online service fee); + $49 out-of-state fingerprint-card processing; fee waived only for qualifying military-spouse relocations) | $90 ($90 base application (evaluation) fee for the Initial or Professional Teacher License, assessed in Colorado Online Licensing (COOL) and non-refundable per state statute; the CBI/FBI fingerprint background check fee is additional) |
| Processing time | Not stated for credential review; out-of-state (non-resident) applications are a manual process and CTC posts current processing times separately — out-of-state DOJ fingerprint cards are stated at 10-12 weeks | ~9 weeks (CDE states it will evaluate the application within 45 business days of receipt (~9 weeks); applicants have 60 days to submit missing documentation before withdrawal) |
| Licensing authority | California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) | Colorado Department of Education (CDE) - Educator Talent / Educator Licensing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Colorado sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Colorado's current requirements on the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) - Educator Talent / Educator Licensing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) - Educator Talent / Educator Licensing (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Submit fingerprints to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and apply within 30 days of CDE receiving the background check results.
- Provide official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended (foreign transcripts require NACES course-by-course evaluation and English translation).
- Submit an approved program verification form completed by your out-of-state institution's certification officer/registrar, OR document three or more years of fully licensed teaching experience in the endorsement area.
- Provide a score report only for Colorado State Board of Education-approved exams passed (do not submit non-accepted exam results).
- Pay the fees ($90 ($90 base application (evaluation) fee for the Initial or Professional Teacher License, assessed in Colorado Online Licensing (COOL) and non-refundable per state statute; the CBI/FBI fingerprint background check fee is additional)) and allow ~9 weeks (CDE states it will evaluate the application within 45 business days of receipt (~9 weeks); applicants have 60 days to submit missing documentation before withdrawal).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Colorado accept a California teaching license?
A teaching certificate transfers from California to Colorado by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) - Educator Talent / Educator Licensing, verify your California license, and meet Colorado's endorsement requirements. Exam requirements are determined individually on review of a completed application and depend on the requested endorsement; a holder of a valid standard out-of-state license with an identical Colorado endorsement plus three years of experience in that content area (within the past seven years) may receive a Professional license, and content mastery can be shown through Colorado's 'multiple measures' options (approved exams or coursework) rather than always retaking Colorado-approved tests.
Will I have to retake tests moving from California to Colorado?
Exam requirements are determined individually on review of a completed application and depend on the requested endorsement; a holder of a valid standard out-of-state license with an identical Colorado endorsement plus three years of experience in that content area (within the past seven years) may receive a Professional license, and content mastery can be shown through Colorado's 'multiple measures' options (approved exams or coursework) rather than always retaking Colorado-approved tests.
Can I teach in Colorado right away?
That depends on Colorado's review: the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) - Educator Talent / Educator Licensing decides which credential you qualify for. Ask it whether you can start before anything outstanding is complete.
What does the California-to-Colorado transfer cost and how long does it take?
$90 ($90 base application (evaluation) fee for the Initial or Professional Teacher License, assessed in Colorado Online Licensing (COOL) and non-refundable per state statute; the CBI/FBI fingerprint background check fee is additional). Processing: ~9 weeks (CDE states it will evaluate the application within 45 business days of receipt (~9 weeks); applicants have 60 days to submit missing documentation before withdrawal).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- CDE - Teachers from Out-of-State/Out-of-Country (requirements, CBI fingerprints, transcripts, exams) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- CDE - Credentialing Guide for Out-of-State Applicants (Professional vs. evaluation pathway; exam determination) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- CDE - Initial Teacher License checklist ($90 base application fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- CDE - The Application & Evaluation Process (45 business days) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- CTC — Out-of-State Elementary Teacher Applicants (Multiple Subject) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- CTC — Credential Leaflet CL-561 (Multiple Subject Teaching Credential for Educators Prepared in Another State) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- CTC — Credential Leaflet CL-659 (Application Fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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