Teaching License from California to Delaware: Does It Transfer? (2026)
A teaching certificate transfers from California to Delaware by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) - Licensure and Certification, verify your California license, and meet Delaware's endorsement requirements. Test scores are not required for a reciprocity credential - Delaware states test scores are only needed for applications that do not meet Delaware reciprocity requirements or for new (non-reciprocal) certificate applications; a holder of a current, valid out-of-state license therefore transfers without retaking Delaware's Praxis tests.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Moving from California to Delaware is an application, not a transfer: Delaware reviews your California certificate and issues a Delaware certificate of its own. The tests and requirements below are what Delaware still asks — gather them before you apply, because gaps are what slow a review.
What changes, California → Delaware
| California (current) | Delaware (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) | $100 (One-time, non-refundable $100 application fee for a first Delaware license; reimbursable upon employment in a Delaware public or charter school once the educator is fully licensed and certified) |
| 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 | Not stated on the reviewed DDOE out-of-state applicant page |
| Licensing authority | California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) | Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) - Licensure and Certification |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Delaware sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Delaware's current requirements on the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) - Licensure and Certification website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) - Licensure and Certification (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold a current and valid out-of-state license/certificate (expired licenses are not reciprocal) and apply online in the Delaware Educator Data System (DEEDS) via the EdAccess login.
- Document at least one year of successful teaching experience under the out-of-state license for an Initial License by reciprocity (four years for a Continuing License).
- Have official (unopened) transcripts for all degrees/coursework sent directly to the Delaware Department of Education from regionally accredited institutions.
- Submit Form E (Verification of Teaching Experience) completed by the prior school/personnel office when the experience was outside a Delaware public/charter school.
- Pay the fees ($100 (One-time, non-refundable $100 application fee for a first Delaware license; reimbursable upon employment in a Delaware public or charter school once the educator is fully licensed and certified)). Processing time: Not stated on the reviewed DDOE out-of-state applicant page.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Delaware accept a California teaching license?
A teaching certificate transfers from California to Delaware by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) - Licensure and Certification, verify your California license, and meet Delaware's endorsement requirements. Test scores are not required for a reciprocity credential - Delaware states test scores are only needed for applications that do not meet Delaware reciprocity requirements or for new (non-reciprocal) certificate applications; a holder of a current, valid out-of-state license therefore transfers without retaking Delaware's Praxis tests.
Will I have to retake tests moving from California to Delaware?
Test scores are not required for a reciprocity credential - Delaware states test scores are only needed for applications that do not meet Delaware reciprocity requirements or for new (non-reciprocal) certificate applications; a holder of a current, valid out-of-state license therefore transfers without retaking Delaware's Praxis tests.
Can I teach in Delaware right away?
Not until the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) - Licensure and Certification issues your Delaware certificate, so build its processing time into your start date.
What does the California-to-Delaware transfer cost and how long does it take?
$100 (One-time, non-refundable $100 application fee for a first Delaware license; reimbursable upon employment in a Delaware public or charter school once the educator is fully licensed and certified). Processing time: Not stated on the reviewed DDOE out-of-state applicant page.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- DDOE - Out-of-State Applicant (Initial/Continuing License by reciprocity, DEEDS, $100 fee, Form E, tests waived for reciprocity) ↗ (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
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]