Teaching License from California to Indiana: Does It Transfer? (2026)
A teaching certificate transfers from California to Indiana by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) - Office of Educator Licensing, verify your California license, and meet Indiana's endorsement requirements. The Office of Educator Licensing evaluates the out-of-state credential and issues an Evaluation/Deficiency Letter through LVIS; any Indiana licensure testing requirements identified in that letter must be completed before the reciprocal permit converts to a standard Instructional license (out-of-state preparation/testing may satisfy requirements where comparable).
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
The honest version of California to Indiana: your California teaching license gets you in the door, not an Indiana license on its own terms. Indiana reviews your credential and, if you still owe its requirements, can issue a Reciprocal Permit (renewable one year at a time) so you can teach while you complete them. Plan those requirements into your first year.
What changes, California → Indiana
| California (current) | Indiana (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) | LVIS application/permit fee is assessed at submission; a fixed amount was not published on the reviewed IDOE pages |
| 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; a credential evaluation precedes issuance of the deficiency letter |
| Licensing authority | California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) | Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) - Office of Educator Licensing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Indiana sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Indiana's current requirements on the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) - Office of Educator Licensing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) - Office of Educator Licensing (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Apply through LVIS/LVIS360 (Office of Educator Licensing); an out-of-state licensed teacher is first issued a Reciprocal Permit.
- Satisfy the Evaluation/Deficiency Letter issued through LVIS to establish a standard Indiana Educator License.
- Hold a valid CPR/AED card from an IDOE-approved provider.
- Complete Suicide Prevention Awareness training (certificate).
- Pay the fees (LVIS application/permit fee is assessed at submission; a fixed amount was not published on the reviewed IDOE pages). Processing time: Not stated; a credential evaluation precedes issuance of the deficiency letter.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Indiana accept a California teaching license?
A teaching certificate transfers from California to Indiana by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) - Office of Educator Licensing, verify your California license, and meet Indiana's endorsement requirements. The Office of Educator Licensing evaluates the out-of-state credential and issues an Evaluation/Deficiency Letter through LVIS; any Indiana licensure testing requirements identified in that letter must be completed before the reciprocal permit converts to a standard Instructional license (out-of-state preparation/testing may satisfy requirements where comparable).
Will I have to retake tests moving from California to Indiana?
The Office of Educator Licensing evaluates the out-of-state credential and issues an Evaluation/Deficiency Letter through LVIS; any Indiana licensure testing requirements identified in that letter must be completed before the reciprocal permit converts to a standard Instructional license (out-of-state preparation/testing may satisfy requirements where comparable).
Can I teach in Indiana right away?
Possibly. Indiana can issue a Reciprocal Permit (renewable one year at a time) so you can teach while you complete its remaining requirements; ask the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) - Office of Educator Licensing whether you qualify for it.
What does the California-to-Indiana transfer cost and how long does it take?
LVIS application/permit fee is assessed at submission; a fixed amount was not published on the reviewed IDOE pages. Processing time: Not stated; a credential evaluation precedes issuance of the deficiency letter.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- IDOE - Educator Licensing (Office of Educator Licensing / LVIS360; required trainings) [accessed via Internet Archive; in.gov blocks automated access] ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- IDOE - Convert Reciprocal Permit to Standard License (CPR, Suicide Prevention, deficiency letter) [accessed via Internet Archive] ↗ (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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