Teaching License from California to Massachusetts: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) — Office of Educator Licensure ↗
A teaching certificate transfers from California to Massachusetts by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) — Office of Educator Licensure, verify your California license, and meet Massachusetts's endorsement requirements. Massachusetts participates in the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement with every state and the District of Columbia, which lets an out-of-state preparation program completer or license holder apply for an Initial license — but the agreement does NOT waive Massachusetts testing. Applicants must pass all required MTEL tests, including the Communication and Literacy Skills test and the relevant subject-matter test(s); DESE publishes no comparable-score substitution for out-of-state exams. An applicant with a bachelor's degree, a valid out-of-state license, and three years of employment under it may instead take a one-year Temporary license and teach while passing the MTEL (having already passed, or failed, all required MTEL tests disqualifies you for the Temporary license)..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
The honest version of California to Massachusetts: your California teaching license gets you in the door, not into the classroom on its own terms. Massachusetts will review your credential, issue a provisional certificate so you can begin teaching, and then require its own tests and coursework within its completion window before the full license. Nothing about holding an California license waives Massachusetts's requirements — plan them into your first year.
What changes, California → Massachusetts
| California (current) | Massachusetts (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 ($100 application fee for the first license; $25 for each additional application, paid in ELAR) |
| 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 | DESE publishes no processing timeframe; it states only that mailed hard-copy applications can involve a substantially longer processing time than online ELAR submission |
| Licensing authority | California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) | Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) — Office of Educator Licensure |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Massachusetts sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Massachusetts's current requirements on the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) — Office of Educator Licensure website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) — Office of Educator Licensure (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Apply through the Educator Licensure and Renewal (ELAR) online system.
- Hold a bachelor's degree from a DESE-recognized accredited institution plus a valid out-of-state license or completion of an approved educator preparation program.
- Pass all required MTEL tests — initial evaluation begins only once the application, fee, passing Communication and Literacy Skills MTEL score, and official transcript have been received.
- Earn the Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) endorsement required for most academic PreK-12 licenses, or apply for a Provisional license while completing it.
- Submit a copy of the out-of-state certificate plus a School-based Employment Verification form documenting three years of employment (within the past seven) under a comparable valid out-of-state license, when applying on the license basis.
- Pay the fees ($100 ($100 application fee for the first license; $25 for each additional application, paid in ELAR)) and allow DESE publishes no processing timeframe; it states only that mailed hard-copy applications can involve a substantially longer processing time than online ELAR submission.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Massachusetts accept a California teaching license?
A teaching certificate transfers from California to Massachusetts by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) — Office of Educator Licensure, verify your California license, and meet Massachusetts's endorsement requirements. Massachusetts participates in the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement with every state and the District of Columbia, which lets an out-of-state preparation program completer or license holder apply for an Initial license — but the agreement does NOT waive Massachusetts testing. Applicants must pass all required MTEL tests, including the Communication and Literacy Skills test and the relevant subject-matter test(s); DESE publishes no comparable-score substitution for out-of-state exams. An applicant with a bachelor's degree, a valid out-of-state license, and three years of employment under it may instead take a one-year Temporary license and teach while passing the MTEL (having already passed, or failed, all required MTEL tests disqualifies you for the Temporary license)..
Will I have to retake tests moving from California to Massachusetts?
Massachusetts participates in the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement with every state and the District of Columbia, which lets an out-of-state preparation program completer or license holder apply for an Initial license — but the agreement does NOT waive Massachusetts testing. Applicants must pass all required MTEL tests, including the Communication and Literacy Skills test and the relevant subject-matter test(s); DESE publishes no comparable-score substitution for out-of-state exams. An applicant with a bachelor's degree, a valid out-of-state license, and three years of employment under it may instead take a one-year Temporary license and teach while passing the MTEL (having already passed, or failed, all required MTEL tests disqualifies you for the Temporary license).. Holding a California license does not by itself waive Massachusetts's tests — experience or National Board certification is what typically does.
Can I teach in Massachusetts right away?
Generally yes on a provisional or one-year Massachusetts certificate issued while you complete its requirements; districts hire on that credential.
What does the California-to-Massachusetts transfer cost and how long does it take?
$100 ($100 application fee for the first license; $25 for each additional application, paid in ELAR); processing DESE publishes no processing timeframe; it states only that mailed hard-copy applications can involve a substantially longer processing time than online ELAR submission.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- DESE — Out-of-State Applicants (Temporary, Provisional, and Initial licenses; NASDTEC Interstate Agreement; MTEL and SEI requirements; excluded license types) [doe.mass.edu blocks automated clients; read via the Internet Archive capture of 2026-08-03] ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- DESE — Applying for/Checking the Status of a License ($100 first-license fee, $25 each additional; initial evaluation prerequisites; out-of-state supporting documents) [read via the Internet Archive capture of 2026-07-27] ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- 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 Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]