Transfer Your Teaching License to Colorado: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Colorado does not exchange your teaching license. The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) - Educator Talent / Educator Licensing reviews each out-of-state credential individually and decides which Colorado credential you qualify for and what you still need to complete. Application fee: $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).
Moving to Colorado from a specific state?
Pick your current state — the checker returns your exact pathway.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Colorado reviews out-of-state teachers case by case, so no page — this one included — can tell you in advance exactly what it will ask of you. Apply early: the review result is your real requirement list, and it decides which Colorado credential you start on.
Reciprocity is a misnomer - Colorado does not auto-exchange an out-of-state license; it evaluates your credentials and issues its own Initial (3-year) or Professional (7-year) Teacher License. A valid standard out-of-state license with a matching endorsement plus 3 years of experience (within 7 years) routes to a Professional license; otherwise credentials are reviewed and any Colorado test requirement is set on review. CBI/FBI fingerprinting is required and you must apply within 30 days of the background check reaching CDE. Base application fee confirmed at $90 on the CDE checklist (an earlier automated summary reading of $110 was not supported by the fee-bearing page).
Colorado requirements at a glance
| Exam | 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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| Additional requirements |
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| 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) |
| Processing time | ~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) |
Step by step
- Confirm Colorado's current requirements on the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) - Educator Talent / Educator Licensing website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) - Educator Talent / Educator Licensing (application linked on this page).
- 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
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Colorado:
Nearby states
Teaching license transfer into the states bordering Colorado:
Colorado for other professions
- Nursing in Colorado
- Cosmetology / Barber in Colorado
- Real Estate in Colorado
- Contractor in Colorado
- CPA / Accounting in Colorado
- Electrician in Colorado
- Plumber in Colorado
- Engineering in Colorado
- Pharmacy in Colorado
- Physical Therapy in Colorado
- Psychology in Colorado
- Counseling in Colorado
- Social Work in Colorado
- Occupational Therapy in Colorado
Frequently asked questions
Does my teaching license transfer to Colorado?
Colorado does not exchange your teaching license. The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) - Educator Talent / Educator Licensing reviews each out-of-state credential individually and decides which Colorado credential you qualify for and what you still need to complete. Application fee: $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).
Is teaching reciprocity automatic in Colorado?
No. Colorado reviews each out-of-state credential individually and decides which credential you qualify for and what remains.
What tests or requirements does Colorado add?
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.
What does a Colorado out-of-state teaching certificate 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)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]