Transfer Your Teaching License to Delaware: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)

Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) - Licensure and Certification ↗

Delaware does not simply swap your teaching license — "reciprocity" here means the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) - Licensure and Certification lets you apply for a comparable credential, usually a provisional or interim certificate, then requires its tests and coursework within one to three years. 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. Fee: $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).

Moving to Delaware from a specific state?

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Verdict

Licensure by endorsement

The framing that saves relocating teachers real trouble: Delaware is giving you a runway, not a transfer. The provisional credential lets you take a classroom immediately, but the clock on Delaware's tests and coursework starts with it. Map the requirements below to a timeline the day you accept a position — the deadline inside your provisional window is the thing that trips people, not the difficulty of any single requirement.

Reciprocity is a misnomer - Delaware issues its own three-tier license (Initial 1-3 yrs, Continuing, or Advanced) plus a content-area Standard Certificate; it does not simply honor the out-of-state document. By reciprocity you apply in DEEDS with a current, valid out-of-state license and either one year (Initial) or four years (Continuing) of experience under it, and Delaware's Praxis tests are waived for reciprocity applicants. Fingerprint/criminal background checks are handled through the employing district at hire (not stated as a licensure step on the out-of-state page). The $100 fee is reimbursed once you are employed and fully licensed in a Delaware public/charter school.

Delaware requirements at a glance

Out-of-state teaching certificate transfer requirements for Delaware, verified 2026-07-21
Exam	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
Additional requirements	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
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

Step by step

Confirm Delaware's current requirements on the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) - Licensure and Certification website — rules change.
Submit the endorsement application to the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) - Licensure and Certification (application linked on this page).
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)) and allow Not stated on the reviewed DDOE out-of-state applicant page.

Official links

Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) - Licensure and Certification ↗Delaware application ↗

Coming from a specific state?

Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Delaware:

California → Delaware Florida → Delaware Georgia → Delaware Illinois → Delaware Michigan → Delaware New York → Delaware North Carolina → Delaware Ohio → Delaware Pennsylvania → Delaware Texas → Delaware

Frequently asked questions

Does my teaching license transfer to Delaware?

Is teaching reciprocity automatic in Delaware?

No. Delaware reviews your out-of-state credential and issues a provisional certificate; you complete its tests and coursework within a set window before the full license. It is the right to apply, not an instant swap.

What tests or requirements does Delaware add?

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.

What does a Delaware out-of-state teaching certificate 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 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)

Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21

How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]