Transfer Your Teaching License to Delaware: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Delaware does not simply swap your teaching license — "reciprocity" here means the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) - Licensure and Certification reviews your credential and issues its own Delaware certificate. 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 matters for Delaware: you are applying for a Delaware certificate, not carrying yours across. The Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) - Licensure and Certification issues its own certificate on review of your out-of-state one, so the work is to have every document and test score it asks for ready when you apply — gaps are what slow a review. The requirements below are Delaware's list.
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
| 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 |
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| 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)). Processing time: Not stated on the reviewed DDOE out-of-state applicant page.
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Delaware:
Nearby states
Teaching license transfer into the states bordering Delaware:
Delaware for other professions
- Nursing in Delaware
- Cosmetology / Barber in Delaware
- Real Estate in Delaware
- Contractor in Delaware
- CPA / Accounting in Delaware
- Electrician in Delaware
- Plumber in Delaware
- Engineering in Delaware
- Pharmacy in Delaware
- Physical Therapy in Delaware
- Psychology in Delaware
- Counseling in Delaware
- Social Work in Delaware
- Occupational Therapy in Delaware
Frequently asked questions
Does my teaching license transfer to Delaware?
Delaware does not simply swap your teaching license — "reciprocity" here means the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) - Licensure and Certification reviews your credential and issues its own Delaware certificate. 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).
Is teaching reciprocity automatic in Delaware?
No. Delaware reviews your out-of-state certificate and issues its own; 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 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.
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]