Teaching License from Florida to Alaska: Does It Transfer? (2026)
A teaching certificate transfers from Florida to Alaska by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development (DEED) — Teacher Certification, verify your Florida license, and meet Alaska's endorsement requirements. Applicants with 2+ years of experience and a current, valid, regular out-of-state certificate qualify for a Professional Out-of-State Teacher Certificate with endorsements mirroring the out-of-state certificate and no separate Alaska exams; applicants with under 2 years of experience must apply for the Initial Teacher Certificate and pass an approved basic-competency exam and an approved content-area exam.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Moving from Florida to Alaska is an application, not a transfer: Alaska reviews your Florida certificate and issues an Alaska certificate of its own. The tests and requirements below are what Alaska still asks — gather them before you apply, because gaps are what slow a review.
What changes, Florida → Alaska
| Florida (current) | Alaska (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $75 ($75 processing fee per subject for an initial Florida certification application (non-refundable), per the FLDOE Certification Application Fee Schedule; district fingerprint/background screening costs are separate) | $200 ($200 teacher-certificate application fee; + $60 fingerprint processing) |
| Processing time | A specific board processing time is not published on the reviewed FLDOE pages | 3–4 weeks (Board-stated current processing time of 3-4 weeks) |
| Licensing authority | Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) - Bureau of Educator Certification | Alaska Department of Education & Early Development (DEED) — Teacher Certification |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Alaska sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Alaska's current requirements on the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development (DEED) — Teacher Certification website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development (DEED) — Teacher Certification (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold a current, valid, regular out-of-state teaching certificate (not restricted, provisional, emergency, substitute, or temporary).
- Two or more years of teaching experience to qualify for the Professional Out-of-State Teacher Certificate (otherwise apply for the Initial certificate and pass required exams).
- Complete 3 semester hours of approved Alaska Studies coursework within the certificate window.
- Complete 3 semester hours of approved Alaska multicultural/cross-cultural coursework within the certificate window.
- Fingerprint-based background check.
- Apply through the TEACH-AK online certification system.
- Pay the fees ($200 ($200 teacher-certificate application fee; + $60 fingerprint processing)) and allow 3–4 weeks (Board-stated current processing time of 3-4 weeks).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Alaska accept a Florida teaching license?
A teaching certificate transfers from Florida to Alaska by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development (DEED) — Teacher Certification, verify your Florida license, and meet Alaska's endorsement requirements. Applicants with 2+ years of experience and a current, valid, regular out-of-state certificate qualify for a Professional Out-of-State Teacher Certificate with endorsements mirroring the out-of-state certificate and no separate Alaska exams; applicants with under 2 years of experience must apply for the Initial Teacher Certificate and pass an approved basic-competency exam and an approved content-area exam.
Will I have to retake tests moving from Florida to Alaska?
Applicants with 2+ years of experience and a current, valid, regular out-of-state certificate qualify for a Professional Out-of-State Teacher Certificate with endorsements mirroring the out-of-state certificate and no separate Alaska exams; applicants with under 2 years of experience must apply for the Initial Teacher Certificate and pass an approved basic-competency exam and an approved content-area exam.
Can I teach in Alaska right away?
Not until the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development (DEED) — Teacher Certification issues your Alaska certificate, so build its processing time into your start date.
What does the Florida-to-Alaska transfer cost and how long does it take?
$200 ($200 teacher-certificate application fee; + $60 fingerprint processing). Processing: 3–4 weeks (Board-stated current processing time of 3-4 weeks).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Alaska DEED — Teaching Certificates (Professional Out-of-State and Initial certificates) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Alaska DEED — Teacher Certification Fees ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- FLDOE - Certified Teacher or Administrator (two reciprocity routes to the Professional Certificate; comparable standard cert or NBPTS; FTCE not required; 3-year non-renewable Temporary Certificate) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- FLDOE - Certification Application Fee Schedule ($75 per subject) ↗ (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]