Teaching License from Illinois to Colorado: Does It Transfer? (2026)
A teaching certificate transfers from Illinois to Colorado by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) - Educator Talent / Educator Licensing, verify your Illinois license, and meet Colorado's endorsement requirements. 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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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Colorado reviews each out-of-state teaching credential individually, so what it asks of an Illinois teacher is settled by that review: it decides which Colorado credential you qualify for and what remains. Apply early and treat the review result as your real requirement list.
What changes, Illinois → Colorado
| Illinois (current) | Colorado (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $150 ($150 PEL application fee for out-of-state (and out-of-country) applicants, assessed electronically in ELIS; license registration fees are additional and required before employment) | $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 | Not stated on the reviewed ISBE application page | ~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) |
| Licensing authority | Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) - Educator Licensure | Colorado Department of Education (CDE) - Educator Talent / Educator Licensing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Colorado sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Colorado's current requirements on the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) - Educator Talent / Educator Licensing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) - Educator Talent / Educator Licensing (application linked below).
- 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
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Colorado accept an Illinois teaching license?
A teaching certificate transfers from Illinois to Colorado by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) - Educator Talent / Educator Licensing, verify your Illinois license, and meet Colorado's endorsement requirements. 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.
Will I have to retake tests moving from Illinois to Colorado?
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.
Can I teach in Colorado right away?
That depends on Colorado's review: the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) - Educator Talent / Educator Licensing decides which credential you qualify for. Ask it whether you can start before anything outstanding is complete.
What does the Illinois-to-Colorado transfer 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)
- ISBE - Educator Licensure Application (Reciprocity / Out-of-State supporting documentation and fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- ISBE - Educator Licensure (requirements hub) ↗ (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]