Teaching License from Illinois to Connecticut: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) - Bureau of Certification ↗
A teaching certificate transfers from Illinois to Connecticut by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) - Bureau of Certification, verify your Illinois license, and meet Connecticut's endorsement requirements. Under Enhanced Reciprocity (valid certificate from a listed state/territory) no Connecticut assessments or transcripts are required to be issued the certificate; under the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement (all other states) applicants qualify via a state-approved program (ED 125) or 30 months of experience (ED 126), and may be exempt from the Praxis II subject-matter assessment if they hold a valid out-of-state certificate at least equivalent to a CT Initial Educator Certificate plus three years of experience in the endorsement within 10 years, or a master's degree in the subject.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
The honest version of Illinois to Connecticut: your Illinois teaching license gets you in the door, not into the classroom on its own terms. Connecticut will review your credential, issue a provisional certificate so you can begin teaching, and then require its own tests and coursework within its completion window before the full license. Nothing about holding an Illinois license waives Connecticut's requirements — plan them into your first year.
What changes, Illinois → Connecticut
| Illinois (current) | Connecticut (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) | $50 ($50 non-refundable application review fee for the ED 170 (both the Enhanced Reciprocity and NIA paths); payable by credit card in CECS or by cashier's/certified check or money order) |
| Processing time | Not stated on the reviewed ISBE application page | Not stated on the reviewed CSDE certification pages |
| Licensing authority | Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) - Educator Licensure | Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) - Bureau of Certification |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Connecticut sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Connecticut's current requirements on the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) - Bureau of Certification website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) - Bureau of Certification (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Complete the ED 170 application through the Connecticut Educator Certification System (CECS) or on paper, and pay the non-refundable review fee.
- Submit a copy of a valid out-of-state educator certificate (temporary, emergency, or interim certificates are not accepted).
- For the NASDTEC/NIA path, verify a state-approved preparation program (ED 125) or 30 months of successful full-time experience in the last 10 years (ED 126, signed by the superintendent/HR director).
- Submit official undergraduate/graduate transcripts by mail or to [email protected] (not required to be issued a certificate under Enhanced Reciprocity, but recommended for the permanent file).
- Pay the fees ($50 ($50 non-refundable application review fee for the ED 170 (both the Enhanced Reciprocity and NIA paths); payable by credit card in CECS or by cashier's/certified check or money order)) and allow Not stated on the reviewed CSDE certification pages.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Connecticut accept a Illinois teaching license?
A teaching certificate transfers from Illinois to Connecticut by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) - Bureau of Certification, verify your Illinois license, and meet Connecticut's endorsement requirements. Under Enhanced Reciprocity (valid certificate from a listed state/territory) no Connecticut assessments or transcripts are required to be issued the certificate; under the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement (all other states) applicants qualify via a state-approved program (ED 125) or 30 months of experience (ED 126), and may be exempt from the Praxis II subject-matter assessment if they hold a valid out-of-state certificate at least equivalent to a CT Initial Educator Certificate plus three years of experience in the endorsement within 10 years, or a master's degree in the subject.
Will I have to retake tests moving from Illinois to Connecticut?
Under Enhanced Reciprocity (valid certificate from a listed state/territory) no Connecticut assessments or transcripts are required to be issued the certificate; under the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement (all other states) applicants qualify via a state-approved program (ED 125) or 30 months of experience (ED 126), and may be exempt from the Praxis II subject-matter assessment if they hold a valid out-of-state certificate at least equivalent to a CT Initial Educator Certificate plus three years of experience in the endorsement within 10 years, or a master's degree in the subject. Holding a Illinois license does not by itself waive Connecticut's tests — experience or National Board certification is what typically does.
Can I teach in Connecticut right away?
Generally yes on a provisional or one-year Connecticut certificate issued while you complete its requirements; districts hire on that credential.
What does the Illinois-to-Connecticut transfer cost and how long does it take?
$50 ($50 non-refundable application review fee for the ED 170 (both the Enhanced Reciprocity and NIA paths); payable by credit card in CECS or by cashier's/certified check or money order); processing Not stated on the reviewed CSDE certification pages.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- CSDE - Enhanced Reciprocity States: How To (listed states, ED 170, $50 fee, no transcripts/exams) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- CSDE - How do teachers from other states apply (Initial Educator Certificate via NIA; ED 125 program / ED 126 30-months; $50 fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- CSDE - Am I exempt from subject matter assessments (Praxis II exemption via experience or master's) ↗ (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 Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]