Teaching License from Illinois to Missouri: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Usually, with conditions — Missouri issues its own teaching certificate to a holder of a comparable Illinois teaching certificate, usually without its tests. It is not an automatic exchange: apply to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) — Educator Certification and meet any condition it sets for your credential.
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Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Streamlined recognition
Coming from Illinois, Missouri is a comparatively smooth move — but "reciprocity" still means applying to Missouri for its own credential, not carrying your Illinois license across. Missouri issues its own certificate to a teacher holding a comparable Illinois certificate, usually without its tests; a credential it does not treat as comparable takes a different route. The requirements below are what Missouri still asks.
What changes, Illinois → Missouri
| Illinois (current) | Missouri (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) | $100 ($100 non-refundable processing fee paid online when the application is submitted; the Missouri fingerprint background check is an additional $41.75.) |
| Processing time | Not stated on the reviewed ISBE application page | 6+ weeks (DESE publishes no standard range; its certification FAQ states that during peak summer months processing 'can take six weeks or longer from the date of the last piece of information received.' Individual applications are not expedited.) |
| Licensing authority | Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) - Educator Licensure | Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) — Educator Certification |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Missouri sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Missouri's current requirements on the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) — Educator Certification website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) — Educator Certification (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Submit the non-Missouri graduate application online through DESE's educator certification system.
- Have original transcripts from every institution attended sent directly to DESE — photocopies, faxes, and scans are not accepted.
- Include a photocopy of your active out-of-state certificate; temporary, emergency, or substitute certificates do not qualify.
- Submit verified contracted, at-least-half-time teaching experience, which determines whether an initial or career certificate is issued.
- Complete a Missouri fingerprint background check.
- Pay the fees ($100 ($100 non-refundable processing fee paid online when the application is submitted; the Missouri fingerprint background check is an additional $41.75.)) and allow 6+ weeks (DESE publishes no standard range; its certification FAQ states that during peak summer months processing 'can take six weeks or longer from the date of the last piece of information received.' Individual applications are not expedited.).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Missouri accept an Illinois teaching license?
Usually, with conditions — Missouri issues its own teaching certificate to a holder of a comparable Illinois teaching certificate, usually without its tests. It is not an automatic exchange: apply to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) — Educator Certification and meet any condition it sets for your credential.
Will I have to retake tests moving from Illinois to Missouri?
DESE states that 'an individual with a valid certificate from another state can be granted a comparable certificate in Missouri' on verification of that certificate; its out-of-state application checklist lists no Missouri content assessment for those applicants. Applicants who do NOT hold a valid out-of-state professional certificate are evaluated against current Missouri requirements, including Missouri's passing scores on the required (ETS) assessments. Temporary, emergency, and substitute certificates do not qualify.
Can I teach in Missouri right away?
Yes, once the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) — Educator Certification issues your Missouri certificate; for a comparable certificate it usually comes without Missouri's tests. Build its processing time into your start date.
What does the Illinois-to-Missouri transfer cost and how long does it take?
$100 ($100 non-refundable processing fee paid online when the application is submitted; the Missouri fingerprint background check is an additional $41.75.) Processing: 6+ weeks (DESE publishes no standard range; its certification FAQ states that during peak summer months processing 'can take six weeks or longer from the date of the last piece of information received.' Individual applications are not expedited.).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- Missouri DESE — Out of State Information ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Missouri DESE — Routes to Certification ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Missouri DESE — Educator Certification Frequently Asked Questions ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- 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 2026-08-07
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]