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Transfer Your Teaching License to Illinois: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)

Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) - Educator Licensure ↗

Illinois streamlines teacher certification: the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) - Educator Licensure issues its own certificate to a teacher holding a comparable out-of-state one, usually without its tests. It is still an application, not an automatic swap, and a credential Illinois does not treat as comparable takes a different route. 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).

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Verdict

Streamlined — comparable certificate

Illinois is one of the friendlier destinations, but read "streamlined" precisely: Illinois issues its own certificate to a teacher who holds a comparable one, usually without its tests — it does not simply honor your out-of-state license. The requirements below are what remains, and a certificate Illinois does not treat as comparable takes a different route.

Illinois offers a streamlined reciprocity path: a valid, comparable out-of-state license lets you obtain a Professional Educator License via ELIS with, at most, an Illinois content test. Still a misnomer - it is not an automatic exchange; you must apply in ELIS, submit official transcripts and your out-of-state license, pass any required Illinois content test, and register/pay before the license is valid for employment.

Illinois requirements at a glance

Out-of-state teaching certificate transfer requirements for Illinois, verified 2026-07-21
ExamReciprocity applicants provide a valid, comparable out-of-state license and must pass the applicable Illinois content-area test only if ISBE deems it required (registered through the Illinois Licensure Testing System, ILTS); the edTPA/teacher-performance assessment and Illinois-specific coursework are generally not imposed on comparably licensed out-of-state applicants
Additional requirements
  • Create an ELIS account and apply for the Professional Educator License (PEL) as an out-of-state applicant
  • Provide a valid, comparable out-of-state license (upload to ELIS or email to ISBE)
  • Have your regionally accredited institution send official transcripts directly to ISBE
  • Pass the applicable Illinois content-area test if required (ILTS)
  • Register the issued license in ELIS and pay registration fees before it is valid for employment
Fees$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)
Processing timeNot stated on the reviewed ISBE application page

Step by step

  1. Confirm Illinois's current requirements on the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) - Educator Licensure website — rules change.
  2. Submit the reciprocity/endorsement application to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) - Educator Licensure (application linked on this page).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
  4. Create an ELIS account and apply for the Professional Educator License (PEL) as an out-of-state applicant.
  5. Provide a valid, comparable out-of-state license (upload to ELIS or email to ISBE).
  6. Have your regionally accredited institution send official transcripts directly to ISBE.
  7. Pass the applicable Illinois content-area test if required (ILTS).
  8. Register the issued license in ELIS and pay registration fees before it is valid for employment.
  9. Pay the fees ($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)). Processing time: Not stated on the reviewed ISBE application page.

Official links

Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) - Educator Licensure ↗Illinois application ↗License verification ↗

Coming from a specific state?

Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Illinois:

Alabama → IllinoisAlaska → IllinoisArizona → IllinoisArkansas → IllinoisCalifornia → IllinoisColorado → IllinoisConnecticut → IllinoisDelaware → IllinoisDistrict of Columbia → IllinoisFlorida → IllinoisGeorgia → IllinoisHawaii → IllinoisIdaho → IllinoisIndiana → IllinoisIowa → IllinoisKansas → IllinoisKentucky → IllinoisLouisiana → IllinoisMaine → IllinoisMaryland → Illinois
All 50 origin states
Massachusetts → IllinoisMichigan → IllinoisMinnesota → IllinoisMississippi → IllinoisMissouri → IllinoisMontana → IllinoisNebraska → IllinoisNevada → IllinoisNew Hampshire → IllinoisNew Jersey → IllinoisNew Mexico → IllinoisNew York → IllinoisNorth Carolina → IllinoisNorth Dakota → IllinoisOhio → IllinoisOklahoma → IllinoisOregon → IllinoisPennsylvania → IllinoisRhode Island → IllinoisSouth Carolina → IllinoisSouth Dakota → IllinoisTennessee → IllinoisTexas → IllinoisUtah → IllinoisVermont → IllinoisVirginia → IllinoisWashington → IllinoisWest Virginia → IllinoisWisconsin → IllinoisWyoming → Illinois

Nearby states

Teaching license transfer into the states bordering Illinois:

Illinois for other professions

Frequently asked questions

Does my teaching license transfer to Illinois?

Illinois streamlines teacher certification: the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) - Educator Licensure issues its own certificate to a teacher holding a comparable out-of-state one, usually without its tests. It is still an application, not an automatic swap, and a credential Illinois does not treat as comparable takes a different route. 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).

Is teaching reciprocity automatic in Illinois?

No, but Illinois streamlines it: the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) - Educator Licensure issues its own certificate to a teacher holding a comparable out-of-state one, usually without its tests. It is still an application, not an automatic exchange.

What tests or requirements does Illinois add?

Reciprocity applicants provide a valid, comparable out-of-state license and must pass the applicable Illinois content-area test only if ISBE deems it required (registered through the Illinois Licensure Testing System, ILTS); the edTPA/teacher-performance assessment and Illinois-specific coursework are generally not imposed on comparably licensed out-of-state applicants.

What does an Illinois out-of-state teaching certificate cost and how long does it take?

$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). Processing time: Not stated on the reviewed ISBE application 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]