Teaching License from Michigan to Indiana: Does It Transfer? (2026)
A teaching certificate transfers from Michigan to Indiana by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) - Office of Educator Licensing, verify your Michigan license, and meet Indiana's endorsement requirements. The Office of Educator Licensing evaluates the out-of-state credential and issues an Evaluation/Deficiency Letter through LVIS; any Indiana licensure testing requirements identified in that letter must be completed before the reciprocal permit converts to a standard Instructional license (out-of-state preparation/testing may satisfy requirements where comparable).
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
The honest version of Michigan to Indiana: your Michigan teaching license gets you in the door, not an Indiana license on its own terms. Indiana reviews your credential and, if you still owe its requirements, can issue a Reciprocal Permit (renewable one year at a time) so you can teach while you complete them. Plan those requirements into your first year.
What changes, Michigan → Indiana
| Michigan (current) | Indiana (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $210 ($210 out-of-state evaluation fee for the Standard or Professional Teaching Certificate (the in-state fee for the same certificates is $160); an additional endorsement is $50. Fees are authorized by MCL 380.1538, are valid two years from the date of payment, and are not refunded for denied applications) | LVIS application/permit fee is assessed at submission; a fixed amount was not published on the reviewed IDOE pages |
| Processing time | MDE publishes no processing timeframe; an assigned certification specialist evaluates the credential and issues an evaluation letter identifying any remaining tests or coursework before certification | Not stated; a credential evaluation precedes issuance of the deficiency letter |
| Licensing authority | Michigan Department of Education (MDE) — Office of Educator Excellence (Educator Certification) | Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) - Office of Educator Licensing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Indiana sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Indiana's current requirements on the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) - Office of Educator Licensing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) - Office of Educator Licensing (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Apply through LVIS/LVIS360 (Office of Educator Licensing); an out-of-state licensed teacher is first issued a Reciprocal Permit.
- Satisfy the Evaluation/Deficiency Letter issued through LVIS to establish a standard Indiana Educator License.
- Hold a valid CPR/AED card from an IDOE-approved provider.
- Complete Suicide Prevention Awareness training (certificate).
- Pay the fees (LVIS application/permit fee is assessed at submission; a fixed amount was not published on the reviewed IDOE pages). Processing time: Not stated; a credential evaluation precedes issuance of the deficiency letter.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Indiana accept a Michigan teaching license?
A teaching certificate transfers from Michigan to Indiana by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) - Office of Educator Licensing, verify your Michigan license, and meet Indiana's endorsement requirements. The Office of Educator Licensing evaluates the out-of-state credential and issues an Evaluation/Deficiency Letter through LVIS; any Indiana licensure testing requirements identified in that letter must be completed before the reciprocal permit converts to a standard Instructional license (out-of-state preparation/testing may satisfy requirements where comparable).
Will I have to retake tests moving from Michigan to Indiana?
The Office of Educator Licensing evaluates the out-of-state credential and issues an Evaluation/Deficiency Letter through LVIS; any Indiana licensure testing requirements identified in that letter must be completed before the reciprocal permit converts to a standard Instructional license (out-of-state preparation/testing may satisfy requirements where comparable).
Can I teach in Indiana right away?
Possibly. Indiana can issue a Reciprocal Permit (renewable one year at a time) so you can teach while you complete its remaining requirements; ask the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) - Office of Educator Licensing whether you qualify for it.
What does the Michigan-to-Indiana transfer cost and how long does it take?
LVIS application/permit fee is assessed at submission; a fixed amount was not published on the reviewed IDOE pages. Processing time: Not stated; a credential evaluation precedes issuance of the deficiency letter.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- IDOE - Educator Licensing (Office of Educator Licensing / LVIS360; required trainings) [accessed via Internet Archive; in.gov blocks automated access] ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- IDOE - Convert Reciprocal Permit to Standard License (CPR, Suicide Prevention, deficiency letter) [accessed via Internet Archive] ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- MDE — Out-of-State Applicants (Standard, Professional, and Temporary Teaching Certificates; MTTC testing; three-year experience exemption; reading methods coursework) [michigan.gov intermittently blocks automated clients; read via the Internet Archive capture of 2026-08-03] ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- MDE — Certificate Evaluation Fees (out-of-state fee table: $210 Standard and Professional Teaching Certificate, $160 in-state, $50 additional endorsement; fees valid two years) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
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