Teaching License from Michigan to Wisconsin: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) - Educator Licensing ↗
A teaching certificate transfers from Michigan to Wisconsin by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) - Educator Licensing, verify your Michigan license, and meet Wisconsin's endorsement requirements. DPI requires an out-of-state applicant to submit any test scores required for licensure in the state where the preparation program is headquartered plus all tests required for Wisconsin licensure - the Foundations of Reading Test for early childhood, elementary, special education, reading teacher and reading specialist licenses, and a content test (a 3.0 GPA in the subject area can substitute for the Wisconsin content exam). DPI states the testing requirement cannot be waived based on years of experience. Not every test applies in every case: an applicant may upload a written statement identifying the Wisconsin testing requirements not met, and DPI then determines which license the applicant is entitled to without those tests..
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Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
The honest version of Michigan to Wisconsin: your Michigan teaching license gets you in the door, not into the classroom on its own terms. Wisconsin 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 Michigan license waives Wisconsin's requirements — plan them into your first year.
What changes, Michigan → Wisconsin
| Michigan (current) | Wisconsin (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) | $190 (190 USD for the Out-of-State Educator application per the DPI License Application Fees page (the standard educator processing fee is 135 USD). This is a processing fee, not a license-issuance fee, and is not refunded if no license can be issued. The DPI out-of-state pathways flowchart page still shows a stale 175 USD; the fee page governs. Fieldprint fingerprint costs are separate.) |
| 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 | 6–12 weeks (DPI states processing time varies by application type and time of year and that on average it takes between 6 and 12 weeks; incomplete materials or a background check needing further review add time. DPI also maintains a live Check Application Status page.) |
| Licensing authority | Michigan Department of Education (MDE) — Office of Educator Excellence (Educator Certification) | Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) - Educator Licensing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Wisconsin sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Wisconsin's current requirements on the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) - Educator Licensing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) - Educator Licensing (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Apply through Educator Licensing Online (ELO) using the out-of-state program-completer application, or the License Based on Reciprocity application if you hold a valid out-of-state license in good standing.
- For the reciprocity route, document at least one year of teaching experience under that out-of-state license on Form PI-1613 Employment Verification.
- Submit fingerprints if you have worked, resided, or attended classes outside Wisconsin in the last twenty years after age 17.
- Upload out-of-state and Wisconsin test score reports, or a written statement identifying the testing requirements not met.
- Complete the Conduct and Competency Questionnaire and pay the non-refundable application fee.
- Pay the fees ($190 (190 USD for the Out-of-State Educator application per the DPI License Application Fees page (the standard educator processing fee is 135 USD). This is a processing fee, not a license-issuance fee, and is not refunded if no license can be issued. The DPI out-of-state pathways flowchart page still shows a stale 175 USD; the fee page governs. Fieldprint fingerprint costs are separate.)) and allow 6–12 weeks (DPI states processing time varies by application type and time of year and that on average it takes between 6 and 12 weeks; incomplete materials or a background check needing further review add time. DPI also maintains a live Check Application Status page.).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Wisconsin accept a Michigan teaching license?
A teaching certificate transfers from Michigan to Wisconsin by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) - Educator Licensing, verify your Michigan license, and meet Wisconsin's endorsement requirements. DPI requires an out-of-state applicant to submit any test scores required for licensure in the state where the preparation program is headquartered plus all tests required for Wisconsin licensure - the Foundations of Reading Test for early childhood, elementary, special education, reading teacher and reading specialist licenses, and a content test (a 3.0 GPA in the subject area can substitute for the Wisconsin content exam). DPI states the testing requirement cannot be waived based on years of experience. Not every test applies in every case: an applicant may upload a written statement identifying the Wisconsin testing requirements not met, and DPI then determines which license the applicant is entitled to without those tests..
Will I have to retake tests moving from Michigan to Wisconsin?
DPI requires an out-of-state applicant to submit any test scores required for licensure in the state where the preparation program is headquartered plus all tests required for Wisconsin licensure - the Foundations of Reading Test for early childhood, elementary, special education, reading teacher and reading specialist licenses, and a content test (a 3.0 GPA in the subject area can substitute for the Wisconsin content exam). DPI states the testing requirement cannot be waived based on years of experience. Not every test applies in every case: an applicant may upload a written statement identifying the Wisconsin testing requirements not met, and DPI then determines which license the applicant is entitled to without those tests.. Holding a Michigan license does not by itself waive Wisconsin's tests — experience or National Board certification is what typically does.
Can I teach in Wisconsin right away?
Generally yes on a provisional or one-year Wisconsin certificate issued while you complete its requirements; districts hire on that credential.
What does the Michigan-to-Wisconsin transfer cost and how long does it take?
$190 (190 USD for the Out-of-State Educator application per the DPI License Application Fees page (the standard educator processing fee is 135 USD). This is a processing fee, not a license-issuance fee, and is not refunded if no license can be issued. The DPI out-of-state pathways flowchart page still shows a stale 175 USD; the fee page governs. Fieldprint fingerprint costs are separate.); processing 6–12 weeks (DPI states processing time varies by application type and time of year and that on average it takes between 6 and 12 weeks; incomplete materials or a background check needing further review add time. DPI also maintains a live Check Application Status page.).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- WI DPI - Licensing Frequently Asked Questions (processing on average 6-12 weeks; testing requirement cannot be waived based on years of experience; Foundations of Reading Test; 3.0 GPA content-test substitute; out-of-state fingerprint rule) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- WI DPI - License Application Fees (Out-of-State Educator 190 USD; standard processing 135 USD) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- WI DPI - Application Directions for License Based on Reciprocity (valid out-of-state license in good standing plus one year of experience; PI-1613) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- WI DPI - Application Directions for Teachers Prepared Outside of Wisconsin (not all tests are required; written statement of requirements not met) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- WI DPI - Out-of-State Testing Requirements for Wisconsin Licensure (guidance) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- 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 Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
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