Teaching License from New Jersey to New York: Does It Transfer? (2026)
A teaching certificate transfers from New Jersey to New York by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the New York State Education Department (NYSED) — Office of Teaching Initiatives, verify your New Jersey license, and meet New York's endorsement requirements. There is no blanket transfer of another state's tests — out-of-state applicants must earn satisfactory scores on the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations required for the Initial certificate, which for classroom teaching means the Educating All Students (EAS) test plus the Content Specialty Test(s) for the certificate area; what the interstate pathway waives is repeating a full New York preparation program, not the exams.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Moving from New Jersey to New York is an application, not a transfer: New York reviews your New Jersey certificate and issues a New York certificate of its own. The tests and requirements below are what New York still asks — gather them before you apply, because gaps are what slow a review.
What changes, New Jersey → New York
| New Jersey (current) | New York (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $70 (NJEdCert charges a $70 evaluation fee when a regular certification application is submitted for a full review of credentials; NJDOE does not publish a consolidated public fee schedule for the remaining issuance fees, so an upper bound is not stated. The 2023-24 certification fee holiday has ended. (A separate $170 flat fee applies only to the limited CE/CEAS pilot program.)) | $100 ($100 per certificate title or extension for an Initial/Professional classroom teaching certificate awarded on alternate requirements (transcript/individual evaluation) — the route interstate applicants use. The $50 rate applies only to certificates based on completion of a New York State-registered approved program requiring a college recommendation. Additional: $104.50 fingerprint fee as of 2026-02-02 (DCJS $75.00 + FBI $12.00 + IDEMIA $17.50). An application is valid for three years or two evaluations, whichever comes first, and the fee is non-refundable once evaluated.) |
| Processing time | NJDOE publishes no numeric range — its certification FAQ states only that 'the average processing time varies during the year' and that summer months are busiest. Official transcripts alone take roughly 10-15 business days from receipt to post | NYSED publishes no processing-time estimate for certification applications. The Office of Teaching Initiatives states only that it 'can not determine eligibility for certification until an application has been submitted, and a review of your credentials has been completed.' |
| Licensing authority | New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) — Office of Certification | New York State Education Department (NYSED) — Office of Teaching Initiatives |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — New York sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm New York's current requirements on the New York State Education Department (NYSED) — Office of Teaching Initiatives website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the New York State Education Department (NYSED) — Office of Teaching Initiatives (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Apply through the TEACH Online System and pay the certificate application fee.
- Hold a bachelor's degree with a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA and complete a comparable approved teacher preparation program, in the subject of the application, at a college in another U.S. state or territory that would lead to an institutional recommendation there.
- Earn satisfactory scores on all New York certification examinations required for the Initial certificate (EAS and the applicable Content Specialty Test).
- Complete the NYSED-required workshops — Child Abuse Identification, School Violence Prevention and Intervention (SAVE), and DASA harassment, bullying and discrimination training (at least six clock hours).
- Obtain fingerprint clearance through MorphoTrust/IDEMIA using service code 14ZGQT.
- Pay the fees ($100 ($100 per certificate title or extension for an Initial/Professional classroom teaching certificate awarded on alternate requirements (transcript/individual evaluation) — the route interstate applicants use. The $50 rate applies only to certificates based on completion of a New York State-registered approved program requiring a college recommendation. Additional: $104.50 fingerprint fee as of 2026-02-02 (DCJS $75.00 + FBI $12.00 + IDEMIA $17.50). An application is valid for three years or two evaluations, whichever comes first, and the fee is non-refundable once evaluated.)). Processing time: NYSED publishes no processing-time estimate for certification applications. The Office of Teaching Initiatives states only that it 'can not determine eligibility for certification until an application has been submitted, and a review of your credentials has been completed.'.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does New York accept a New Jersey teaching license?
A teaching certificate transfers from New Jersey to New York by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the New York State Education Department (NYSED) — Office of Teaching Initiatives, verify your New Jersey license, and meet New York's endorsement requirements. There is no blanket transfer of another state's tests — out-of-state applicants must earn satisfactory scores on the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations required for the Initial certificate, which for classroom teaching means the Educating All Students (EAS) test plus the Content Specialty Test(s) for the certificate area; what the interstate pathway waives is repeating a full New York preparation program, not the exams.
Will I have to retake tests moving from New Jersey to New York?
There is no blanket transfer of another state's tests — out-of-state applicants must earn satisfactory scores on the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations required for the Initial certificate, which for classroom teaching means the Educating All Students (EAS) test plus the Content Specialty Test(s) for the certificate area; what the interstate pathway waives is repeating a full New York preparation program, not the exams.
Can I teach in New York right away?
Not until the New York State Education Department (NYSED) — Office of Teaching Initiatives issues your New York certificate, so build its processing time into your start date.
What does the New Jersey-to-New York transfer cost and how long does it take?
$100 ($100 per certificate title or extension for an Initial/Professional classroom teaching certificate awarded on alternate requirements (transcript/individual evaluation) — the route interstate applicants use. The $50 rate applies only to certificates based on completion of a New York State-registered approved program requiring a college recommendation. Additional: $104.50 fingerprint fee as of 2026-02-02 (DCJS $75.00 + FBI $12.00 + IDEMIA $17.50). An application is valid for three years or two evaluations, whichever comes first, and the fee is non-refundable once evaluated.) Processing time: NYSED publishes no processing-time estimate for certification applications. The Office of Teaching Initiatives states only that it 'can not determine eligibility for certification until an application has been submitted, and a review of your credentials has been completed.'.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- NYSED OTI — Applicants from Other States (Interstate Reciprocity) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- NYSED OTI — Application Fees ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- NYSED OTI — Workshops Required for Educator Certification ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- NYSED — Fingerprinting (fee effective 2026-02-02) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- NJDOE Certification — Reciprocity (out-of-state applicants) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- NJDOE Certification — Teachers (physiology and hygiene requirement) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- NJDOE — NJEdCert and Certification FAQ (evaluation fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- NJDOE — Criminal History Record Check ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]