Teaching License from Texas to Connecticut: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) - Bureau of Certification ↗
A teaching certificate transfers from Texas to Connecticut by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) - Bureau of Certification, verify your Texas license, and meet Connecticut's endorsement requirements. Under Enhanced Reciprocity (valid certificate from a listed state/territory) no Connecticut assessments or transcripts are required to be issued the certificate; under the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement (all other states) applicants qualify via a state-approved program (ED 125) or 30 months of experience (ED 126), and may be exempt from the Praxis II subject-matter assessment if they hold a valid out-of-state certificate at least equivalent to a CT Initial Educator Certificate plus three years of experience in the endorsement within 10 years, or a master's degree in the subject.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
The honest version of Texas to Connecticut: your Texas teaching license gets you in the door, not into the classroom on its own terms. Connecticut 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 Texas license waives Connecticut's requirements — plan them into your first year.
What changes, Texas → Connecticut
| Texas (current) | Connecticut (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $160–$164 (19 TAC Sec. 230.101 (SBEC rules currently in effect) sets the nonrefundable fee for 'Review of a credential issued by a jurisdiction other than Texas' at $160, the standard certificate at $75, and the 'One-year certificate based on a credential issued by a jurisdiction other than Texas' at $50. TEA's out-of-state application materials state $164 is collected for the credentials review; the $4 difference is not explained on any TEA page reviewed, so the range is reported rather than a single figure. The national criminal history check fee (a $10 criminal history review fee plus the current DPS/FBI fingerprint scanning and processing cost) and TExES exam fees are additional) | $50 ($50 non-refundable application review fee for the ED 170 (both the Enhanced Reciprocity and NIA paths); payable by credit card in CECS or by cashier's/certified check or money order) |
| Processing time | 6–8 weeks (TEA: 'Applicants should allow 6 to 8 weeks for processing.' Reviews and test-exemption determinations run longer in the busy season, which TEA pages describe variously as March-October and April-September. TEA's out-of-state certification page reported 531 applications awaiting review as of August 5, 2026 with four specialists assigned) | Not stated on the reviewed CSDE certification pages |
| Licensing authority | Texas Education Agency (TEA) - Educator Certification | Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) - Bureau of Certification |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Connecticut sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Connecticut's current requirements on the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) - Bureau of Certification website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) - Bureau of Certification (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Complete the ED 170 application through the Connecticut Educator Certification System (CECS) or on paper, and pay the non-refundable review fee.
- Submit a copy of a valid out-of-state educator certificate (temporary, emergency, or interim certificates are not accepted).
- For the NASDTEC/NIA path, verify a state-approved preparation program (ED 125) or 30 months of successful full-time experience in the last 10 years (ED 126, signed by the superintendent/HR director).
- Submit official undergraduate/graduate transcripts by mail or to [email protected] (not required to be issued a certificate under Enhanced Reciprocity, but recommended for the permanent file).
- Pay the fees ($50 ($50 non-refundable application review fee for the ED 170 (both the Enhanced Reciprocity and NIA paths); payable by credit card in CECS or by cashier's/certified check or money order)) and allow Not stated on the reviewed CSDE certification pages.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Connecticut accept a Texas teaching license?
A teaching certificate transfers from Texas to Connecticut by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) - Bureau of Certification, verify your Texas license, and meet Connecticut's endorsement requirements. Under Enhanced Reciprocity (valid certificate from a listed state/territory) no Connecticut assessments or transcripts are required to be issued the certificate; under the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement (all other states) applicants qualify via a state-approved program (ED 125) or 30 months of experience (ED 126), and may be exempt from the Praxis II subject-matter assessment if they hold a valid out-of-state certificate at least equivalent to a CT Initial Educator Certificate plus three years of experience in the endorsement within 10 years, or a master's degree in the subject.
Will I have to retake tests moving from Texas to Connecticut?
Under Enhanced Reciprocity (valid certificate from a listed state/territory) no Connecticut assessments or transcripts are required to be issued the certificate; under the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement (all other states) applicants qualify via a state-approved program (ED 125) or 30 months of experience (ED 126), and may be exempt from the Praxis II subject-matter assessment if they hold a valid out-of-state certificate at least equivalent to a CT Initial Educator Certificate plus three years of experience in the endorsement within 10 years, or a master's degree in the subject. Holding a Texas license does not by itself waive Connecticut's tests — experience or National Board certification is what typically does.
Can I teach in Connecticut right away?
Generally yes on a provisional or one-year Connecticut certificate issued while you complete its requirements; districts hire on that credential.
What does the Texas-to-Connecticut transfer cost and how long does it take?
$50 ($50 non-refundable application review fee for the ED 170 (both the Enhanced Reciprocity and NIA paths); payable by credit card in CECS or by cashier's/certified check or money order); processing Not stated on the reviewed CSDE certification pages.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- CSDE - Enhanced Reciprocity States: How To (listed states, ED 170, $50 fee, no transcripts/exams) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- CSDE - How do teachers from other states apply (Initial Educator Certificate via NIA; ED 125 program / ED 126 30-months; $50 fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- CSDE - Am I exempt from subject matter assessments (Praxis II exemption via experience or master's) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Texas TEA - Out-of-State Certified Educators (no reciprocity; Review of Credentials; certificate must be valid and active; 6-8 weeks) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Texas TEA - Out-of-State Educator Test Exemption Review (1 year classroom / 2 years administrative-student services / 3+ years verifiable; STR not exemptible by experience or Reading Academies) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Texas SBEC rules currently in effect - 19 TAC Chapter 230 Subchapter G PDF, Sec. 230.101 Schedule of Fees ($160 review of an out-of-jurisdiction credential; $75 standard certificate; $50 one-year certificate; $10 criminal history review fee plus fingerprint costs) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Texas TEA - Out-of-State Certifications overview (ECOS account required; 6 to 8 weeks in busiest months April-September; current review backlog) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Texas TEA - Out-of-State Application Instructions (three-step TEAL sequence: Review of Credentials, One-Year Certificate, Standard Certificate) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]