Teaching License from Texas to Indiana: Does It Transfer? (2026)
A teaching certificate transfers from Texas 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 Texas 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 Texas to Indiana: your Texas 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, Texas → Indiana
| Texas (current) | Indiana (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) | LVIS application/permit fee is assessed at submission; a fixed amount was not published on the reviewed IDOE pages |
| 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; a credential evaluation precedes issuance of the deficiency letter |
| Licensing authority | Texas Education Agency (TEA) - 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 Texas teaching license?
A teaching certificate transfers from Texas 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 Texas 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 Texas 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 Texas-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)
- 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 the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
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