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Kentucky teacher license transfer

How to transfer your teaching license to Kentucky

Kentucky uses a streamlined compact route for eligible educators with current licenses from participating states. Other out-of-state-prepared applicants follow Kentucky's preparation, academic and recency rules; two years of aligned full-time classroom experience can replace Kentucky's Praxis requirements.

Build my license plan See official sources

Starting point

Does Kentucky accept out-of-state teaching licenses?

An out-of-state license can open a path to Kentucky certification, but it does not transfer automatically. The state decides which certificate, endorsements, tests or additional requirements apply.

Your exact route can still depend on your license type, preparation, experience, subjects, grade levels and testing history.

How teacher license reciprocity works · Look up your current license

Mobility compact

Kentucky joined the teacher mobility compact

Compact eligibility may matter when your current license also comes from a member state. Joining the compact does not replace the need for current Kentucky application instructions and an eligible-license match.

Check compact states and eligibility

Keep your place

Your Kentucky application checklist

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State review still applies

What can change your path

  • • Compact membership and eligibility must be rechecked when the case is opened
  • • The compact route requires completed preparation and a current certificate from a participating state
  • • Kentucky currently begins compact review at Rank III unless advanced-degree evidence supports a higher rank
  • • A noncompact applicant can qualify through completed approved preparation without holding the source credential
  • • Two years of full-time classroom experience must align with the prepared subject and grade range to waive Kentucky tests
  • • A credential obtained only by passing an assessment remains insufficient
  • • Kentucky's GPA, recency, Character and Fitness and application requirements still apply

What the state says

5 official sources

These facts come from official sources. The state agency still makes the final licensing decision.

Compact or preparation route

Eligible compact applicants begin with a Kentucky eligibility review. Other applicants qualify through completed approved preparation aligned to the Kentucky grade range and content area, even when they do not hold the source credential.

Experience can replace Praxis

Kentucky waives its Praxis requirements for a noncompact applicant who documents two years of full-time classroom teaching in the subject and grade range supported by the completed preparation. Applicants with less experience submit the applicable Praxis specialty and Principles of Learning and Teaching tests; compact-eligible applicants use the separate compact review.

Core evidence

Plan for official undergraduate and graduate transcripts, the Out-of-State EPP Program Completion form, aligned experience verification or Kentucky Praxis records, a current source license for compact cases and advanced-degree transcripts when seeking compact placement above Rank III.

Five-year recency rule

Preparation or six graduate semester hours ordinarily must be within five years of application; a qualifying fifth-year program plus two successful teaching years in the last ten can create an exception, and otherwise qualified applicants may receive a one-year credit-completion bridge.

State certification help

2 guides

01Application documentsSee the core records to prepare and who may need to send themOpen 02Out-of-state testingSee how the state treats prior tests for an out-of-state applicationOpen

Why your details matter

State websites describe the possible routes. The right one for you can depend on your license, preparation, experience, subjects, grades, tests, National Board status and compact eligibility. TeachPassport uses those details to work out your path and handle the steps it can do for you.

One thing to know: First determine whether the applicant completed approved preparation and holds a current license from a participating Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact state. Compact applicants request an eligibility review before applying. Noncompact applicants use 16 KAR 4:030; two years of full-time classroom teaching in the prepared subject and grade range waives Kentucky testing, while applicants with less experience submit the applicable Praxis specialty tests and Principles of Learning and Teaching assessment.

Plan the whole move

Questions to answer before you apply

The application is only one part of the move. Check the costs, timing and records that can hold up an otherwise complete file.

01What could this cost?Plan for state fees, records, tests and fingerprints.Read 02How long could it take?See what affects review time and when to start.Read 03Will my test scores count?Check prior Praxis scores before registering again.Read 04Will I need new fingerprints?Use the destination’s required process and vendor.Read 05How will my experience count?Prepare the verification the state actually accepts.Read 06Should I apply to jobs first?Work out whether the license or job offer comes first.Read

Official sources

State agency material

Kentucky Legislative Research Commission16 KAR 4:030: Out-of-State Educator PreparationKentucky Legislative Research Commission16 KAR 4:080: Out-of-State RecencyKentucky Education Professional Standards BoardEducator CertificationKentucky Education Professional Standards BoardEducators Trained Out of StateKentucky Education Professional Standards BoardInterstate Teacher Mobility Compact