Starting point
Does Pennsylvania accept out-of-state teaching licenses?
An out-of-state license can open a path to Pennsylvania 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
Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania application instructions and an eligible-license match.
Check compact states and eligibilityKeep your place
Your Pennsylvania application checklist
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Need a more specific list? Add your current state, subject, grades and experience.
Personalize this checklistState review still applies
What can change your path
- • Certificate and grade-band comparability matter
- • The two-year content-test exception requires an aligned professional certificate, approved preparation with student teaching, the source-state content test and the two most recent satisfactory aligned years
- • Approved-program applicants without that complete exception take the applicable Pennsylvania tests
- • Eligible compact applications are automatically reviewed under compact rules
- • A comparable National Board credential can support Level II and a testing waiver
What the state says
1 official source
These facts come from official sources. The state agency still makes the final licensing decision.
Route-specific review
Pennsylvania separately evaluates professional certificate holders with two successful years, approved-program completers with less experience, compact applicants, National Board or NASP holders and specialized routes.
Two-year test exception
Pennsylvania content testing can be avoided only when the applicant verifies a comparable professional certificate, approved preparation with student teaching, the source-state content test and the two most recent satisfactory aligned years.
Compact review
An eligible Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact application is automatically reviewed under Pennsylvania's compact rules rather than treated as the ordinary approved-program route.
National Board route
A comparable National Board credential can support a Pennsylvania Level II certificate and testing waiver; NASP credentials have their own comparable school-psychologist route.
Core evidence
The TIMS review uses official transcripts, PDE338A preparation verification, PDE338V experience verification, the out-of-state credential, source-state tests and any compact, National Board or NASP evidence for the selected route.
State certification help
2 guides
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: Initial teacher applicants apply in TIMS for Level I. The two-year professional-certificate path can avoid Pennsylvania content testing only when the comparable certificate, approved program with student teaching, source-state content test and two most recent satisfactory aligned years are all verified. The approved-program path otherwise requires Pennsylvania tests. Eligible compact applications are automatically reviewed under compact rules. A comparable National Board credential supports Level II and a testing waiver.
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.
Common license moves to Pennsylvania
3 routes
Official sources
State agency material