What California says
How this move starts
California has separate out-of-state pathways for Multiple Subject, Single Subject and Education Specialist credentials, with distinct experience and National Board branches.
The decision point: The source license area identifies the California credential family; less than two years, two or more years and National Board certification can lead to different requirements, while career-technical credentials require review by an approved Designated Subjects program.
No blanket reciprocity claim
What this guide will not guess
A state pair alone cannot settle your exact credential, tests or timeline. Those answers can change with your license type, endorsements, preparation and experience. This page shows the reviewed California rule; the free preview applies your first teaching details before checkout.
Your Arizona record
Confirm exactly what you hold
Arizona's public educator portal searches the certification records maintained by the state. Start with a name or Educator Identification Number, then use the optional position and grade filters only when needed.
- •Current certificate information Arizona makes available in the public educator portal
- •Endorsement information associated with the public educator record
- •A result maintained by the Arizona Department of Education rather than a copied directory
Compact check
Use the regular out-of-state path
This pair is not currently a two-member compact route. California's out-of-state rules control.
Check compact eligibilityYour likely order
- 1Identify the corresponding California credential family
- 2Match the out-of-state subject or specialty area
- 3Submit degree and out-of-state credential evidence
- 4Complete fingerprint processing
- 5Provide experience and evaluation evidence for the applicable branch
What can change the answer
- Less than two years, two-or-more years and National Board certification use different branches
- Single Subject areas and Education Specialist specializations must correspond
- English learner authorization or other clear-credential requirements may remain
- Career-technical credentials do not transfer directly through these teaching-credential routes
The records worth gathering first
Credential mapping
Elementary or self-contained teaching generally maps to Multiple Subject, departmentalized content teaching to Single Subject and special education to an Education Specialist specialization.
Experience branches
The core teaching-credential families publish separate routes for less than two years, two or more years and qualifying National Board certification.
Core evidence
Plan for degree, out-of-state credential, fingerprint and branch-specific experience or evaluation evidence.
Career technical education
California does not directly transfer an out-of-state vocational credential; an approved Designated Subjects program reviews eligibility based on the credential and experience.
Basic application fee
California publishes a $100 basic nonrefundable initial application fee. Online transactions add a $2.65 service fee; fingerprint and any program or document costs are separate.
Your live case
Keep the AZ → CA move in one place
TeachPassport turns the state guidance into your ordered checklist, attaches the sources and keeps the route current.
Preview my plan$49 once. No subscription. Future moves are included.
Arizona to California questions
Does an Arizona teaching license automatically transfer to California?
No. Your Arizona credential is evidence for the application, but California Commission on Teacher Credentialing decides which California license, endorsements, tests and remaining conditions apply.
Can I use the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact from Arizona to California?
This is not currently a move between two listed compact member states. Use California's regular out-of-state pathway unless the destination agency tells you a different route applies.
What should I gather before applying in California?
Start with your current Arizona license record, exact endorsements, preparation transcripts, experience verification and test history. Then follow the evidence requests in California's application.
What does the $49 TeachPassport plan include?
It turns your credential, experience, subjects, grades and destination into an ordered live case. The one-time purchase includes future moves and requirement updates.