What Washington says
How this move starts
Washington offers Residency and Professional teacher certificates, with separate out-of-state pathways based on preparation, full certification, experience, advanced certification and National Board status.
Where the state decides
A state-approved preparation program or a full regular out-of-state certificate plus three years of teaching can support the Residency route; only a comparable advanced certificate, National Board certification or ProTeach can support the Professional tier.
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 Washington rule; the move planner uses your teaching details to narrow the checklist.
Your California record
Confirm exactly what you hold
California's public educator search is the Commission's official record of credentials, certificates and permits held by public-school educators.
- •Credentials, certificates and permits held by the educator
- •Current and historical document status shown by the Commission
- •Adverse or Commission actions when the public record includes them
Compact check
Use the regular out-of-state path
This pair is not currently a two-member compact route. Washington's out-of-state rules control.
Check compact eligibilityYour likely order
6 reviewed steps
- 01Choose the Residency or Professional teacher pathway
- 02Create an E-Certification account
- 03Arrange official degree transcripts and program or experience verification
- 04Document accepted basic-skills and content tests
- 05Complete fingerprint and background-check requirements
- 06Submit the E-Certification application
What can change the answer
- 01The experience alternative requires a full regular out-of-state certificate and three years of verified out-of-state or out-of-country teaching
- 02Washington may accept qualifying out-of-state test scores, but subject, version and score comparability matter
- 03Professional certification requires an approved advanced out-of-state certificate, National Board certification or ProTeach in addition to Residency requirements
The records worth gathering first
Certificate tiers
Residency is Washington's first-tier full teacher certificate; Professional is the second tier for applicants with an approved comparable advanced certificate, National Board certification or ProTeach completion.
Basic skills and content tests
Washington requires basic-skills and endorsement content testing, but qualifying out-of-state scores or National Board status may satisfy specific requirements; an out-of-state educator may receive a one-year window to complete testing in some cases.
Core evidence
Official degree transcripts, program-completion verification or a full regular out-of-state certificate plus experience verification, test evidence and fingerprints are core materials for the out-of-state route.
California to Washington questions
Does a California teaching license automatically transfer to Washington?
No. Your California credential is evidence for the application, but Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction decides which Washington license, endorsements, tests and remaining conditions apply.
Can I use the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact from California to Washington?
This is not currently a move between two listed compact member states. Use Washington's regular out-of-state pathway unless the destination agency tells you a different route applies.
What should I gather before applying in Washington?
Start with your current California license record, exact endorsements, preparation transcripts, experience verification and test history. Then follow the evidence requests in Washington's application.
What does the TeachPassport move planner include?
It uses your credential, experience, subjects, grades and destination to prepare likely steps, reusable worksheets and official links. You can use it without an account or save the move.
Official sources
State material only