Certificate for Out-of-state Applicants

• Completed and signed Idaho Educator Certification Application packet
• Application fee of $75.00
  • Checks and money orders are to be made payable to the Idaho Department of Education
  • Credit cards are not accepted as payment
  • Payment is non-refundable
  • Cash in the exact amount will be accepted for walk-ins only
• Completed Background Investigation Check (BIC) packet and processing fee
• Copy of current, valid out-of-state license OR institutional recommendation:
  • Out-of-state License
    • The certificate must have a visible and valid time period.
    • A hard copy of the certificate or a print of the issuing state’s website verifying certification will be accepted.
  • Institutional Recommendation
    • A signed institutional recommendation is acceptable for CAEP or AAQEP-accredited programs completed within the last two calendar years only.
    • If your program was completed outside of the last two calendar years or is not accredited through Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation or AAQEP, a valid out-of-state certificate must be provided instead of an Institutional Recommendation.
• Official transcripts
  • Official transcripts must verify at least a baccalaureate degree and certification and endorsement areas.
  • Official transcripts may be opened by the applicant as long as they are printed on the institution’s original security paper.
  • Please include transcripts with your packet in order to expedite your application.
  • If transcripts are not included with your packet, please note in your application whether you are sending them electronically or by mail.
  • If transcripts are being sent separately from the application, please wait one to two weeks after the application is received to ensure that the documents can be paired with your application.
  • Official transcripts sent electronically from the university/college are acceptable
    • The university/college may send electronic transcripts directly to transcripts@sde.idaho.gov
• Content assessment (if no current out-of-state credential)
  • If including Institutional Recommendation in lieu of out-of-state certificate, include documentation of any content testing required by institution.

For applicants applying for an Administrator Certificate

• Completed Certificated Professional Experience Report
  • Professional experience gained while holding a certificate is the only experience accepted. Experience gained while student teaching and/or substitute teaching is not accepted.
  • Applicants for an Administrator Certificate are required to verify a minimum of four (4) years of full-time certificated experience working with Pre-K-12 students while under contract in an accredited school setting.

• AAQEP Accredited Programs
• Content Area Assessment
• Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation

Q: Can I apply for an Idaho certificate if my current out-of-state certificate is expired?

A: The Idaho teacher certification office cannot accept applications from educators whose out-of-state certification has expired. If your out-of-state certificate has expired and you wish to apply for Idaho certification, the best option is to do whatever is required to renew your out-of-state certificate and then apply for an Idaho Interim Certificate.

If you cannot renew your out-of-state certificate, you can obtain an Idaho Interim Certificate by passing the ABCTE tests in a teaching area. You would then need to teach successfully for two (2) years under a mentor teacher in Idaho and complete all requirements of the ABCTE process before a 5-year, renewable certification could be issued. You could also use the CSI, LCSC or Teach for America non-traditional programs to obtain Idaho teacher certification

The only other option to is to work with the College of Education of an Idaho university or an out-of-state university with a National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)- or Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)-approved certification program to obtain a full Institutional Recommendation from the College of Education of that university.