Certification

Applicants from Other States (Reciprocity)

Important

The Office of Teaching Initiatives can not determine eligibility for certification until an application has been submitted, and a review of your credentials has been completed.

New York State does not pre-approve teacher preparation programs and/or experience completed in other U.S. States or Territories.

 important

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Specific Information Regarding (Click to see information):

  • Applicants with Foreign Credentials
  • Certificate Endorsements / Add-on Certificates
    • In many cases, endorsements / add-on certificates from other states do not satisfy the requirements for reciprocity in New York. NYS extension certs such as Gifted & Talented do not have reciprocity. Eligibility for certification through reciprocity cannot be determined until this office has a chance to review your credentials. To receive a review, you must apply for certification through TEACH online.
  • Out-of-State Examinations
  • Pupil Personnel Certification (School Social Worker, School Psychologist, School Nursing, School Dental Hygiene, School Attendance Teacher) *with exception of School Counselor
    • Pupil Personnel Titles are not reviewed through reciprocity. Please select the “Individual Evaluation” pathway when applying for certification.
  • No Reciprocity for out-of-state Career and Technical certificates or programs
How to Apply
  1. To apply online, click Teach Online Services

  2. Upon completion of your application, apply for fingerprinting using your TEACH account.
    • For information about the fingerprint process, go to Fingerprinting .

  3. Official Transcripts: Contact the registrar's office of each college/university you attended and ask that they submit official transcripts to this office. How to Submit Documents

  4. Submit copies of all out-of-state certificates - including those that have expired – to: tcert@nysed.gov. Please include your full name and either your birth date or the last four digits of your SSN.
1. Program must be similar to a New York State-registered teacher preparation program completed at a New York State College/University. Comparability based on Official Compilation of Closed, Rules and Regulations of the State of New York (8 CRR-NY 52.21External Web Site).
2. Certificate must be active in the state of issuance (at the time of application).
3. A “regular” certificate, in a comparable subject area and similar grade-level, that has no limits/restriction, list of acceptable-level certificates.
4. Final authority regarding acceptabilty remains with the New York State Education Department.
Last Updated: June 3, 2026