Transferring your teaching license from California to Indiana
Indiana evaluates out-of-state teaching credentials on a case-by-case basis. Expect a credential review by Indiana Department of Education and additional Indiana-specific exam or coursework requirements before a full license is issued.
See 1,690 open teaching jobs in Indiana →Your current credential (California)
- Issuing authority
- California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)
- License type
- Preliminary Credential (5 years (non-renewable))
- Reciprocity policy
- California evaluates out-of-state credentials individually; no blanket reciprocity. California-specific exams are typically required.
Indiana certification
- Issuing authority
- Indiana Department of Education
- License you'll earn
- Practitioner License (2 years)
- Typical timeline
- 12 months traditional; T2T program typically takes 2 years while teaching
- Indiana reciprocity policy
- Indiana participates in the NASDTEC compact. Valid out-of-state licenses evaluated; content exams may be required. Educators with 2+ years of experience receive streamlined review.
Exams typically required in Indiana
Out-of-state applicants are usually asked to demonstrate content-area knowledge on Indiana's preferred exams, even when basic-skills testing is waived through reciprocity. Plan for one or more of the following:
- CORE Academic Skills Assessment (or qualifying SAT/ACT/GRE scores)Basic reading, writing, and mathematics
- Praxis Subject Assessments or Indiana CORE Content Area ExamsContent knowledge for your license area
Steps to transfer your license
- Verify your California credential is current. Indiana will request a verification of your active Preliminary Credential from California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC).
- Apply through Indiana Department of Education. The application packet typically includes official transcripts, prior teaching service verification, and a fingerprint-based background check.
- Sit for any Indiana-specific exams. Most states honor out-of-state content-area exams when scores meet their cutoff, but Indiana may require an additional jurisprudence or state-specific assessment.
- Apply to Indiana districts that match your endorsement. We're currently tracking 1,690 active openings — browse Indiana teaching jobs to start identifying districts.