District of Columbia → Arizona
Transferring your teaching license from District of Columbia to Arizona
Both District of Columbia and Arizona participate in the NASDTEC interstate agreement, which standardizes how states evaluate out-of-state teaching credentials. Educators relocating from District of Columbia can generally expect a streamlined review process, though state-specific content exams or coursework may still be required.
See 2,343 open teaching jobs in Arizona →Your current credential (District of Columbia)
- Issuing authority
- Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)
- License type
- Initial Teaching License (4 years)
- Reciprocity policy
- DC evaluates out-of-state teaching credentials individually. OSSE generally honors valid licenses from NASDTEC-participating states; additional Praxis content-area exams may be required to upgrade from an Initial to a Standard license.
Arizona certification
- Issuing authority
- Arizona Department of Education
- License you'll earn
- Standard Teaching Certificate (6 years)
- Typical timeline
- 12–18 months traditional; Arizona Alternative routes allow classroom teaching within weeks
- Arizona reciprocity policy
- Arizona participates in the NASDTEC compact. Out-of-state teachers with valid certificates may receive an Arizona certificate; AEPA exams may still be required for some subject areas.
Exams typically required in Arizona
Out-of-state applicants are usually asked to demonstrate content-area knowledge on Arizona's preferred exams, even when basic-skills testing is waived through reciprocity. Plan for one or more of the following:
- Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments (AEPA) Professional KnowledgePedagogy and professional knowledge
- AEPA Subject Knowledge AssessmentContent knowledge for your certification area
- NES (National Evaluation Series) examsUsed for some subject areas as an alternative to AEPA
Steps to transfer your license
- Verify your District of Columbia credential is current. Arizona will request a verification of your active Initial Teaching License from Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE).
- Apply through Arizona Department of Education. The application packet typically includes official transcripts, prior teaching service verification, and a fingerprint-based background check.
- Sit for any Arizona-specific exams. Most states honor out-of-state content-area exams when scores meet their cutoff, but Arizona may require an additional jurisprudence or state-specific assessment.
- Apply to Arizona districts that match your endorsement. We're currently tracking 2,343 active openings — browse Arizona teaching jobs to start identifying districts.