Transferring your teaching license from Minnesota to Arizona
Arizona evaluates out-of-state teaching credentials on a case-by-case basis. Expect a credential review by Arizona Department of Education and additional Arizona-specific exam or coursework requirements before a full license is issued.
See 2,343 open teaching jobs in Arizona →Your current credential (Minnesota)
- Issuing authority
- Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB)
- License type
- Tier 1 License (non-traditional) or Tier 2 License (traditional) (1 year (Tier 1) or renewable (Tier 2))
- Reciprocity policy
- Minnesota evaluates out-of-state licenses individually. Tier 2 may be issued to teachers with at least 2 years of out-of-state teaching experience.
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 Minnesota credential is current. Arizona will request a verification of your active Tier 1 License (non-traditional) or Tier 2 License (traditional) from Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB).
- 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.