Transferring your teaching license from Minnesota to Illinois
Illinois evaluates out-of-state teaching credentials on a case-by-case basis. Expect a credential review by Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and additional Illinois-specific exam or coursework requirements before a full license is issued.
See 1,917 open teaching jobs in Illinois →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.
Illinois certification
- Issuing authority
- Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)
- License you'll earn
- Resident Educator License (4 years)
- Typical timeline
- 12–18 months for traditional program; 3 years for alternative licensure
- Illinois reciprocity policy
- Illinois participates in NASDTEC; however, all ILTS exams are typically still required. Extensive documentation needed.
Exams typically required in Illinois
Out-of-state applicants are usually asked to demonstrate content-area knowledge on Illinois's preferred exams, even when basic-skills testing is waived through reciprocity. Plan for one or more of the following:
- Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS) Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP)Basic skills assessment
- ILTS Content Area AssessmentSubject matter knowledge for your area
- edTPAPerformance assessment during student teaching
Steps to transfer your license
- Verify your Minnesota credential is current. Illinois 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 Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). The application packet typically includes official transcripts, prior teaching service verification, and a fingerprint-based background check.
- Sit for any Illinois-specific exams. Most states honor out-of-state content-area exams when scores meet their cutoff, but Illinois may require an additional jurisprudence or state-specific assessment.
- Apply to Illinois districts that match your endorsement. We're currently tracking 1,917 active openings — browse Illinois teaching jobs to start identifying districts.