Texas · Teacher
Provenance
Official-source reference
Field-reviewed details link to their exact supporting source. Any older detail awaiting a separate field review is labeled and retains the guide source. Confirm the current rules for your license type before applying or renewing.
Complete an approved educator preparation program before applying for teacher certification.
Earn a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
Pass the appropriate Texas teacher-certification examinations after obtaining approval from the educator preparation program.
The standard certification application fee is $78. Eligible Special Education or Bilingual Education applicants receive a $0 application fee, while separate pedagogy-test and fingerprinting fees remain.
Every Texas educator-certification applicant must complete a fingerprint-based national criminal background check; fingerprinting begins through ECOS during the application process when TEA has no prior result on file.
Texas provides a dedicated TEA certification route for educators already certified outside Texas or outside the United States. Use the Out-of-State/Country Certified Educators pathway rather than the initial in-state teacher route.
Complete your application with the licensing authority.
Open official licensing authority