Arizona Teaching Certification
Becoming a certified teacher in Arizona requires a bachelor’s degree, completion of a state-approved teacher preparation program, and passing the Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments for your certification area. New teachers hold a three-year Provisional Certificate while completing Structured English Immersion training, then qualify for the renewable Standard Professional Teaching Certificate through the Arizona Department of Education.
Arizona certifies teachers through several distinct paths, and the right one depends on where you’re starting from. Choose the description below that best matches your situation:
- Initial Teaching Certification…
- I’m a teacher from another state…
- Teacher Certification Renewal…
- Admin./Principal Certification…
- Alternative Teaching Certification…
- Substitute Teaching Permit…
Why Arizona Needs More Certified Teachers
Arizona has wrestled with a persistent teacher shortage for years, and it shows up most in rural districts and hard-to-staff subject areas like special education and secondary math and science. Becoming certified here isn’t just paperwork. It’s a direct answer to a real staffing gap, and the state legislature’s decisions about school funding shape how much support you’ll have once you’re in the classroom. If you want a broader sense of how Arizona compares to other states on education investment, see State Education Spending vs. Overall State Revenue.
All Arizona teachers must have at least a bachelor’s degree and complete an Arizona state board-approved teacher preparation program in their chosen specialty. Your degree needs to correspond with the area in which you want to be certified to teach.
Teacher preparation programs in Arizona can sit at the bachelor’s, master’s, or post-graduate level. Some combine a bachelor’s or master’s degree with the teaching certificate itself, while others pair a master’s degree with a separate certification track. A smaller number leads to an Ed.S. or Ed.D.
If you didn’t graduate from an Arizona teacher preparation program, you can still become certified as long as you meet the state’s requirements. You’ll still need a bachelor’s degree or higher, whether from a non-approved Arizona school, an accredited out-of-state institution, or an approved online program, but the specific coursework, exam, and experience requirements depend on your certification path. Coursework, examination, and experience requirements for each certification are listed on the Arizona Department of Education website.
Additional Education Requirements:
SEI Endorsement
Every applicant for a Provisional Teaching Certificate must obtain the Structured English Immersion (SEI) Endorsement. This requires 45 clock hours (or 3 semester hours) of state-approved SEI training, which results in a Provisional SEI Endorsement. A second round of 45 clock hours (or 3 semester hours) must be completed within three years before you apply for the Standard certificate. Completing that second round earns you the Full SEI Endorsement. You can find state-approved SEI training through college and university courses, individual trainers, and local education agencies. File the Application for Certification Endorsement with the Arizona Department of Education to receive credit, and you can submit it at the same time as your Application for Teacher Certification.
Constitution Courses
Applicants for the Provisional Teaching Certificate must also show proof of completing a course in the Arizona Constitution and a course in the U.S. Constitution, reflected on their college transcripts.
Examinations
An overview of Arizona testing requirements is available through the Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments (AEPA) and National Evaluation Series (NES) websites. Which exam you take depends on your certification area; some subjects use AEPA-branded tests, others use NES-branded tests covering the same content.
Basic Skills testing:
All prospective Arizona teachers must pass a Professional Knowledge Exam. Three levels exist — Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary — each with 100 multiple-choice questions and three written performance assessments. You take the version that matches the area you want to teach.
Arizona also recognizes comparable professional knowledge exams from other states through reciprocity. An updated list of comparable exams is available here. Certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) is also accepted in place of the Professional Knowledge exam.
If you have three years of full-time teaching experience in your certification area, verifiable by the district where you worked, you may qualify for an exemption from the Professional Knowledge Exam. Submit a letter on official school letterhead, signed by the superintendent or personnel director, to the Arizona Department of Education’s Certification Unit.
Content area assessment testing:
After the Professional Knowledge Exam, you’ll need to pass a Subject Knowledge Exam specific to your certification area.
- Early Childhood: Take the Subject Knowledge Early Childhood Education Exam, or a comparable state/agency exam approved by the Arizona Department of Education (approved exams are listed here). A valid, comparable NBPTS certificate or a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education also satisfies this requirement.
- Elementary Education: Take the Subject Knowledge Elementary Education Exam, or a comparable approved exam. A valid NBPTS certificate satisfies this requirement as well.
- Secondary Education: Take the Subject Knowledge Secondary Education Exam in your specific subject — options include Art, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Economics, English, French, Geography, German, History, Health, Mathematics, Music, Physics, Political Science/American Government, Social Studies, and Spanish. If your subject doesn’t have a dedicated exam, 24 semester hours of related coursework can satisfy the requirement instead. For languages not listed, an Advanced Low score on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) exam or 24 semester hours of coursework works as well. A valid NBPTS certificate or a relevant master’s degree from an accredited institution also satisfies the requirement.
Experience Requirements
Arizona teacher preparation programs include an internship component, giving you classroom experience in an Arizona (or occasionally out-of-state) public school. The classroom you’re assigned to will match your certification area.
You’ll work under a classroom teacher who serves as your mentor, observing you and being observed in return. Your internship may also involve developing your own lesson plans. Program length varies by college or university.
As noted above, three years of full-time, paid classroom teaching experience can exempt you from the Professional Knowledge exam. Internship experience alone typically doesn’t count toward that exemption.
Document and Application Requirements
The fastest way to apply is online through the My Certification Portal (ADE Connect), where you can submit your Application for Certification along with digital copies of your supporting documents. If you’d rather apply by mail, send the completed application, fees, and supporting documents to Arizona Department of Education – Certification Unit, P.O. Box 6490, Phoenix, AZ 85005-6490, or, if you’re closer to Tucson, to 400 W. Congress St., #118, Tucson, AZ 85701. Either way, you’ll need:
- Official, unopened transcript from your Arizona-approved teacher preparation program, or transcripts documenting your completed coursework
- Photocopy of your Fingerprint Card (see below for details)
- Completed Application for Certification indicating the certification type you’re seeking
- Applicable application fees ($60 per certificate, endorsement, or approved area, and non-refundable)
- Verification of SEI training or your Application for Certification Endorsement
If you hold a certification in a foreign country, use the Application to Extend a Provisional Foreign Teacher Teaching Certificate. If you hold a teaching certificate in another state, use the Application for Reciprocal Teaching and Reciprocal Administrative Certificate instead. Other certification requirements are listed here.
Criminal History Background Check
Arizona requires every certification applicant to complete a criminal background check that includes fingerprinting. Call the Arizona Department of Public Safety at (602) 223-2279 to request an Identity Verified Prints (IVP) Fingerprint Card, and follow their instructions on where to complete the process. Submit a photocopy of your valid IVP card with your Application for Certification.
Arizona doesn’t recognize fingerprint clearance cards issued by other states. Even if you already hold one elsewhere, you’ll need to apply for Arizona’s own IVP card through the Department of Public Safety. You’ll also need to disclose and explain any criminal history on Section 5 of the Application for Certification.
Contact Information
Contact Arizona colleges and universities offering approved Teacher Preparation Programs with questions about their education programs. For certification questions specifically, reach the Arizona Department of Education’s Certification Unit in Phoenix at (602) 542-4367, in Tucson at (520) 628-6326, or through the Arizona Department of Education website. For salary and benefits information specific to Arizona teachers, see Arizona Teaching Salaries and Benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
What degree do I need to become a certified teacher in Arizona?
You need at least a bachelor’s degree, along with completion of an Arizona state board-approved teacher preparation program in the specialty you want to teach. The degree can come from an Arizona program, an accredited out-of-state school, or an approved online program, though your path to certification varies depending on which one you choose.
What exams do I need to pass for Arizona teacher certification?
Most applicants take a Professional Knowledge Exam matched to their certification level (Early Childhood, Elementary, or Secondary) and a Subject Knowledge Exam specific to their content area. These are administered as AEPA or NES exams depending on the subject. Three years of verified full-time teaching experience, or a comparable NBPTS certificate, can exempt you from some of these requirements.
How long does an Arizona teaching certificate last?
Your first certificate is a three-year Provisional Teaching Certificate. Once you complete the remaining requirements, including full Structured English Immersion training, it converts to the Standard Professional Teaching Certificate, which is renewable.
Can I teach in Arizona if I’m certified in another state?
Yes. Arizona accepts certification through reciprocity if you hold a valid, comparable out-of-state teaching certificate. See Arizona Teacher Reciprocity Agreements for the specific states and requirements that apply.
How do I apply for an Arizona teaching certificate?
The quickest way is online through the My Certification Portal (ADE Connect), where you can submit your application, transcripts, and supporting documents digitally. You can also apply by mail to the Arizona Department of Education’s Certification Unit in Phoenix or Tucson.
- Every path starts with a bachelor’s degree and an approved prep program — the specialty area you choose determines which Subject Knowledge Exam and endorsements you’ll need.
- The Provisional Certificate is a three-year bridge, not the finish line — full SEI Endorsement and remaining requirements convert it into the renewable Standard Professional Teaching Certificate.
- SEI training happens in two rounds — 45 clock hours before your Provisional Certificate, another 45 within three years, before you apply for Standard status.
- Applying online through ADE Connect is faster than mailing paper forms — though the Phoenix and Tucson mail-in options remain available.
- Out-of-state teachers don’t start from scratch — Arizona’s reciprocity agreements recognize valid, comparable certificates from other states.
Find an accredited Arizona teacher preparation program below to compare coursework, format, and timeline for the certification path that fits you.
