Indiana Teaching License Requirements

The Core Requirements Every Pathway Shares

For traditional preparation, Transition to Teaching, and interstate reciprocity, the core requirements are similar. Here's the complete checklist for those routes.

A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Indiana doesn't issue standard teaching licenses without at least a four-year degree. The field of study matters for determining your content area and which Praxis exams you'll take, but it doesn't need to be in education.

Completion of an approved educator preparation program (EPP) or alternative pathway. For traditional candidates, this is your university's school of education. For career changers, it's an approved Transition to Teaching program. For out-of-state teachers, your home-state program may satisfy this requirement pending IDOE evaluation.

Passing scores on the required Praxis exams. Indiana uses the ETS Praxis suite for content knowledge and pedagogical skills verification. Your specific exams depend on the license type and content area you're seeking.

Four mandatory safety trainings: CPR/AED/Heimlich with hands-on mannequin practice (online-only rejected), suicide prevention (60+ minutes), human trafficking recognition, and child abuse/neglect detection.

A state background check — the Indiana State Police Limited Criminal History search ($15-$16.32), with results uploaded to LVIS within 60 days of your application.

The LVIS 360 application — submitted through Indiana's licensing portal with all supporting documents, training certificates, and the non-refundable $35 evaluation fee (for out-of-state transcripts) plus $35 application fee.

Requirements by License Type

Initial Practitioner License (the standard first credential)

This is what most new teachers earn. You've completed your EPP, passed all required exams, and cleared your background check. The license is valid for two years, during which you complete IMAP mentorship or accumulate 40 PGP points to convert to a five-year Proficient Practitioner License.

T2T Permit (for career changers)

GPA requirements: 3.0 cumulative, or 2.5 with five years of professional experience, or a passing Praxis content score. Credit hour caps: 18 for secondary (5-12), 24 for elementary (K-6) or P-3. The permit is three years, non-renewable — you must complete all program requirements within this window.

One-Year Reciprocal Permit (for out-of-state teachers)

Requires a valid teaching license from another state, a bachelor's degree, completion of a state-approved or CAEP/AAQEP-accredited educator preparation program, and verification of equivalent teaching experience. The IDOE evaluates your credentials individually and issues a deficiency letter if gaps exist. The permit gives you one year to clear those deficiencies while teaching.

Substitute Permit

Minimum requirement: high school diploma or equivalency. No Praxis testing needed. The school corporation applies on your behalf. Valid for three years, non-renewable at the same employer.

Testing Requirements in Detail

Indiana's Praxis exam requirements follow a clear structure:

Elementary (K-6) candidates face the heaviest testing load: the Elementary Education Assessment (subtests 5007 and 5008), the PLT K-6 pedagogy exam (5622), and the Praxis 5205 Teaching Reading exam for the Science of Reading mandate. Total exam fees: approximately $511 if you pass everything on the first attempt.

Secondary (5-12) candidates need their subject content exam plus the PLT 7-12 (5624). Total: approximately $266 for one content area.

Special education candidates need the Special Education: Foundational Knowledge exam (5355) plus the Praxis 5205 and the PLT. Total: approximately $422.

All-grades (P-12) candidates in areas like art and music need their content exam plus the PLT PreK-12 (5625).

Set your ETS account to send scores to Indiana automatically using state recipient code 7238. Scores transmit in 7-10 business days.

The Process Timeline

The sequencing matters — completing steps out of order creates delays:

Weeks 1-2: Set up your Access Indiana account and LVIS 360 profile. Order official transcripts sent directly to the IDOE.

Weeks 2-4: Complete all four safety trainings. Schedule and take your state background check. Upload all certificates to LVIS.

Weeks 3-8: Register for and take your Praxis exams. Allow 7-10 business days for score transmission.

Weeks 4-12: Allow time for LVIS credential evaluation; out-of-state manual reviews are estimated at 4-8 weeks. Address any deficiency letters.

Week 12+: Once all requirements are met and documented in LVIS, submit your license application and pay the $35 fee. The IDOE issues the digital credential within 3-10 business days of final payment.

The total timeline depends on the pathway and any transcript evaluation; out-of-state manual reviews add an estimated 4-8 weeks.

Requirements That Trip People Up

The hands-on CPR training catches the most applicants. Indiana specifically requires in-person, mannequin-based practice. The convenient $25 online CPR certification won't pass LVIS validation.

The 90-day document window creates urgency. If the IDOE flags your application for missing documentation, you have 90 days to fix it. After that, the file closes and your non-refundable fees are gone.

The dual background check system confuses people. The state licensing check ($15-$16.32) is something you do yourself. The employer fingerprint check ($28-$65) happens after a district hires you. They're separate processes with separate vendors.

For a printable requirements tracker, Praxis testing matrix, and step-by-step LVIS walkthrough, the Indiana Teacher Certification Guide puts everything in one place.

See more Indiana guides →