Massachusetts Educator Licensure

The Center for Education Policy + Practice has curated a variety of documents to support the application process for licenses issued by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Resources available on this page include original materials created by the Massachusetts Teachers Association and documents from DESE’s Office of Educator Licensure.

DESE Licensure Home

Employment and Licensure

MTA Check List Academic Licensure
MTA Check List Vocational Licensure

MTA Road Map for Beginning Teachers
MTA Know Your Legal Rights: Nonrenewal of non-PTS teachers
MTA What To Do If You’re RIF’d

Check List Academic Lic 2025-26

Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTELs)

All candidates for educators licensure must create an ELAR account before registering for any MTEL test. All license applications, payments and supporting documents are processed through the ELAR account.

DESE offering Regional Licensure Assistance Centers that may be able to provide additional information on MTEL preparation, vouchers and other direct licensure application support. The contact information for each center is available at www.doe.mass.edu/edeffectiveness/regional-centers/default.html.

Applications – First Steps for New and Additional Licenses

For any license or endorsement application, educators should take the following steps:

  • Create or log into your personal ELAR account.
    Note: The MEPID number in your ELAR account will be required to register for MTELs or other Massachusetts assessments for licensure.
  • Verify or update any personal details including home email and address.
  • Add transcripts for undergraduate and graduate level coursework (if not on file).
  • Upload any other required or additional documents.
  • Apply for license(s) and endorsements you are seeking.
  • Make a payment for any license applications:
    $100 First License
    $25 Additional License (New Field or Grade Level)
    $0 Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Endorsement
    $25 All Other Endorsements
  • Watch your email or check your ELAR account for updates on the status of the license evaluation.
  • Once an application is submitted, you may continue to add documents to the open application.

If you need assistance with using ELAR or have questions about an application in file, your best resources is to contact the Licensure Call Center at DESE at 781-338-6600

Provisional Teacher

The Provisional license is valid for five years of employment in a Massachusetts public school. Provisional licenses do not require verification of an educator preparation program or SEI Endorsement to be issued.

Initial License Application + Educator Preparation

Candidates for teacher and administrator licenses are required to complete an approved educator preparation program to qualify for an Initial license.
Accepted programs may include Massachusetts in-state approved programs for Initial licensure, out-of-state programs, accredited (e.g. CAEP or AAQEP) or foreign teacher preparation programs.

Initial License Extension

Teachers and administrators who hold an Initial license may be eligible for a one-time extension. Educators must be in the fifth year of employment in the role of the license and not be eligible for a Professional license in the same field and grade level.

Educators must apply for the Initial Extension in ELAR, ensure all personal information is current and submit a completed copy of the Initial License Extension Plan. See the Initial Extension Guide and Template available at www.doe.mass.edu/licensure/forms-guidelines.html or linked below.

Professional Licensure Application

Professional Licensure Renewal

Audit of Professional License Renewal

Ch 74 Vocational Technical Educator Licensure

Ch 74 Vocational Technical educator licenses are issued through DESE. All license applications are submitted through the ELAR system.

Check List Voc Ed September 2025-26Download

Preliminary and Emergency VTE Licenses

VTE Professional Licensure Requirements and Application

Professional License Renewal for VTE Licenses

Administrator VTE Licenses

DESE Chapter 74 Guide for Vocational Technical Administrator & Cooperative Education Coordinator Licensure

Retirement & MTRS for Ch. 74 Vocational Technical Educators

Vocational Education Credit – MTRS
Additional information about MTRS Creditable Service is available here.

Special Topics

Library

Educators who hold an Initial or Professional license in another academic field may apply for the Library license in ELAR and complete the following:

  • An approved program for the Library – All Levels license
    OR
  • Complete a Competency Review outlined in the DESE Competency Review Guide September 2023. Any combination of accepted activities that include:
    • Coursework or professional learning in the “coverage of” area
    • Mentored employment in the role of the license
    • A passing score on any of the following exams satisfies all requirements within a Competency Review:
      • Praxis II 5311 Library Media Specialist Test
      • National Evaluation Series (NES) School Library Media Specialist (502) (Arizona & Oregon)
      • Educational Media Specialist PK-12 (010) (Florida)
      • GACE Media Specialist Assessment (Combined 601) (Georgia)
      • ILTS Library Information Specialist (175) (Illinois)
      • MTTC Library Media (048) (Michigan)
      • MTLE Library Media Specialist (Minnesota)
      • MEGA Library Media Specialist (042) (Missouri)
      • NYSTCE Library Medial Specialist (074) (New York)
      • CEOE Library-Medial Specialist (038) (Oklahoma)
      • TExEs School Librarian (150) (Texas)
      • WEST-E Library Media (042) ( Washington)

Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities

Requirements by Grade Span

PreK-2 General Requirements

Possession of a bachelor’s degree
MTEL Requirements:
Communication and Literacy Skills test or alternative assessment
Early Childhood
Foundations of Reading or Reading Specialist

Coverage Of (Competency Review):
Educational terminology for students with mild to moderate disabilities
Preparation, implementation, and evaluation of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
Design or modification of curriculum, instructional materials, and general education classroom environments for students with moderate disabilities
Federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to special education
Knowledge of services provided by other agencies
Ways to prepare and maintain students with disabilities for general education classrooms
Instruction on the appropriate use of augmentative and alternative communication and other assistive technologies

Field Experience:
First Initial License: 300 hour practicum in the role of the license in an approved educator preparation program
Additional Additional License: 150 hours practicum or internship

PreK-8 General Requirements

Possession of a bachelor’s degree
MTEL Requirements:
Communication and Literacy Skills test or alternative assessment
General Curriculum: Mathematics, Science, and Technology/Engineering subtest
General Curriculum: Language Arts and History/Social Science subtest
Foundations of Reading or Reading Specialist

Coverage Of (Competency Review):
Educational terminology for students with mild to moderate disabilities
Preparation, implementation, and evaluation of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
Design or modification of curriculum, instructional materials, and general education classroom environments for students with moderate disabilities
Federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to special education
Knowledge of services provided by other agencies
Ways to prepare and maintain students with disabilities for general education classrooms
Instruction on the appropriate use of augmentative and alternative communication and other assistive technologies

Field Experience:
First Initial License: 300 hour practicum in the role of the license in an approved educator preparation program
Additional Additional License: 150 hours practicum or internship

5-12 General Requirements

Possession of a bachelor’s degree
MTEL Requirements:
Communication and Literacy Skills test or alternative assessment
MTEL Content area test (see License Requirements tool or check your application in ELAR)
Foundations of Reading or Reading Specialist

Coverage Of (Competency Review):
Educational terminology for students with mild to moderate disabilities
Preparation, implementation, and evaluation of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
Design or modification of curriculum, instructional materials, and general education classroom environments for students with moderate disabilities
Federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to special education
Knowledge of services provided by other agencies
Ways to prepare and maintain students with disabilities for general education classrooms
Instruction on the appropriate use of augmentative and alternative communication and other assistive technologies

Field Experience:
First Initial License: 300 hour practicum in the role of the license in an approved educator preparation program
Additional Additional License: 150 hours practicum or internship

Competency Review for PreK-2, PreK-8 and 5-12 license may be satisfied through coursework in a approved program. Additional options for the “Coverage Of” requirements are outlined in the DESE Competency Review Guide September 2023.

DESE will now accept a passing score on any of the following exams satisfies all requirements:

  • The National Evaluation Series (NES) Special Education (601) Test adopted by Arizona and Oregon
  • The Exceptional Student Education K-12 (061) Test adopted by Florida
  • The NYSTCE Students with Disabilities (060) Test adopted by New York
  • The Learning Behavior Specialist I (155) Test adopted by Illinois
  • The MTLE Special Education Core Skills Test adopted by Minnesota
  • The MEGA Mild/Moderate Cross Categorical Special Education Test (050) adopted by Missouri
  • The OAE Special Education (043) Test adopted by Ohio
  • The CEOE Mild-Moderate Disabilities (129) Test adopted by Oklahoma
  • The PECT Special Education PreK-8 & 7-12 Test adopted by Pennsylvania prior to 2022
  • The WEST-E Special Education (070) Test adopted by Washington

The following exams will PARTIALLY satisfy requirements:

  • A passing score on the Texas Special Education EC-12 (161) test satisfies all requirements except “Instruction on appropriate use of augmentative and alternative communication and other assistive technologies”
  • A passing score on any of the following exams satisfies all requirements except “Preparation, implementation, and evaluation of Individualized Education Programs” and “Instruction on appropriate use of augmentative and alternative communication and other assistive technologies”
  • The Praxis II 5543 test
    • The Praxis II 5354 test
  • A passing score on the “Old” Moderate Disabilities MTEL which is no longer administered satisfies all competency review “coverage of” requirements except “Instruction on appropriate use of augmentative and alternative communication and other assistive technologies” when the testing company verifies this option electronically

DESE Seminars or Courses Ways to Prepare and Maintain Students with Disabilities for General Classrooms

English as a Second Language

Provisional License
Teachers who hold an Initial or Professional license may add an ESL license at the Provisional stage with a passing score on the ESL MTEL and evidence of two years of experience in second language acquisition and sheltering content for English learners.

DESE ESL MTEL Test Preparation (Self-Directed)

ESL MTEL Alternative Option (Eligible candidates may take the PRAXIS ESL test)

Instructional Technology Specialist Teacher

Requires completion of approved program for Instructional Technology Specialist Teacher licensure.
Search for approved programs here elar2.com/Public/ProgramSearch. The currently approved program providers are Bridgewater State University, Lelsey University and University of Massachusetts Boston.

Digital Literacy and Computer Science Teacher

​DESE DLCS Educator Resources and DLCS Licensure Resources.

The Digital Literacy and Computer Science MTEL will satisfy the content knowledge requirements for either the PreK-6 and/or 5-12 DLCS license. For applicants who are only seeking a PreK-6 DLCS license, Competency Review  process is an option.

SEI Endorsement

MTA Licensure Workshop Slides

Please note, handouts from MTA licensure workshops are only available for a short time after the workshop session has ended. Please download and save copies of any resources for your own files. If you are looking for a document that is no longer posted online, please send an email to licensure@massteacher.org.

Emergency Licensure – Archive

NOTE New applications for Emergency Licenses ended on November 7, 2023.

DESE offering Regional Licensure Assistance Centers for educators employed under an Emergency license. The Centers may be able to provide additional information on MTEL preparation, vouchers and other direct licensure application support.

The contact information for each center is available at https://www.doe.mass.edu/edeffectiveness/regional-centers/default.html.

Join the discussion! Share your thoughts in the comments.Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

%%footer%%