Massachusetts Educator Licensure


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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 the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Educator Licensure.

Emergency Licensure

IMPORTANT New applications for Emergency Licenses will end on November 7, 2023.

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.

Provisional Teacher

Educator Preparation & Initial Licensure

Initial License Extension

Educators who have completed five years of employment under the Initial license may be eligible for a one time extension to grant an additional five years of employment.

Professional Licensure Application

Professional Licensure Renewal

Audit of Professional License Renewal

Ch 74 Vocational Technical Educator Licensure

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

Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities

English as a Second Language

Instructional Technology Specialist Teacher

SEI Endorsement

MTA Licensure Workshop Handouts

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.

FTA Licensure for ESPs March 2023

Licensure Basics March 2023

Initial, Professional & Renewal Licensure April 2023

Vocational Technical Licensure Basics November 2022

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