Credentials
Principal Certification Pathways
Principal certification is a state-issued administrative credential, usually requiring a master's (or higher), an approved principal preparation program, leadership exams where applicable, and teaching experience. Requirements differ by state, never rely on a generic national checklist or a degree brochure alone.
Reviewed by Brittnie Vargas, School principal, M.Ed.Editorial processKey takeaways
- Principal certification is a state-issued administrative credential, usually requiring a master's (or higher), an approved principal preparation program, leadership exams where applicable, and teaching experience. Requirements differ by state, never rely on a generic national checklist or a degree brochure alone.
- Many states require documented teaching experience (often 2–5 years) before issuing a principal license. Texas publishes two creditable classroom years. California publishes five years of full-time experience of a type the Commission accepts. Confirm the exact number and acceptable settings with your state board.
- A master’s is often necessary but not sufficient. Most states also require an approved administrator preparation program (which may be embedded in the master’s), internship hours, and any required leadership assessments.
- No. Several large states use their own leadership assessments. Use the exam map on this page and the SLLA hub, then confirm the current code on the state board testing page.
This credential page is the compliance twin of the educational leadership specialization. Competitors that stop at “how to become a teacher” leave this gap open; we treat principal licensure as a first-class pathway. The how-to-become-a-principal guide is the national sequence. Each published state checklist is the ranking page for “how to become a principal in {state}.”
Typical pathways include a master's in educational leadership with an internship under a mentoring principal. Some states use tiered administrator licenses (building vs district). An EdS or EdD may supply hours or depth, but only the state board decides eligibility.
There is no national principal exam. New Jersey and Virginia use SLLA 6990 at different cut scores (151 and 146). Texas uses TExES 268 plus PASL. Florida uses FELE. California uses CalAPA inside an approved program or CPACE. Massachusetts uses PAL. Ohio uses OAE 015. Read the table below, then open the state checklist — a neighboring cut score is not yours.
Internship hours are also state-specific. New Jersey publishes a 300-hour PSEL-aligned internship that cannot be folded into unrelated graduate hours. Massachusetts publishes a 500-hour practicum or mentored apprenticeship. If an online catalog cannot place you locally, you are not on a credential pathway.
Out-of-state administrators must follow the receiving state's reciprocity or evaluation rules. This site does not republish NASDTEC interstate-agreement text; cite each state DOE reciprocity page and the administrator-reciprocity guide.
Confirm principal rules on the state education agency site before applying. Application fees, fingerprinting, exam codes, and experience documentation are state-specific and change on their own calendars.
Leadership assessments named on this site
| State | Assessment named here | Sourced detail |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | SLLA 6990 | Passing score 151 |
| Virginia | SLLA 6990 | Cut score 146 (required for principals and assistant principals) |
| Texas | TExES 268 and PASL | Passing score 240 on 268; published exam fee $200 |
| Florida | FELE (all subtests) | Aligned to 2024 leadership standards beginning January 2026 |
| California | CalAPA or CPACE | CPACE scores remain usable for ten years |
| Massachusetts | PAL (four tasks) | Overall passing score 2.75 |
| Ohio | OAE 015 Educational Leadership | Does not replace other OAE content tests |
| Illinois | ILTS 195 and 196 | Principal as Instructional Leader |
| Indiana | Praxis 5412 | Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision |
| New York | NYSTCE SBL and EAS | Until a successor administrator exam is operational |
| Arizona | AEPA Principal AZ181 / AZ281 | Confirm current codes on the board testing page |
| Georgia | GACE Educational Leadership / Ethics for Leaders | Confirm current codes on the board testing page |
| Maryland | SLLA on specified pathways | Qualifying score not republished here |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania required administrative test | Named on the Administrative I (75) checklist |
States not in this table still issue a principal or administrator credential. Open the checklist. Do not borrow a cut score from a neighbor.
Browse principal certification by state
Principal credentials by state
Licensure rules differ by state. Open a published Principal guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many years of teaching experience do I need?
Many states require documented teaching experience (often 2–5 years) before issuing a principal license. Texas publishes two creditable classroom years. California publishes five years of full-time experience of a type the Commission accepts. Confirm the exact number and acceptable settings with your state board.
Is a master’s degree enough?
A master’s is often necessary but not sufficient. Most states also require an approved administrator preparation program (which may be embedded in the master’s), internship hours, and any required leadership assessments.
Is the SLLA required in every state?
No. Several large states use their own leadership assessments. Use the exam map on this page and the SLLA hub, then confirm the current code on the state board testing page.
Where do I read the steps for my state?
Open the published principal checklist for that state. Those pages carry HowTo steps, exams, and the licensing-board source. Degree × state URLs on this site are supporting inventory, not the license checklist.