Get an EEC Professional Certification

The Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) offers optional professional certifications for early childhood educators.

Learn more about certifications, eligibility requirements, the documents you’ll need, and how to apply. 

About EEC professional certifications

EEC professional certifications show your skills, knowledge, and experience in early childhood education and care. They also qualify you to handle specific responsibilities. 

Our professional certifications may also help you advance in your current role or strengthen your application for future job opportunities.

These are the position levels and the certifications:  

• Teacher level. This includes an infant-toddler certification and preschool certification.
• Lead teacher level. This includes an infant-toddler certification and preschool certification.
• Director I level. This includes a director I certification.
• Director II level. This includes a director II certification. 

Note: You don’t need to have a certification from the previous level to apply for the next level, but you must meet the eligibility requirements for the level you’re applying for. 

Eligibility requirements for certifications

You must meet certain age, education, and work experience requirements for the certification you’re applying for.

Before you apply for a certification, be sure to review the details and eligibility requirements for the level you want to apply for.

Learn more about the teacher level eligibility requirements 
Learn more about the lead teacher level eligibility requirements  
Learn more about the director level eligibility requirements

Your application must also include documents proving that you meet these requirements. You'll need to apply again if you’re missing any documents or if they’re unclear. 

Keep reading to find out more about the information and documents you'll need.

Information you’ll need to apply

Here’s the information you’ll need to share in your application:

• Personal information. This includes your full name, any previous names, Social Security number, zip code, and phone number.
• Certification level. Choose the level you want to apply for.  
  Learn more about eligibility requirements for each level
• Learning and education experience. This includes the type of school, the degree, college or university level credits, and any other certifications, credentials, or licensures.
• Work experience. This includes details about the type of programs, age groups, and number of hours. Your supervisor will need to verify your work experience online after you submit your application.

Learn more about our updates to the professional certification application

Documents you’ll need to apply

Have these documents ready before you start your application. You'll need to apply again if your documents are missing or unclear. 

High school diploma (only if you’re under 21)

If you're under 21, you must submit a copy of your high school diploma or GED.

Official transcript

You’ll need to submit a copy of the front and back of an official transcript with all of this information:  


• The college or university name and logo, and
• The registrar’s signature, and
• The course names and credits received, and
• Degree earned (if you have one)

Note: It’s okay to open the official sealed envelope to scan or take a photo of your transcript. 

What to do if your transcript is from a school outside of the U.S. 

If your transcript is from a school outside of the U.S. or isn’t in English, you’ll need to submit 2 copies:

• You’ll need the original copy, and
• You’ll need to submit a copy with an evaluation and translation by a credential evaluation service. 
 
  Learn more about agencies that provide credential evaluation services  

You’ll also need to submit a copy of your degree or diploma (if you have one).

What to do if you have college or university practicum hours

Your official transcript needs to include these other details:

• The practicum name
• Threshold Program details and explanation (if you were in this program)  

You’ll also need to submit a letter with details about your practicum with this information: 

• A signature from school’s registrar or director on the school’s letterhead, and
• The total hours of classroom experience, and
• The age group of the children you worked with

Other documents you may need to upload 

You may also need to upload copies of other supporting documents depending on the certification level you’re applying for and your experiences. 

Chapter 74 high school vocational training documents 

You’ll need to submit a letter of recommendation from your high school program director on the school's letterhead.

The letter must include all of these details:

• A recommendation from your teacher, and
• The total hours of classroom experience, and
• The age group of the children you worked with 

You’ll also need to submit a copy of your high school diploma and your official transcript signed by your principal. 

Be sure your official transcript includes all of these details: 

• The school's name and logo, and
• The principal’s signature, and
• The course names and credits received 

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) course or training certificate 

You’ll need to submit a copy of your certificate with all of these details: 

• Your name and date, and
• The number of units, and
• A signature from the Chief Executive Officer 

Note: We accept training CEUs from CCEI, MAEYC, or NAEYC only. If your training is from CCEI, we only accept the infant-toddler certificate and the Director's certificate. Professional Development Points or workshop attendance verification are not substitutes for CEUs and we don’t accept them.

Child Development Associate (CDA) credential  

You’ll need to upload a copy of your CDA credential from the Council for Professional Recognition. 

Your credential must include all of these details:

• The CDA logo, and
• A signature from the Chief Executive Officer, and
• The credential number (this starts with the letter “C” and has 9 digits)

Montessori documents  

Your Montessori certificate must be from an EEC recognized program that’s affiliated with the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Evaluation (MACTE).

You’ll need to submit these documents: 

• A certificate, and
• A congratulatory letter, and
• An official MACTE transcript   

Other Massachusetts certifications or licensures

You’ll need to upload a copy of your certificate if you have one of these Massachusetts certifications or licensures:

• K-3 Teacher of Young Children with Special Needs certificate from the Department of Education
• Early Intervention Specialist certificate from the Department of Public Health (DPH)
• Educator in Early Childhood (PreK-2 or PreK-3) license from the from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) 

Apply for your certification

Once you have all of your documents and information, you can apply for a certification online. 
 
Learn more about the information and documents you’ll need 
 
You’ll need a MyMassGov account to use the application.

Apply online 

Submitted applications take up to 4 weeks to process.

Date published:	March 7, 2025
Last updated:	March 7, 2025