Certificate of High School Equivalency

 Find free adult education classes near you by calling 800-441-7323. Each program offers test-takers the following options:

• Live, hybrid or virtual classes 
• One-on-one math tutors 
• Free test vouchers for eligible students: 
  • 21 years-old or older
  • Likely to pass your GED test
  • Enrolled in grant recipient program (Look for * This organization is an Adult Ed Grant Recipient in the search link below

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Follow these steps to earn your Texas Certificate of High School Equivalency:

1. Prepare to Test. Visit the GED Preparation Resources page for links to adult education programs and online resources.
 
2. Schedule your tests online: GED.

Notes: 16 and 17-year-old test takers will need to meet eligibility requirements. (See Age Exceptions)
Tests can now be take online. Learn more: GED test online.

3. Take the tests. Once you pass the whole series, TEA will email you a PDF containing your certificate in just a few days.

Verify or Purchase a Texas Certificate of High School Equivalency/GED

The Certificate/Transcript Search is used to obtain a free verification letter or a PDF containing the Certificate of High School Equivalency and test scores for $5.00. The PDF will include a diploma-style certificate suitable for framing and a transcript with test dates and scores. You can save the PDF file to your computer or electronic device, email it to yourself or third parties, and/or print it.  Purchases can be made by credit card or check (automated clearing house).

Colleges and Employers

Colleges and employers are urged to obtain verifications from the Texas Certificate/Transcript Search as TEA no longer sends certificates or verifications via mail, fax, or email to third parties.

If your search returns "No Records Found," please create a Help Desk ticket and make sure you include the applicant’s written consent to request a record search.

Recent Test Takers

Certificates are issued approximately three business days after the final computer-based test. TEA will email the initial certificate in a PDF file to the email address used to register for the exams.

Once the initial certificate is received by email, the Texas Certificate/Transcript Search may be used to verify the certificate or purchase duplicate transcripts. If no social security number was provided when testing, a FILE ID number is provided on the transcript to use in the search.

File ID

File IDs are assigned to records when no social security number was provided. Certificate holders can create a Help Desk ticket to obtain the File ID.

Candidate ID

A Candidate ID is assigned by the test provider to each test taker with an account opened since January 1, 2014. Test takers can login to their test provider account through www.ged.com to obtain their Candidate ID.  

High School Diplomas

If you graduated from high school, contact the school district from which you graduated to request your diploma and transcript.

Verify or Purchase a Texas Certificate of High School Equivalency/GED

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Test Fees per Battery

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*Includes test center fee and state administrative fee

Test Fees per Subject

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*Includes test center fee and state administrative fee

Retest Fees & Retest Rules

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 *Includes test center fee and state administrative fee

Score Requirements

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The Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) has authorized TEA to contract with GED Testing Service to provide the GED test for individuals to earn the Texas Certificate of High School Equivalency (TxCHSE). Tests may only be administered by TEA-authorized testing centers under Texas Administrative Code §89.42  Official Testing Centers. 

To request approval to administer GED exams in your testing center, please complete the online application. Upon approval, your information will be provided to Pearson VUE/GED Testing Service to assist them in initiating the contracting process with your test center.

Technical Requirements to administer exams:

• PVTC Technical Requirements

PLEASE NOTE:  All requests will now be submitted through the Help Desk. This ticketing system will  facilitate processing your requests.

17-Year-Old Test-Takers

1. Test taker must initiate the registration process at www.ged.com. A candidate ID will be issued by the registration system. To access, click 'Profile' in the upper right hand corner.
2. An alert message from the test vendor will provide a link to the TEA Help Desk.
3. The Parent or Guardian is responsible for submitting the help desk ticket. A third party may submit the ticket by attaching the a signed Parent/Guardian Consent form to the ticket (see form below).
4. Upon receipt, TEA staff will verify that the test taker is not currently enrolled in an accredited high school. You will be notified if additional action or documentation is required. Please allow 2 - 3 business days for processing.
5. The test taker will receive an email notification from the test vendor to complete the registration process and schedule the exams.

*If you are married, entered into military service, declared an adult by the court, or have otherwise legally severed the child-parent relationship, you may submit supporting documentation confirming your status as married, a soldier, legal adult, etc. when you submit a Help Desk ticket.
 

Court-Ordered 16 and 17-Year-Old Test-Takers

1. Test taker must initiate the registration process at www.ged.com.
2.  A court-ordered 16 or 17-year-old test-taker can use one of the following methods:

• A representative of the court or agency can create a ticket on the TEA Help Desk, or
• Scan the court order requiring you to test and upload by creating a ticket: TEA Help Desk.
    

Forms

The following forms are no longer required in most cases, but are provided to facilitate third party submissions.

Parent or Guardian Consent of 17-Year-Old Test-Taker (PDF)  

High School Non-Enrollment Form  (PDF). This form verifies that the student has withdrawn from the school. Signed withdrawal documentation can be submitted in place of the non-enrollment form. Scan and attach to a new Help Desk ticket.

17-Year-Old Test-Taker Eligibility based on the McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (PDF) For eligible homeless 17-year-olds.
  

Instructions for Submitting Documents to TEA

Please create a Help Desk ticket to submit documentation. If you have already created a ticket, you will need to create a new ticket to submit additional documents.

Verify or Purchase a Texas Certificate of High School Equivalency/GED

Current and historical score requirements are for high school equivalency exams taken in Texas since 1942. 

Current Requirements

Minimum score requirements are determined by the test vendor.  Scores from different test series or scores from a previous test series cannot be combined.

GED test  

General Educational Development Test by GED Testing Service
Scores range from 100 to 200. A passing score requires a minimum of 145* on each of the four exams.

*During 2014 and 2015, the minimum score was 150.  A retroactive score recalibration effective 12/31/2015 included 2014 and 2015 scores.

Historical Requirements

To earn a credential during a previous test series, requirements were determined by vendor and the date of the last exam taken.

HiSET exam 

High School Equivalency Test by ETS (January 2017- August 2021)
Scores ranged from 1 to 20. A passing score required a minimum of 8 on each of the five exams, a combined score of 45, and a minimum score of 2 on the Language Arts-Writing essay.

TASC test 

Test Assessing Secondary Completion by DRC (June 2017- August 2019)
Scores ranged from 300 to 800. A passing score required a minimum of 500 on each of the five exams and a minimum of 2 out of 8 points on the Writing essay.

GED Test

GED 2002-2013*
2002 series scores ranged from 200 to 800. A passing score required a minimum of 410 on each of the five exams and a total score of 2250 (450 average).  Scores from a previous test series could not be combined with these scores.

*A temporary waiver agreement allowed some 2002 series testing to continue through 12/31/2017.

GED 1997-2001*
A passing score required at least 40 on each of the five tests and an average of 45 (225 total).

*Spanish language testing in this series continued through 12/31/2002.

GED 1959-1996
A passing score required at least 40 on each of the five tests or an average of 45 (225 total).

GED 1942-1958
A passing score required a 35 or above on each of the five tests.

A resident of the state who has not graduated from an accredited high school is eligible to take the high school equivalency test per Texas Education Code, Section 7.111 in accordance with rules promulgated by the State Board of Education. Eligibility requirements for high school equivalency testing are defined in the Texas Administrative Code, Title 19, Part 2, Chapter 89, Subchapter C, §89.43.

Test Taker Requirements

Identification

A test taker must have a valid, government-issued (state, national or foreign) photo ID, such as one of the following:

• state driver license (including learner permit),
• department of Public Safety identification card,
• military ID,
• passport,
• U.S. passport card (requires additional ID with signature),
• permanent resident card (requires additional ID with signature), or
• matrícula consular card. 

Unacceptable forms of ID include:

• student ID,
• library Card (including enhanced library cards),
• expired ID (unless presented with renewal documentation),
• photocopy of ID,
• digital photo of ID, or
• digital (wallet) ID (including a state-sponsored digital driver license).
• parent/guardian's ID

Residency

A test taker must provide proof of residency in Texas, which could be a:  

• Texas driver license, DPS ID, student ID, library card;
• utility/cell phone bill showing a Texas address, or
• bank statement, paycheck stub, tax return, or government mail showing a Texas address.

Additional Requirements

A test-taker must

• be 18 years of age*,
• not be enrolled in an accredited high school, and
• not be a high school graduate from an accredited high school. 

*Age Exceptions

Individuals under the age of 18 are required to attend school (Texas Education Code Chapter 25, Section 25.085) unless they qualify for an exemption (Texas Education Code Chapter 25, Section 25.086).

17-Year-Old Test-Takers** 

To qualify for an age exception, a 17-year-old must:

• have a government-issued photo ID (see above for ID requirements);
• have proof of Texas residency (see above for residency requirements);
• not be currently enrolled in school (unless enrolled in an approved in-school High School Equivalency Program);
• not have an accredited high school diploma; and
• have parent or guardian permission.

Alternatively, a 17-year-old may qualify under the 16-year-old rule below.

16-Year-Old Test-Takers**

To qualify for an age exception, a 16-year-old must:

• have a government-issued photo ID (see above for ID requirements);
• have proof of Texas residency (see above for residency requirements);
• not be currently enrolled in school (unless enrolled in an approved in-school High School Equivalency Program);
• not have an accredited high school diploma; and
• be one of the following:
  • in the care of a state agency;
  • under a court order issued under Family Code 65.103 (a) (3);
  • enrolled in a Job Corps training program, or
  • enrolled in the Texas Challenge Academy.

** Note:  For online proctored exams, a parent or guardian must be present at the pre-test check-in to give consent and authorize the underage testing. Both the test taker's and parent/guardian's IDs are required.