Policies for principal preparation and licensure are important levers for improving school leadership. By developing a rubric of research-based practices, this University Council of Educational Administration study aims to provide a formative tool for policy makers. Using a policy analysis frame by Roach et al., this study explores the state code, rules and regulations, and accompanying state board/department of education documents to describe state policies for principal preparation program approval and candidate licensure. There is variation in the extent to which states have adopted policies in these areas. Proportionately, more states have adopted policies for licensure despite greater empirical evidence for preparation program approval.