New Zealand Teacher Registration Processing Fees and Timeframes

What does the fee cover?

• Registration of teachers.
  Currently there are over 93,000 registered teachers
   
• Processing of complaints and mandatory reports regarding conduct and competence of teachers.
  The Council manages:
  • 3 Complaints Assessment Committee (CAC) panels that meet monthly and consider over 30 cases per meeting
  • a Competence Advisory Group that meets monthly to consider competence cases
  • a Disciplinary Tribunal meets regularly to consider cases referred by the CAC
  • an Impairment Committee to consider issues related to the impact of teachers' health on their ability to meet the professional demands of teaching.
    
• Approval and monitoring of initial teacher education (ITE) programmes
  • In the last year, 32 ITE programmes were approved or re-approved.
  • The Council is revising its processes and requirements for the approval and on-going monitoring of ITE programmes in close consultation with teachers, principals, employers and ITE providers.
    
• Professional leadership projects
  These include
  • the development of the Graduating Teacher Standards, the Registered Teacher Criteria, conducting 4 national pilots to trial guidelines for the induction of provisionally registered teachers and the training of mentor teachers
  • regular communications with teachers via quarterly newsletter, electronic Director's messages and via its website.

How is the fee money spent?

The application processing fee is a non-refundable payment which can be paid by credit card, cheque or cash. Please see the table below for information regarding the specific processing fees for each application:

Expired Practising Certificate Late Fee

*A late fee penalty may be incurred if you apply to update your practising certificate beyond its expiry date.  Please note this only applies to teachers who are currently teaching in positions required by law to hold a practising certificate.

Application Processing Timeframe

The standard processing time is 4-6 weeks.  Applications are approved once all the requirements have been met. If your application is unable to be processed within this timeframe, your professional leader may apply for an extension.

Upon approval of an application the Online Register is also updated. The Online Register runs in real time and can be accessed by members from the general public as well as teachers and professional leaders.

Factors that could lengthen the application process:

• waiting for information such as NZQA reports and police clearances, including New Zealand Police vets
• the date of the next Council meeting.  If an application needs to be considered by the Council we will communicate with the applicant and provide the appropriate dates for submission of supporting information.  (Note: Council meetings are held once a month with the exception of January when there is no council meeting)
• when information is not provided in a timely manner.

Ways you can help to keep the processing time standard:

• check that you have provided all supporting information as outlined in the Completion Guide to your application form 
• provide any outstanding information requested as soon as you are able
• provide the correct processing fee
• ensure your contact details are current and contact us if you are unsure about the requirements or are having problems getting any information in on time.