Cancellation of Teacher Registration

The New Zealand Teachers Council must cancel a teacher's registration if:

  • the New Zealand Teachers Council is satisfied that the person is no longer of good character, fit to teach, satisfactorily trained to teach, or has satisfactory recent teaching experience;
  • the teacher's registration was granted in error. Such a situation may be the result of an administrative error by New Zealand Teachers Council staff or a mistake in the information supplied to the New Zealand Teachers Council;
  • the teacher's registration was granted through fraud. Such a situation may be the result of false information being supplied or a fraudulent declaration being made;
  • the New Zealand Teachers Council is satisfied that the teacher is not competent and should be deregistered, following a complaint and investigation into a teacher's competence;
  • the Disciplinary Tribunal requires the New Zealand Teachers Council to cancel a teacher's registration, following a complaint and investigation into a teacher's misconduct or criminal conviction.

Unless the Disciplinary Tribunal has already investigated the matter, the New Zealand Teachers Council must notify the teacher of the reasons for the proposed cancellation, and give the teacher time to respond either in person or through a representative.

If the teacher is dissatisfied with the New Zealand Teachers Council's decision to cancel their registration, they can appeal to the District Court.

New Zealand Teachers Council register

If a teacher's registration is cancelled, his or her name remains on the teachers register but is marked as cancelled. The main register can be queried for registration type 'Cancelled' and the start of a person's surname to generate a Cancelled Teachers List for that surname.

A teacher whose registration has been cancelled is entitled to reapply for registration at any time.

For most teachers, remaining a registered teacher depends on continuing to practise as a teacher and meeting requirements established by the NZ Teachers Council such as renewing your practising certificate. Registration is not a lifetime entitlement and it does expire. View more information about expiry of registration.

Legislation relevant to the cancellation of teacher registration

The law relating to cancellation of teacher registration is found in section 129 of the Education Act 1989. This section was amended on 1 September 2004. Previously, the Teachers Council's power to consider cancelling a teacher's registration usually depended on a request from the professional leader of the teacher's learning centre. Under the new section, the Teachers Council can initiate cancellation proceedings without such a request.