Provisional Registration

What is Provisional Registration? 

Provisional registration is a category of registration that may be granted to:

  • teachers who have completed their teaching qualification in New Zealand
  • teachers who have completed their teacher education programme overseas, and
  • teachers who have previously been granted provisional registration but have not yet satisfactorily completed an induction and mentoring programme to be meaningfully assessed against and meet all of the Registered Teacher Criteria.

Gaining provisional registration and a practising certificate means that you have met the requirements for registration and that you are able to be legally employed in a teaching position within the general education system in New Zealand.

Most provisionally registered teachers (PRTs) are newly qualified.  Holding provisional registration and accessing a high quality induction and mentoring programme to gain full registration provides an opportunity to

  • make the transition from being a student teacher to being a confident and effective teacher
  • become accomplished and effective teachers who can improve the learning outcomes of diverse ākonga
  • progressively demonstrate that they meet the Registered Teacher Criteria
  • build a strong foundation of self-reflection and ongoing professional learning

When provisional registration is granted it is expected that you will meet the requirements to gain full registration within the three year timeframe that your practising certificate is issued for.  Provisional registration can be extended to a maximum period of six years when a teacher is unable, for valid reason, to gain full registration within that first three years.

If you need to reapply for provisional registration after six years has passed, then you will need to complete a refresher programme prior to provisional registration being granted again.  Information about refresher programmes will be available as they are developed from 2012.

Further information about the requirements for provisional registration can be read in Section Two, Part B of the Registration Policy.

What application form do I use?

If you have completed an approved initial teacher education programme in New Zealand, use the TC1 application form.

If you completed your teacher education programme overseas and you are applying for registration for the first time, use the TC0 application form. Please refer to the information for overseas trained teachers in this website for further guidance.