NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA
TEACHER REGISTRATION (NORTHERN TERRITORY)
REGULATIONS 2004
As in force at 6 December 2025
Table of provisions
Part 1 Preliminary matters
1 Citation ............................................................................................ 1
2 Commencement .............................................................................. 1
2AA Definition.......................................................................................... 1
Part 2 Matters relating to registration and
authorisations
2A Sexual offences ............................................................................... 1
3 Attendance at meetings ................................................................... 3
4 Prescribed qualifications for registration .......................................... 3
5 Competence to teach ...................................................................... 4
6 Professional experience and currency of practice for full
registration ....................................................................................... 6
7 Prescribed periods for terms of registration ..................................... 7
8 Renewal of registration .................................................................... 7
9 Professional teaching standards and other professional
standards ......................................................................................... 7
9A Prescribed accreditation standards ................................................. 7
10 Registration fees.............................................................................. 7
11 Application fees ............................................................................... 8
Part 3 Transitional matters for Teacher
Registration (Northern Territory)
Amendment Act 2010
12 Definitions ........................................................................................ 9
13 Registration ..................................................................................... 9
14 Interim certificate of registration..................................................... 10
15 Application for registration ............................................................. 10
16 Complaints and disciplinary proceedings ...................................... 10
17 Appeals.......................................................................................... 11
18 Disqualified teachers ..................................................................... 11
19 Authorisation.................................................................................. 11
20 Application for authorisation .......................................................... 12
21 Qualifications for registration for currently registered teachers ...... 12
22 Qualifications for registration for formerly registered teachers....... 12
23 Board may give information about matters under old Act .............. 13
TEACHER REGISTRATION (NORTHERN TERRITORY)
REGULATIONS 2004
Regulations under the Teacher Registration (Northern Territory)
Act 2004
Part 1 Preliminary matters
1 Citation
These Regulations may be cited as the Teacher Registration
(Northern Territory) Regulations 2004.
2 Commencement
These Regulations come into operation on the commencement of
section 4 of the Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Act 2004.
2AA Definition
In these Regulations:
national regulations means the Education and Care Services
National Regulations made under the Education and Care Services
National Law (NT).
Part 2 Matters relating to registration and
authorisations
2A Sexual offences
(1) For section 4 of the Act, definition sexual offence, the following
offences against the Criminal Code are prescribed:
(a) an offence against Part V, Division 2 or section 201, 202B,
202C, 202D, 208AAB, 208AB, 208AC or Part VIA, Division 2,
3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 of the Criminal Code;
Part 2 Matters relating to registration and authorisations
Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Regulations 2004 2
(b) an offence against Part V, Division 2 or section 188(2)(k), 192
or 192B of the Criminal Code as in force before the
commencement of Part 2 of the Criminal Justice Legislation
Amendment (Sexual Offences) Act 2023.
(2) In addition, the following offences under the Criminal Code
Act 1995 (Cth) are prescribed:
(a) an offence against sections 268.14 to 268.19;
(b) an offence against sections 268.59 to 268.64;
(c) an offence against sections 268.82 to 268.87;
(d) an offence against section 270.6A(1) – if the forced labour is
sexual servitude;
(e) an offence against section 270.6A(2) – if the business involves
sexual servitude;
(f) an offence against section 270.7 – if the labour or service is
sexual servitude;
(g) an offence against any of the following – if the offence relates
to sexual services:
(i) section 271.2;
(ii) section 271.4;
(iii) section 271.5;
(iv) section 271.7;
(h) an offence against sections 272.8 to 272.15, 272.19, 273.5 to
273.7, 471.16, 471.17, 471.19, 471.20, 471.22, 471.24 to
471.26, 474.19, 474.20, 474.22, 474.23, 474.24A, 474.25A,
474.25B, 474.25C, 474.26, 474.27 or 474.27A.
(3) Also, an offence against section 233BAB of the Customs Act 1901
(Cth) – if the tier 2 goods were items of child pornography or child
abuse material – is prescribed.
(4) Further, an offence of doing any of the following in relation to an
offence mentioned in this regulation, or an equivalent offence,
whether within the Territory or elsewhere, is prescribed:
(a) counselling or procuring;
(b) aiding or abetting the commission of;
Part 2 Matters relating to registration and authorisations
Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Regulations 2004 3
(ba) incitement to commit;
(c) conspiring to commit;
(d) attempting to commit;
(e) any other act preparatory to the commission of the offence;
(f) being an accessory after the fact.
3 Attendance at meetings
For section 18(2) of the Act, the Board will reimburse a school the
expense incurred after receipt of an invoice from the school
detailing the expense.
4 Prescribed qualifications for registration
(1) For section 30(a) of the Act, this regulation prescribes the
qualifications a person is required to hold for registration as a
teacher.
(2) A person holds the qualifications required for registration if:
(a) the person holds a qualification awarded on completion of:
(i) a teacher education course provided in the Territory that
is accredited by the Board under section 74 of the Act; or
(ii) a teacher education course provided in a recognised
jurisdiction that is:
(A) accredited (however described) by the
accreditation body of the recognised jurisdiction,
using the accreditation standards mentioned in
regulation 9A; or
(B) otherwise approved by the registration authority of
the recognised jurisdiction as qualifying persons for
registration as a teacher in that jurisdiction; or
(b) the person holds an approved early childhood teaching
qualification under the national regulations; or
(c) the person holds one or more qualifications (an equivalent
qualification) awarded by a higher education institution that
the Board is satisfied is substantially equivalent to a
qualification awarded on completion of an accredited teacher
education course referred to in paragraph (a)(i); or
Part 2 Matters relating to registration and authorisations
Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Regulations 2004 4
(d) the person:
(i) holds a qualification (a historic qualification), other
than a qualification referred to in paragraph (a) or (c),
that was previously accepted or recognised under the
Act or a corresponding law as qualifying the person for
registration (however described) as a teacher; and
(ii) was previously registered as a teacher under the Act or
a corresponding law on the basis of holding that historic
qualification; and
(iii) has prior teaching experience that the Board considers
is sufficient to qualify the person for registration as a
teacher.
(3) Without limiting subregulation (2)(c), an equivalent qualification held
by the person may be one or more qualifications obtained by the
person on completion of one or more courses of study provided by
a higher education institution in a jurisdiction that is not a
recognised jurisdiction.
(4) In making a decision under subregulation (2)(c), the Board must
take into account whether the qualification has been accepted by a
registration authority in a recognised jurisdiction as a qualification
for registration as a teacher in the recognised jurisdiction.
(5) In this regulation:
accreditation body, for a recognised jurisdiction, means the
registration authority or other statutory body that is responsible
under the law of the jurisdiction for accrediting teacher education
courses.
approved early childhood teaching qualification, see
regulation 4(1) of the national regulations.
recognised jurisdiction means a State or another Territory of the
Commonwealth or New Zealand.
5 Competence to teach
(1) For section 30(c) of the Act, in deciding whether a person is
competent to teach, the Board must take into account whether the
person:
(a) is able to teach in accordance with the professional teaching
standards approved by the Board under regulation 9; and
(b) is proficient in the English language.
Part 2 Matters relating to registration and authorisations
Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Regulations 2004 5
(2) For section 42(2)(b) of the Act, in deciding whether an unregistered
person is competent to teach each subject at a level as specified in
an application for authorisation in relation to the person, the Board
must take into account whether the person:
(a) is able to teach the subject at the level specified in accordance
with the professional teaching standards approved by the
Board under regulation 9; and
(b) subject to subregulation (3), is proficient in the English
language.
(3) The Board may decide that an unregistered person who is not
proficient in English is competent to teach if the only subject the
unregistered person will teach under the authorisation is the
teaching of a language other than English.
(4) For subregulation (1)(b) or (2)(b), in considering whether a person
is proficient in the English language, the Board must have regard
to:
(a) for an application for registration – whether the person's
qualifications for registration were awarded by an institution in
any of the following countries (a relevant country) and
whether the person undertook their studies in that country:
(i) Australia, English-speaking Canada, Ireland, New
Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States of
America;
(ii) another country approved by the Board by Gazette
notice; or
(b) the person's results in an English language test approved by
the Board under subregulation (6); or
(c) whether the person:
(i) holds any qualifications (other than a qualification
referred to in paragraph (a)) awarded by a higher
education institution in a relevant country; or
(ii) has prior work or academic experience in a relevant
country.
(5) In addition to the matters specified in subregulation (4), the Board
may have regard to any other matter or circumstance that the
Board considers relevant to demonstrating the person is proficient
in the English language.
Part 2 Matters relating to registration and authorisations
Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Regulations 2004 6
(6) For subregulation (4)(b), the Board may, by written notice published
on the Board's website, approve an English language test for
assessing a person's proficiency in the English language.
6 Professional experience and currency of practice for full
registration
(1) For section 30(d) of the Act, the prescribed professional experience
and currency of practice for a person applying for full registration or
a renewal of full registration, is:
(a) the completion, within the 5 year period immediately before
the application date, of at least 100 days full-time service (or
the equivalent part-time service) as a principal (however
described) or teacher at a school in Australia or New Zealand;
or
(b) the completion, within the 5 year period immediately before
the application date, of at least 100 days full-time service (or
the equivalent part-time service) at a place in Australia or New
Zealand, other than a school, undertaking duties that include:
(i) the delivery of an educational program designed to
implement an approved curriculum; or
(ii) the assessment of student participation in an educational
program designed to implement an approved curriculum;
or
(iii) the administration, at any level, of an educational
program designed to implement an approved curriculum.
(2) The duties mentioned in subregulation (1)(b) do not include duties
performed by support staff (including, for example, teacher's aides,
teacher's assistants, student teachers and unpaid volunteers).
(3) In this regulation:
approved curriculum means any of the following:
(a) the Australian Curriculum;
(b) the Early Years Learning Framework;
(c) the Northern Territory Certificate of Education and Training;
(d) a curriculum that:
(i) is implemented at a place outside the Territory; and
Part 2 Matters relating to registration and authorisations
Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Regulations 2004 7
(ii) is equivalent to the curriculum mentioned in
paragraph (c);
(e) the International Baccalaureate;
(f) the Australian Steiner Curriculum Framework;
(g) the Cambridge IGCSE;
(h) another curriculum approved by the Minister by Gazette
notice.
7 Prescribed periods for terms of registration
(1) For section 36(2A)(a)(ii) of the Act, the prescribed period for full
registration is 6 years.
(2) For section 36(2A)(b)(ii) of the Act, the prescribed period for
provisional registration is 4 years.
8 Renewal of registration
For section 37(2)(a) of the Act, an application for renewal of
registration must be made within the 3 month period ending on the
date the applicant's registration ends.
9 Professional teaching standards and other professional
standards
(1) For section 81(2)(a) of the Act, the Board may, by Gazette notice,
approve professional teaching standards and other professional
standards.
(2) The standards may apply, adopt or incorporate (with or without
changes) the whole or part of a document as in force or existing at
a particular time or from time to time.
9A Prescribed accreditation standards
For section 74(4)(ab) of the Act, the document entitled Accreditation
of initial teacher education programs in Australia: Standards and
Procedures, as published from time to time by the Australian
Institute for Teaching and School Leadership Limited, is prescribed
as the accreditation standards.
10 Registration fees
(1) For section 40A of the Act, the registration fee is 75 revenue units
for each registration year of the registered teacher's term of
registration.
Part 2 Matters relating to registration and authorisations
Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Regulations 2004 8
(2) The registration fee for the first registration year of the term of
registration must be paid when the application for registration or
renewal of registration is made.
(3) If the Board grants registration or a renewal of registration for a
term of 2 or more registration years, the Board must:
(a) fix the due date for payment of the registration fee for each
registration year after the first registration year (a subsequent
registration year); and
(b) give the registered teacher a written notice specifying those
dates.
(4) The registration fee for each subsequent registration year of the
term of registration must be paid by no later than the due date for
payment specified for the registration year in the notice given to the
registered teacher under subregulation (3).
(5) In this regulation:
registration year, of a term of registration, means:
(a) each year in the term of registration; and
(b) if the term of registration is for, or includes, a part of a year –
the part of the year.
11 Application fees
(1) A person who makes an application specified in the Schedule,
column 1, must pay the application fee specified opposite the
application in column 2.
Note for subregulation (1)
A person who applies for registration or a renewal of registration is also required
to pay a registration fee under regulation 10(2)(a).
(2) The Board may, wholly or partly, waive a fee due under the Act.
Part 3 Transitional matters for Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Amendment
Act 2010
Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Regulations 2004 9
Part 3 Transitional matters for Teacher Registration
(Northern Territory) Amendment Act 2010
12 Definitions
In this Part:
amending Act means the Teacher Registration (Northern Territory)
Amendment Act 2010.
commencement means the commencement of the amending Act.
new Act means the Teacher Registration (Northern Territory)
Act 2004 as in force immediately after the commencement.
old Act means the Teacher Registration (Northern Territory)
Act 2004 as in force immediately before the commencement.
13 Registration
(1) A person who, immediately before the commencement, was
registered under the old Act is, subject to payment of registration
fees in accordance with regulation 10, taken to hold full registration
under the new Act:
(a) from the commencement to 31 December 2015; and
(b) on the same conditions as were imposed on the person's
registration under the old Act.
(2) To avoid doubt:
(a) subregulation (1) applies even if, immediately before the
commencement, the person's registration was suspended
under the old Act; and
(b) the suspension continues to have effect despite
subregulation (1).
(3) A certificate of registration issued to the person under the old Act
that was in force immediately before the commencement is taken to
be a certificate of registration issued to the person under section 40
of the new Act until the earlier of:
(a) the expiry date shown on the certificate; or
(b) 31 December 2011.
Part 3 Transitional matters for Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Amendment
Act 2010
Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Regulations 2004 10
14 Interim certificate of registration
An interim certificate of registration issued to a person under the old
Act that was in force immediately before the commencement is
taken to be an interim certificate of registration issued under
section 34 of the new Act that:
(a) indicates the Director reasonably believes the Board is likely
to grant the person's application for registration; and
(b) is in force if the date for the Board to consider the application
for registration indicated on the certificate has not passed.
15 Application for registration
An application for registration made under the old Act that had not
been granted or refused before the commencement is to be dealt
with as if it were an application for registration under section 33 of
the new Act.
16 Complaints and disciplinary proceedings
(1) Subregulation (2) applies to the following:
(a) a written complaint received by the Board under section 50(1)
of the old Act before the commencement, whether or not a
preliminary investigation or inquiry has been held in relation to
the complaint;
(b) a matter the Board received notice of before the
commencement from another registration authority or under
section 52, 53 or 75(2) of the old Act, whether or not a
preliminary investigation or inquiry has been held in relation to
the matter;
(c) any other matter that:
(i) was, immediately before the commencement, the
subject of a preliminary investigation or inquiry, or a
determination of the Board to hold a preliminary
investigation or inquiry; or
(ii) has been the subject of a preliminary investigation or
inquiry if, before the commencement, the Board has not
taken any action following the preliminary investigation
or inquiry.
(2) The complaint or matter must be dealt with under Part 6 of the old
Act as if the amending Act had not commenced.
Part 3 Transitional matters for Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Amendment
Act 2010
Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Regulations 2004 11
(3) To avoid doubt:
(a) a complaint that could have been made under section 50(1) of
the old Act in relation to professional conduct of a teacher or
authorised person that occurred before the commencement
may be made under section 49(1) of the new Act; and
(b) a preliminary investigation or inquiry that could have been held
under Part 6 of the old Act in relation to a matter that occurred
before the commencement may be held under Part 6 of the
new Act.
17 Appeals
(1) A person who wishes to appeal against any of the following
decisions must institute the appeal under the old Act as if the
amending Act had not commenced:
(a) a decision of the Board under Part 6 of the old Act;
(b) a decision of the Board under the old Act to refuse to grant
registration to an applicant.
(2) An appeal instituted under the old Act and not determined by the
commencement may be continued and determined under the old
Act as if the amending Act had not commenced.
(3) If, under this regulation, a court orders in relation to an appeal that
an application for registration be granted, or the cancellation of a
person's registration be rescinded, the person is to be taken to hold
full registration under the new Act.
18 Disqualified teachers
For section 33(1)(b) of the new Act, a person is taken to be
disqualified from registration if the person was disqualified from
being registered as a teacher under section 65 of the old Act.
19 Authorisation
(1) An authorisation granted under section 43 of the old Act that was in
effect immediately before the commencement is taken to be an
authorisation granted under section 42 of the new Act:
(a) until the end of the period for which the authorisation was
granted under the old Act; and
(b) on the same conditions as applied to the authorisation under
the old Act.
Part 3 Transitional matters for Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Amendment
Act 2010
Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Regulations 2004 12
(2) To avoid doubt:
(a) subregulation (1) applies to an authorisation even if,
immediately before the commencement, the authorisation was
suspended under the old Act; and
(b) the suspension continues to have effect despite
subregulation (1).
20 Application for authorisation
An application for authorisation made under the old Act that had not
been granted or refused before the commencement is to be dealt
with as if it were an application for authorisation under section 41 of
the new Act.
21 Qualifications for registration for currently registered teachers
(1) Subregulation (2) applies to a person who:
(a) under regulation 13(1) is taken to hold full registration from the
commencement; and
(b) does not hold the qualifications for registration mentioned in
regulation 4(1).
(2) The person is taken to hold the qualifications for registration
mentioned in regulation 4(1) until such time as the person ceases to
be registered for 2 years.
22 Qualifications for registration for formerly registered teachers
(1) Subregulation (2) applies to a person who:
(a) was employed in the Territory as a teacher when the 2004 Act
commenced; and
(b) has been registered under the old Act but, immediately before
the commencement, was not registered; and
(c) does not hold the qualifications for registration mentioned in
regulation 4(1).
(2) The person is taken to hold the qualifications for registration
mentioned in regulation 4(1):
(a) until 31 December 2011; or
(b) if the person becomes registered on or before that date – until
such time as the person ceases to be registered for 2 years.
Part 3 Transitional matters for Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Amendment
Act 2010
Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Regulations 2004 13
(3) For subregulation (1)(a), a person is taken to have been employed
in the Territory as a teacher when the 2004 Act commenced if the
person was employed as a relief teacher (whether or not on a
casual basis) by a school in the Territory at any time from the
beginning of the 2004 school year to the date the 2004 Act
commenced.
(4) In this regulation:
2004 Act means the Teacher Registration (Northern Territory)
Act 2004.
23 Board may give information about matters under old Act
(1) Under section 40C(2) of the new Act, the Board may notify a person
of a refusal of an application for registration that occurred under the
old Act.
(2) Under section 67(5) of the new Act, the Board may notify a
registration authority of an action taken by the Board under the old
Act.
(3) Under section 69(6) of the new Act, the Board may advise other
registration authorities or employers of a cancellation of registration,
or revocation of an authorisation, that occurred under the old Act.
(4) Section 75(1) of the new Act applies if the Board receives a
complaint in relation to a person who was a registered teacher, or in
relation to whom an authorisation was in effect, under the old Act.
Schedule Application fees
Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Regulations 2004 14
Schedule Application fees
regulation 11
Column 1
Application
Column 2
Fee
1 Application under section 29(1) of
the Act to inspect the register or
copy or take extracts from the
register 23 revenue units
2 Application for registration under
section 33 of the Act:
(a) by an unregistered person who
holds a qualification mentioned
in regulation 4(2)(a)(i)
(b) by an unregistered person who
holds any qualification other
than a qualification mentioned
in regulation 4(2)(a)(i)
(c) by a person who is
provisionally registered
Nil
40 revenue units
Nil
3 Application for registration under
the Mutual Recognition Act 1992
(Cth) or Trans-Tasman Mutual
Recognition Act 1997 (Cth) 30 revenue units
4 Application for renewal of
registration under section 37 of the
Act Nil
5 Application for authorisation under
section 41 of the Act:
(a) if an authorisation on the same
terms and in relation to the
same person was in effect
during the preceding year
ending on the date of the 75 revenue units
Schedule Application fees
Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Regulations 2004 15
application
(b) otherwise
115 revenue units
6 Application for replacement
certificate of registration under
section 77 of the Act 23 revenue units
ENDNOTES
Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Regulations 2004 16
ENDNOTES
1 KEY Key to abbreviations
amd = amended od = order
app = appendix om = omitted
bl = by-law pt = Part
ch = Chapter r = regulation/rule
cl = clause rem = remainder
div = Division renum = renumbered
exp = expires/expired rep = repealed
f = forms s = section
Gaz = Gazette sch = Schedule
hdg = heading sdiv = Subdivision
ins = inserted SL = Subordinate Legislation
lt = long title sub = substituted
nc = not commenced
2 LIST OF LEGISLATION
Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Regulations (SL No. 33, 2004)
Notified 20 October 2004
Commenced 13 September 2004 (r 1 and s 2(1) Teacher Registration
(Northern Territory) Act 2004 (Act No. 47, 2004))
Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Amendment Regulations 2010 (SL No. 17,
2010)
Notified 28 July 2010
Commenced 1 September 2010 (r 2, s 2 Teacher Registration (Northern
Territory) Amendment Act 2010 (Act No. 9, 2010) and
Gaz G34, 25 August 2010, p 7)
Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Legislation Amendment Act 2019 (Act No. 16,
2019)
Assent date 27 May 2019
Commenced 1 January 2020 (Gaz G46, 13 November 2019, p 2)
Statute Law Revision Act 2020 (Act No. 26, 2020)
Assent date 19 November 2020
Commenced 20 November 2020 (s 2)
Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Amendment Regulations 2022 (SL No. 12,
2022)
Date made 27 September 2022
Commenced 28 September 2022 (r 2)
Criminal Justice Legislation Amendment (Sexual Offences) Act 2023 (Act No. 20, 2023)
Assent date 17 August 2023
Commenced 25 March 2024 (Gaz S20, 22 March 2024)
ENDNOTES
Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Regulations 2004 17
Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Legislation Amendment Act 2025 (Act No. 33,
2025)
Assent date 5 December 2025
Commenced pt 3: nc; rem: 6 December 2025 (s 2(1))
3 GENERAL AMENDMENTS
General amendments of a formal nature (which are not referred to in the table
of amendments to this reprint) are made by the Interpretation Legislation
Amendment Act 2018 (Act No. 22, 2018) to: rr 1, 2, 4, 6 and 12.
4 LIST OF AMENDMENTS
pt 1 hdg ins No. 17, 2010, r 4
pt 2 hdg ins No. 17, 2010, r 5
r 2AA ins Act No. 33, 2025, s 21
r 2A ins Act No. 16, 2019, s 60
amd Act No. 20, 2023, s 48
r 4 sub No. 17, 2010, r 6
amd Act No. 16, 2019, s 61; No. 12, 2022, r 4
sub Act No. 33, 2025, s 22
r 5 ins No. 17, 2010, r 6
amd Act No. 16, 2019, s 62; Act No. 33, 2025, s 23
r 6 ins No. 17, 2010, r 6
amd Act No. 16, 2019, s 63; Act No. 33, 2025, s 24
r 7 ins No. 17, 2010, r 6
amd Act No. 26, 2020, s 3
sub Act No. 33, 2025, s 25
r 8 ins No. 17, 2010, r 6
amd Act No. 16, 2019, s 64
r 9 ins No. 17, 2010, r 6
amd Act No. 16, 2019, s 65
r 9A ins Act No. 33, 2025, s 26
r 10 ins No. 17, 2010, r 6
amd Act No. 16, 2019, s 66
sub Act No. 33, 2025, s 26
r 11 ins No. 17, 2010, r 6
pt 3 hdg ins No. 17, 2010, r 6
rr 12 – 23 ins No. 17, 2010, r 6
sch ins No. 17, 2010, r 6
amd No. 12, 2022, r 5; Act No. 33, 2025, s 27