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TEACHER REGISTRATION (NORTHERN TERRITORY) REGULATIONS 2004

Legislation · Northern Territory
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 -- 1 of 19 -- Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Regulations 2004 ii Schedule Application fees ENDNOTES -- 2 of 19 -- NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA ____________________ As in force at 6 December 2025 ____________________ 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; -- 3 of 19 -- 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; -- 4 of 19 -- 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 -- 5 of 19 -- 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. -- 6 of 19 -- 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. -- 7 of 19 -- 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 -- 8 of 19 -- 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. -- 9 of 19 -- 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. -- 10 of 19 -- 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. -- 11 of 19 -- 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. -- 12 of 19 -- 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. -- 13 of 19 -- 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. -- 14 of 19 -- 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. -- 15 of 19 -- 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 -- 16 of 19 -- 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 -- 17 of 19 -- 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) -- 18 of 19 -- 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 -- 19 of 19 --