Registration and Renewal

Why do I need to register?

The Minister for Education and Skills commenced Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act, 2001 on 28 January 2014. Section 30 makes it a requirement for teachers to register with the Teaching Council in order to be paid salary by the state.

How do I register?

The registration process for Route 1 (Primary), Route 2 (Post-primary) and Route 4 (Other) depends on whether an applicant qualified in Ireland or outside Ireland. Registration applications can be made online through My Registration.

Please see registration section for full details.

What is the registration fee?

The standard registration fee is €90 per annum. The renewal fee is €65. Please refer to the schedule of fees for overseas assessment fees.

What is a transcript of results?

A transcript of results is a document that shows the modules you studied in each year of your qualification and the grades that were awarded, commonly referred to as an academic transcript.

The Teaching Council requires a transcript for each year of your qualification outlining the modules studied and grade received. The transcript should also outline the final award and overall grade attained.

Why is it necessary to renew registration annually?

The Teaching Council Acts, 2001-2015, requires that teachers renew their registration annually. Annual renewal also provides an opportunity to check and update your details on the Register. It allows the Council to continue as a valuable repository of information for the teaching profession in Ireland.

If you do not renew, your registration will lapse and your name will be removed from the Register.  If you are in receipt of a State funded salary, your salary will cease from date of removal.

IMPORTANT: A teacher must be registered with the Teaching Council to receive a salary from public funds. This includes work as a substitute teacher or working for the State Examinations Commission.

Should you be retiring shortly you must retain your registration until you have moved from salary to pension.

To re-register with the Teaching Council following removal, a full application must be submitted which may include submission of relevant transcripts of qualifications and online vetting with the National Vetting Bureau.

Is tax relief available on the annual renewal fee?

Income tax relief applies to the Teaching Council's annual registration renewal fee. The tax credit is added to the teacher's flat-rate expense allowance. This means that the annual registration renewal fee of €65 in real terms is close to €38 per annum for those paying the higher rate of tax.

What must I do to claim the tax credit for the renewal fee?

Teachers should check their Tax Credit Certificate to ensure that their Flat Rate Expenses figure has been increased by the amount of the Teaching Council annual registration renewal fee. For more details on Flat Rate Expenses and the amounts allowable to differing categories of teachers please see www.revenue.ie. If the correct allowance has not been included you should contact your local tax office.

How does the Council spend the money it receives from teachers through the fee?

The money received through the registration renewal fee is used to fund the work of the Council as it implements its statutory functions.

The Council’s audited financial statements are available here.

I am a part-time teacher / I do occasional substitute teaching. Is there a partial fee applicable?

At present, there is a standard renewal fee and the Council's fee structure does not allow for reduced fees to be levied. Registration provides a license to teach, regardless of how frequently one teaches.

I am currently out of work. Do I need to maintain my registration?

Even if you are not currently working as a teacher, you should keep your name on the Register, so that when you are offered a teaching job, you can start as soon as possible. If you let your registration lapse at any time, you will have to re-register in advance of starting work as a teacher again which may take a number of weeks. This means that a registration application must be completed online and you will have to undergo vetting if you do not hold a valid disclosure. If a teacher has previously provided relevant qualification transcripts, he/she need not submit them a second time.

Section 30 is a requirement within the Teaching Council Act, 2001-2015, that a teacher has to be registered in order to be paid a salary from public funds.

I expect to retire in August. Do I need to pay the full fee?

Yes. At present, the Council's fee structure does not allow for a partial fee to be levied. Please refer to the Department of Education and Skills Circular 0031/2011 with regard to the employment of retired teachers.

In order to receive salary for the period of your employment, you must remain registered whilst employed as a teacher.  Please contact your paymaster with regard to any salary matters.

I am about to retire. Can I let my registration lapse?

In order to receive salary for the period of your employment, you must remain registered whilst employed as a teacher. Please contact your paymaster with regard to any salary matters.

Please also note that the State Examinations Commission require all teachers employed as Examination Superintendents to be registered with the Council.

I no longer wish to be registered with the Teaching Council as I am no longer working in the education sector or in receipt of salary as a teacher. How do I request to have my name removed from the register of teachers?

Should you wish to voluntarily remove your name from the Register of Teachers, please login to your online account through My Registration, select the My Registration tile and choose Voluntary Removal Request. Here you will have the option to voluntarily remove yourself from the Register with immediate effect or at your next renewal date. Please note, you cannot request removal if you are currently the subject of a complaint pursuant to Part 5 of the Act. 

Important: It is necessary to be registered with the Teaching Council if you wish to receive payment from State funds. This includes work as a substitute teacher or working for the State Examinations Commission.

Should you be retiring shortly you must retain your registration until you have moved from salary to pension.

How can I pay my registration renewal fee?

The registration renewal fee is payable online through My Registration. Select Renew my registration, complete the renewal application and proceed to payment. Payment is accepted by Credit/Debit card.

Please click here to renew online.

What will happen if I don't renew my registration?

If you do not renew, your registration with the Teaching Council will lapse and your name will be removed from the Register.

Why do I have to pay a registration fee?

As the Council is self-funded and receives no funding from the State, the fee is essential. It funds the Council's work in the same way that any professional body is funded by its members. The fee underpins the Council's status as the regulator of the teaching profession.

Click here to find out more about the role of the Teaching Council.

Who receives an e-Card and e-Receipt?

When you renew online you will receive an e-Card and e-Receipt which can be saved directly onto mobile devices for easy access.

How do I receive my e-Card and e-Receipt?

When a teacher renews online, they can access, download and print their e-Cards, receipts and Certificates of Registration by logging onto My Registration.

Will the Council provide me with a printed receipt and card as in previous years should I require?

A receipt and e-Card is available on the Teaching Council website via My Registration and may be downloaded and printed.

I've tried paying my fee online but there appears to be a technical problem. What can I do?

If you experience technical difficulties in renewing online, contact our technical support at renewals@teachingcouncil.ie. Include your registration number and as much detail as possible about the technical issue.

Do I need a password in order to use the online access to the Register?

Yes. To use the online My Registration, you will need your email address and password.

If you do not have your password, please click on the Forgotten password? tile to rest your password. 

How do I know if I am registered with the Teaching Council?

You can check your registration status and all your details here.

I am already registered as a post-primary teacher but wish to know how to go about qualifying to teach an additional curricular subject?

As a registered post-primary teacher, you have met the registration requirements that enable you to teach at least one post-primary curricular subject. Employment within schools to teach subjects is a matter for individual school authorities. It is not a registration requirement to be recognised for additional subjects.

If, however, you wish to have an additional curricular subject recorded on the Register of Teachers you must demonstrate that you meet the criteria for the subject. This does not mean that you have to complete another degree.

It means you need to study the subject to degree-level by combining modules from a level 8 degree or completing a level 9 postgraduate diploma ensuring that you study:

If you are interested in adding an additional subject you should firstly contact the relevant department in a Higher Education Institute (HEI) and ask them about your options for studying a subject to degree level as an occasional/full-time student.

When should I expect to receive an update on my application?

The average handling time is 6 - 8 weeks (qualified within Ireland), and 8 - 12 weeks (qualified outside of Ireland) from receipt of all required documentation

The Council will update you during the application process. We will acknowledge receipt of your application, liaise with you until all documentation has been received and confirm the process has been finalised.

Please note that submitting all of the required documentation with your application form significantly speeds up the process.