Apply to renew your practising certificate
Because your teaching certificate matters.
Renewing a practising certificate ensures you continue to maintain high standards and best practise throughout your career.
Renewing online takes about 10 minutes when you have everything ready to go
It's a legal requirement to renew every three years if you're teaching
Avoid a late fee by renewing it before it expires
The renewal process
Preprare your information
- Gather certified documents
- Identify your endorser
Submit application through My Rawa
- Fill out application form
- Make payment
Third-party checks
- Endorser check
- Police vet
Teaching Council checks
- Our Registration Team reviews your application
- You receive your certificate
Things you need to have ready before you start
Your certified documents
A certified copy of a name change document (if you have had a recent name change)
A certified copy of an overseas Police Clearance certificate (if you have lived overseas for 12 months or more within the last 10 years)
Tips
All documents you provide need to be in English or te reo Māori.
A certified document is a copy of your original that's been verified by an official like a JP, NZ principal, court registrar or NZ centre manager, using an official stamp or seal.
You can upload digital copies of certified documents (you won't need to post physical copies).
Proof of your teaching experience overseas
It is helpful to have a recent CV handy when completing the application form, as we will ask for the dates of your most recent teaching service
Tips
To consider your overseas service you may also need to provde testimonials from professional leaders, reviews, evidence of teacher registration in that country and a professional standing letter if applicable.
If you are providing evidence of overseas teaching service, all documents must be certified copies.
Your My Rawa and Ministry of Education (ESL) logon
Your My Rawa and ESL login details are required to start the renewal application
Tips
If you need support to get into My Rawa, you can view our webpage here.
If you have forgotten your ESL logon, the Ministry of Education can help you:
Your endorser details
Who is an endorser? Your endorser should be your current professional leader, or the current professional leader (tumuaki, principal, centre manager) in the kura, school or early childhood education (ECE) centre where you last taught
Ask your endorser for their registration number, full legal name and email address
Tips
Ensure your endorser is from either your current, or most recent place of employment.
In doubt? Ask your tumuaki | principal or ECE centre manager for the details of your endorser before you start your application.
Know which practising certificate to select
Tiwhikete Whakaakoranga Tūturu | Full Practising Certificate (Category One)
Tiwhikete Whakaakoranga Pūmau | Full Practising Certificate (Category Two)
Tip
These are the two practising certificate types that experienced teachers choose from. Selecting the wrong practising certificate may result in delays.
Convenient payment options
Late submissions will incur a fee of $50
Tips
Your expiry date is available in real time, on the online list of all registered teachers in New Zealand.
We are currently unable to accept WINZ payment cards and or instalment options.
Got everything ready to go?
Help and support
A recently certified document is a copy of your original document, that has been verified by an official using an official stamp or seal. Officials include:
- NZ School principal or centre manager
- Solicitor, Justice of the Peace or notary public
- Court registrar
- The authority who originally issued the document
The person certifying your documents must note on every page the following: “certified true copy of the original”, and clearly identify and include on the document:
- full name of official
- signature, title, address and contact number of the official
- official stamp or seal
- date the documents were certified.
You can now view, download or print your current or newly approved practising certificate. This can be accessed from any device under ‘My profile’ in the teacher portal | . You can select from the A4 certificate or wallet sized options.
Talk to your professional leader to find out who your correct endorser is. You can find your own – or another teacher's – registration number and registration status, by entering their name into the Teacher Register.
There are two types of practising certificate for experienced teachers who are renewing:
- Tiwhikete Whakaakoranga Tūturu | Full Practising Certificate (Category One)
- Tiwhikete Whakaakoranga Pūmau | Full Practising Certificate (Category Two)
If your practising certificate expires, you can continue to teach lawfully for up to 10 days (20 half days) in a year. If your application hasn't been processed beyond this you will need to submit an extension to teach request.
Requesting an extension to teach
We’ve made a change to requesting an extension to teach! The individual teacher is now responsible for submitting an extension to teach request, not the tumuaki or principal.
Admin? Sorted.
My Rawa simplifies the admin of being a teacher. Renew your practising certificate, view your digital certificate or make requests in Hapori Matatū - it’s your go-to space for tailored support and practical tools.
