• 01 The shared pathway — provisional to full 3
• 02 The APST — the national standard behind every system 4
• 03 The eight systems compared — the full comparison table 5
• 04 What "demonstrating Proficient" involves — evidence and verification 6
• 05 Part-time, casual, and relief teaching — how days are counted 7
• 06 Missing the deadline, and moving interstate — extensions and mutual recognition 8
• ? Frequently asked questions 9

Every Australian teacher registration system works the same way at its core. You start with provisional registration, granted when you finish an accredited initial teacher education (ITE) qualification. Provisional registration lets you teach, but it is temporary. Within a set period you must demonstrate that your practice meets the Proficient standard and convert to full registration, the long-term credential.

The terminology differs in one place. NSW uses the word "accreditation" rather than "registration", and its entry levels are Conditional (for student teachers still completing a degree) and Provisional (for graduates). The mechanism is identical to every other state: a temporary entry level, then conversion to full status by evidencing Proficient practice. If you teach in NSW, this is the same process, under a different name.

In every state and territory, one regulator covers all sectors. Government, Catholic, and independent schools require the same registration. There is no separate credential for each sector. [Source: regulator sites, 2026]

Source: AITSL, 2026; NESA, 2025.

The one thing all eight regulators share is the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST), maintained nationally by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL). AITSL does not register teachers; it owns the framework that every state regulator uses to judge readiness for full registration.

The APST has 7 Standards, grouped into 3 domains:

• Professional Knowledge (Standards 1–2)
• Professional Practice (Standards 3–5)
• Professional Engagement (Standards 6–7)

The Standards are described at 4 career stages: Graduate, Proficient, Highly Accomplished, and Lead. Provisional registration is aligned to the Graduate stage, which your ITE qualification is taken to demonstrate. Full registration is aligned to the Proficient stage. To reach Proficient, you evidence your practice against the APST's 37 descriptors at the Proficient level. [Source: AITSL; TQI, 2026]

This is why the conversion process feels similar wherever you teach. Whether your regulator calls it an Inquiry (Victoria), a Provisional to Full process (Tasmania), or moving from Provisional to Full (most states), you are doing the same thing: assembling annotated evidence that your day-to-day teaching meets the Proficient career stage across all seven Standards. The format and the number of evidence items differ by state. The standard being measured does not.

Source: AITSL, 2026 — aitsl.edu.au/standards

Here is the provisional-to-full pathway across all eight jurisdictions. Find your state, then follow the linked guide for the full detail.

Two patterns stand out. First, the maximum period clusters around three to five years, but the exact figure and what restarts the clock differ. Second, the minimum teaching requirement ranges from VIC's 80 days to SA and QLD's roughly 200, with NT at 100 and TAS at 185. None of these is an error; they are genuine differences between regulators, which is the reason a single national figure does not exist.

Sources: NESA 2025; VIT 2026; QCT 2026; TRBWA 2024–26; TRB SA 2025; TRB Tas 2026; TQI 2026; TRB NT 2026.

Across all eight systems, converting to full registration is not an exam. It is an evidence-based judgement made at your school and confirmed by the regulator.

You assemble a portfolio of annotated evidence mapped to the APST. The volume differs: ACT asks for 6–10 annotated items covering all 37 descriptors; NSW asks for 5–8 items plus a focused lesson observation; NT requires two observed-teaching reports, a sample of direct evidence, and a professional development log. Victoria wraps the evidence inside a structured Inquiry based on a teaching question and its impact on student learning. [Source: TQI 2026; NESA 2025; TRB NT 2026; VIT 2026]

The verification pattern is consistent. A school-based assessor judges your evidence against the Proficient standard and recommends you; the regulator makes the final decision. The assessor's title varies:

Engage your assessor early. Finding a mutually available time for observation, and allowing time for their written report, takes longer than most teachers expect.

You do not need a full-time permanent job to reach full registration. Every system counts part-time and casual teaching, but the mechanism differs.

In NSW, reduced-load teachers get a longer maximum period to compensate: 6 years from Conditional or 5 years from Provisional, against 4 and 3 years full-time. In states with a day-count requirement, you simply take longer to reach the threshold. SA and QLD count to roughly 200 days, NT to 100 days within five years, TAS to 185 days, and VIC to 80 days, regardless of how those days are spread across weeks. [Source: NESA 2025; TRB SA 2025; QCT 2026; TRB NT 2026; TRB Tas 2026; VIT 2026]

If you are a casual or relief teacher, check your state guide for how to log and evidence your days, and start the conversation with a regular host school about who can act as your assessor.

Source: TRB SA 2025; QCT 2026 — relief days count toward the teaching requirement.

If you reach the end of your maximum period without converting, your provisional or conditional status lapses or is placed at risk, and you cannot legally teach until it is resolved. Most regulators offer an extension or "sufficient reasons" application if you are close but not finished. Apply before your expiry date rather than letting registration lapse, because reinstatement is more onerous than an extension. [Source: NESA 2025; TRB SA 2025; TRBWA 2024]

If you already hold full or provisional registration in one state and move to another, you generally do not start the process again. Mutual recognition lets you carry your registration across, often with deemed registration so you can begin teaching while the new regulator finalises the transfer. The rules and timing vary, so see our interstate teacher registration and mutual recognition guide before you move.

How do I get full teacher registration in Australia?

You finish an accredited initial teacher education qualification, register at provisional level with your state's regulator, then convert to full registration by demonstrating the Proficient career stage of the APST. That means assembling annotated evidence from your teaching, having it assessed at your school, and the regulator confirming it. The exact timeframe, evidence format, and minimum teaching days depend on your state or territory.

What is the difference between provisional and full teacher registration?

Provisional registration is the temporary entry level, granted on graduation and aligned to the Graduate career stage. Full registration is the long-term credential, granted once you demonstrate the Proficient career stage through evidence of your practice. NSW uses "conditional" and "provisional" accreditation for the entry levels and "proficient" accreditation for full status, but the structure is the same.

How long do I have to move from provisional to full registration?

It depends on your state. The maximum period is typically three to five years. Victoria allows two years (with the option of a further grant), Queensland two years extendable to four, WA three years, and SA, ACT, and NT up to five years. NSW works on a maximum-period model of three to six years depending on your entry level and work pattern.

Do casual relief teaching days count toward full registration?

Yes. Casual relief teaching days count toward the teaching requirement. South Australia states this explicitly: all relief days across different schools contribute, and you request a Statement of Service from each employer to evidence them. Queensland also counts relief days. Other states count teaching on an equivalence basis set by each regulator.

Is teacher registration the same in every Australian state?

No. Australia has eight separate registration systems, one per state and territory, each run by its own regulator: NESA (NSW), VIT (VIC), QCT (QLD), TRBWA (WA), TRB SA, TRB Tas, TQI (ACT), and TRB NT. They share one spine — provisional to full registration measured against the national APST — but the timeframes, evidence, minimum days, and who verifies all differ.

What happens if I do not progress to full registration in time?

Your provisional or conditional status lapses or is placed at risk, and you cannot legally teach until it is reinstated or you re-apply. Most regulators offer an extension or a "sufficient reasons" application if you are close to the deadline. Apply before your expiry date, because reinstatement after a lapse is more onerous than requesting an extension in advance.

Teacher Passport

Browse teaching jobs

Find teaching jobs across Australia

Whatever stage of registration you are at, Teacher Passport lists teaching jobs across every state and territory — updated daily from official sources.

Every state and territory Government schools Catholic schools Independent schools

teacherpassport.com.au/jobs