Early childhood teacher registration by state

Last reviewed: 9 November 2026. Checked against ACECQA’s Early childhood teacher registration and accreditation table and Child Safety Review progress report, the Teacher Registration Board of WA and regulations 146 and 147 of the Education and Care Services National Regulations, on 9 November 2026.

Quick answer

It depends on the state. Early childhood teachers in NQF services must be registered in Victoria (VIT), South Australia (TRB SA) and Western Australia (TRBWA), and accredited in NSW (NESA). In the Northern Territory registration became mandatory from September 2026 with a one-year transition. It is voluntary in the ACT and Queensland (where a mandatory requirement by 1 July 2028 is proposed), and in Tasmania it is only required for teachers in kindergartens and schools. Registration is separate from the ACECQA-approved qualification that counts for the ECT requirement.

Which states require early childhood teachers in long day care and preschools to be registered or accredited, the authority in each, and what the service must record.

Registration by state and territory

Jurisdiction	Requirement for ECTs in NQF services	Authority
NSW	Accreditation required for ECTs in approved centre-based settings	NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA)
Victoria	Registration required for all ECTs	Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT)
South Australia	Registration required for all ECTs	Teachers Registration Board of South Australia
Western Australia	Registration required for all ECTs, including in centre-based education and care services	Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia
Northern Territory	Mandatory from September 2026, with a one-year transition period	Teacher Registration Board of the Northern Territory
Queensland	Voluntary in NQF settings (some employers require it); legislation proposed to make it mandatory by 1 July 2028	Queensland College of Teachers
ACT	Voluntary early childhood teacher registration (a separate category); required for ECTs in preschools attached to schools	ACT Teacher Quality Institute
Tasmania	Required for kindergarten teachers (kindergartens are part of schools); not required in other NQF settings	Teachers Registration Board of Tasmania

Source: ACECQA. The national Child Safety Review also tracks teacher registration as a reform, with the ACT, NT, Tasmania and Queensland working towards registration in 2026–27 (ACECQA progress report).

Registration is not the same as the ECT qualification

Whether a person counts as an early childhood teacher for the National Regulations depends on holding, or actively working towards, an ACECQA-approved early childhood teaching qualification (or being taken to be an ECT under the regulations). Registration with a teacher regulator is a separate state requirement to be employed as a teacher. A service in a registration state needs both. See early childhood teacher requirements and educator qualifications.

What the service must record

For staff members, the staff record includes teacher registration details, except in NSW, Queensland and Tasmania (regulation 147(e)); nominated supervisors’ records include registration as an alternative to a working with children check where relevant (regulation 146).
Track registration expiry and renewal alongside the working with children check. See staff records and working with children checks by state.
Check registration on the authority’s public register before an ECT starts, and record the number.

Frequently asked questions

Do early childhood teachers need to be registered?

In Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, yes; in NSW they must be accredited with NESA; in the Northern Territory registration became mandatory from September 2026 with a one-year transition. It is voluntary in the ACT and Queensland, and in Tasmania only kindergarten teachers must be registered.

Do early childhood teachers need NESA accreditation in NSW?

Yes. ACECQA states that early childhood teachers working in approved centre-based settings in NSW must be accredited with the NSW Education Standards Authority.

Is early childhood teacher registration mandatory in Queensland?

Not yet. It is voluntary for ECTs in NQF settings, though some employers require it, and legislative amendments propose a mandatory requirement by 1 July 2028.

Does teacher registration replace the approved ECT qualification?

No. Counting as an ECT under the National Regulations depends on an ACECQA-approved qualification; registration is a separate state requirement to work as a teacher.

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This page is a research summary, not legal or compliance advice. It is written in our own words from the sources linked on the page; confirm the position with your regulatory authority before relying on it for a compliance decision.