The registration fee

The General Teaching Council is an independent body that registers qualified teachers and works in the public interest to promote high standards of teaching and learning and high standards of conduct among teachers.

Like other professions, teachers are required to be registered to demonstrate that they are qualified and of good standing. The Council's work is financed by its registration fee.  The Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 (section 4(4)) and The General Teaching Council for England (Registration of Teachers) Regulations 2000 (section 9) provide the legal basis for the Council to charge a registration fee.

Other professionals meet the cost of registration and regulation by personal payment of a  fee.  In the case of teachers, an additional salary allowance is made by the School Teachers’ Review Body to cover this cost.

The current registration fee is £33. The fee is eligible for tax relief. The full fee is payable to the GTC with the tax relief claimed by teachers from the Inland Revenue.

All registered teachers are required to pay the fee. Registration is a legal requirement for all qualified teachers working as teachers in maintained schools, non-maintained special schools and pupil referral units.  In October 2005, the Secretary of State for Education and Skills announced that, in future, qualified teachers working in academies will also be required to register.

All registered teachers are required to pay the registration fee. The following teachers are not legally required to register with the GTC:

• teachers working as home tutors
• teachers working at outdoor education centres
• teachers working in the independent sector or in further or higher education
• teachers who have retired and no longer do any teaching at all.

If the above teachers hold Qualified Teacher Status they are welcome to register with the GTC but will need to pay the registration fee.

If you are not required to be registered with the GTC and wish to deregister please contact the Teacher Enquiry Service on 0870 001 0308.

The Council has considered the subject of scaled fees and refunds but has decided that this option is not viable because of the relatively high costs of administration it represents, the low value of the fee, and the need to keep the fees as low as possible.

The School Teachers’ Review Body recommended, and government accepted, the recommendation that teachers should receive an allowance of £33 to contribute to the cost of the fee.

If you have taught or will be teaching during any part of the registration year you are required to pay the annual registration fee for that year.

The Council has considered the subject of scaled fees and refunds but has decided that this option is not viable because of the relatively high costs of administration it represents, the low value of the fee, and the need to keep the fees as low as possible.

The School Teachers’ Review Body recommended, and government accepted, the recommendation that teachers should receive an allowance of £33 to contribute to the cost of the fee.

If you are a supply teacher directly employed by a maintained school or Local Education Authority then you will be entitled to receive the £33 allowance. If you do not receive the £33 then we suggest you contact your employer directly. Previously the national employers’ organisation wrote to LEAs with guidance on how to pay the £33 allowance but the final implementation is up to each employer.

You should inform your employer. If you work in a voluntary aided or foundation school you should get in touch with the school bursar.

The £33 allowance is based on a recommendation by the STRB and so only applies to those employed under Teachers Pay and Conditions. It is not a payment by the government, or GTC, to teachers. If you are employed by an agency then it is up to individuals to negotiate with agencies. Some agencies may choose to reimburse the cost of the GTC registration fee to their teachers, whilst others may reflect the fee in their pay rates. If you are teaching in the maintained sector, regardless of your employer, then you are required to be registered with the GTC.

All registered teachers need to pay the registration fee including those not currently working. All teachers pay the fee in advance for the forthcoming fee year. The registration fee is an annual fee that covers a 12-month period and if you do any teaching during that time you are required to be registered and to pay the fee. This does mean that teachers not currently working may need to ensure that they are registered and that they pay the fee before they return to work.

If you will not be teaching for any full financial year (1 April - 31 March) then you may request to be deregistered from the GTC; you will then not be required to pay the registration fee. To do this please contact our Teacher Enquiry Service on 0870 001 0308. If in the future you then return to teaching you will need to reregister with the GTC.

Yes, all teachers are required to pay all registration fees.

No. The cost of instalment payments would add considerably to the annual fee.

No. It is not a receipt for the fee.