Alert:OCTs must pay their annual membership fee by April 15, 2026 to maintain good standing status. Pay your AMF.
The Ontario College of Teachers licenses, governs and regulates the province’s teaching profession in the public interest and to protect students. All publicly funded school teachers and administrators in Ontario must be licensed by us and be Ontario Certified Teachers (OCT).
The College regulates the teaching profession to protect students. Teachers in Ontario’s publicly funded elementary and secondary schools must be certified by the College, keep their membership in good standing, and follow the profession’s ethical and practice standards.
Explore everything related to your Ontario College of Teachers certification, including how to pay your annual fees, keep up to date with the College, and stay informed about ongoing professional learning.
You must apply to be certified by the Ontario College of Teachers and remain in good standing to teach in Ontario’s publicly funded elementary and secondary schools.
The College provides information and resources to support Ontario Certified Teachers (OCTs), applicants and education system partners to strengthen the teaching profession and promote student safety.
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You must be a member in good standing with the College to teach in Ontario’s publicly- funded elementary and secondary schools.
Read our application guide to learn what qualifications you need to teach in Ontario.
The College has created a new, temporary teaching certificate to help the province address teacher shortages resulting from COVID-19. The temporary certificate will enable Ontario faculty of education students to begin teaching earlier.
Teachers certified in other Canadian provinces and territories can also apply.
Please see all eligibility requirements for the temporary certificate.
You can now request the temporary certificate online.
For more information, please see our frequently asked questions.
If you obtained your teaching credentials outside Canada, you can still apply for certification. Take our online applicant eligibility assessment to see if you meet the requirements.
Apply now or resume your application. We recommend checking the status of your application regularly, so you can respond to requests for additional information or documents.
Before you apply online, watch our video, Registering with the Ontario College of Teachers for an overview of the process.
