The Instructor Candidacy (IC) process is how Certified Technicians become Certified Instructors. The action item PAY INSTRUCTOR CANDIDACY FEE will only appear in your Online Profile when you are eligible to apply.

There are four basic steps for Instructor Candidacy:

1. Be a Certified Technician for at least six months immediately preceding the application
2. Pay IC application fee
3. Submit a complete application to Safe Kids Worldwide. There is no longer a deadline.
4. Upon approval (status = Instructor Candidate), successfully teach as an Instructor Candidate for a certification course within one year of candidacy approval.

The application fee for instructor candidacy is $75. Safe Kids Worldwide encourages CPSTs to pay the fee after your application is complete and ready to be submitted. Once the registration fee has been processed and payment received, you will receive an e-mail notifying you to continue with the application.

CLICK HERE to go to the FORMS section (IC application, evaluation, mentor guide, worksheet, tools, etc.)

PLEASE NOTE: The designated State CPS Training Contact will be notified when you are approved as an instructor candidate.

You must maintain your certification during this time. Do not allow your certification to expire! After you pass the IC process and become a Certified Instructor, you will start with a new 2-year certification cycle.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, click on the Policies & Procedures button on the right. Look under Instructor Candidacy.

You will fail to qualify as a Certified Instructor if:

1. You do not receive a passing score on the Instructor Candidate Evaluation during your 12-month candidacy period (a passing grade is not entered online) OR
2. Your technician certification expires during your candidacy period

If you do not complete IC, your status will revert to Certified Technician.  If you still want to be a CPSTI, you must reapply for Instructor Candidacy.

Due to the nature of the candidacy process, this fee is refundable only in extreme, well-documented situations.

You have an unlimited number of chances to participate in a certification course as an instructor candidate during your candidacy period. If you do not receive a passing score on the first try, you are free to try to find another course.