IMPORTANT:
If you have not logged into the CTC Online system since February 2017, you probably do not have a registered User ID.
You must register to use the online system by clicking the 'Create Educator Account' link on the CTC Online Login page even if you were issued a document/credential or submitted an application prior to February 2017.
Your User ID cannot be changed after it has been created.
This page covers:
- Login Guidance
- Troubleshooting Login Issues
- Videos for new and existing educators
- More Help
Login Guidance and Help
Log in with Your User ID and Password
If you have not logged into the CTC Online system since February 2017, you probably do not have a registered User ID. Please see the information under Register using the Create Educator Account link, even if you were issued a document/credential or submitted an application prior to February 2017.
Registered users (new and existing educators) must now login with their User ID and Password.
To login if you have a registered User ID:
- Click the Educator Login button on the Commission's Home page.
- Type your registered User ID and Password on the CTC Online Login page
- Then click Login.
Typing Passwords
- Type the password in the Password field. Do not copy and paste the password, it will not work.
- Make sure the CAPS lock is off.
Troubleshooting - Forgot User ID?
The following messages may appear:
"Invalid username/password specified."
- This message may display when the User ID and Password are typed incorrectly or the account is locked.
- Review the information under the Invalid username/password specified item below for assistance.
Forgot Your User ID?
You can retrieve your registered User ID through the Forgot Your User ID? link.
To retrieve your registered User ID:
- Click the Educator Login button on the Commission's Home page.
- Click Forgot Your User ID? on the CTC Online Login page.
- On the next page, click Educator.
- Then type the requested information to view your User ID.
- If the User ID page displays, make a note of the User ID and keep it secure.
Troubleshooting - Forgot User ID?
The following messages may appear:
"The information you submitted does not have a match."
- Click the Back button. On the next page, click the Cancel button to return to the CTC Online Login page. Please try again. You must click Educator not Authorized Submitter.
"SSN and DOB combination does not match, please try again."
- If you have not logged into the CTC Online system since February 2017, you probably do not have a registered User ID. Review the information under the Register using the Create Educator Account link on this page, even if you were issued a document/credential or submitted an application prior to February 2017.
Forgot Your Password? / Password has expired
There are two options for resetting your password.
- Click Forgot Your Password? when you do not remember your password.
- Click Reset Password on the Expired Password page.
Forgot Your Password?
- Click the Educator Login button on the Commission's Home page.
- Click Forgot Your Password? on the CTC Online Login page then go to Step 2.
Your password has expired.
- Click Reset Password on the password has expired page then go to Step 2.
- On the next page, click Educator.
- Type the requested information to reset the password. You may be asked to type the email address associated with your account. After typing it, please click Email my temporary password.
- An email will be sent to the email address associated to your account when it has been successfully reset.
- If you do not receive the email, please view the I cannot reset my Password item on this page for additional help.
- If you do not receive the email, please view the I cannot reset my Password item on this page for additional help.
- Return to the CTC Online Login page to login using your registered User ID and new Password.
- Please view the Login with your User ID and Password item on this page for additional help.
Troubleshooting - Forgot Your Password?
The following messages may appear:
"The information you submitted does not have a match."
- Click the Back button. On the next page, click the Cancel button to return to the CTC Online Login page. Please try again. You must click Educator not Authorized Submitter.
- Confirm your User ID. Please use the Forgot Your User ID? link and select Educator.
"SSN and DOB combination does not match, please try again."
- If you have not logged into the CTC Online system since February 2017, you probably do not have a registered User ID. Review the information under the Register using the Create Educator Account link item on this page, even if you were issued a document/credential or submitted an application prior to February 2017.
"Invalid username/password specified"
- For security purposes, accounts that are locked after five unsuccessful login attempts cannot be unlocked by Commission staff.
- If you reset your password and this message displays, your account is locked.
- Review the information under the Invalid username/password specified message item on this page for additional help.
Register using the Create Educator Account link
Read this if you have not logged into the CTC Online system since February 2017, you probably do not have a registered User ID.
All users (new and existing educators) must now login with their registered User ID to access their information through the CTC Online system.
To register your User ID and Password:
- Click the Educator Login button on the Commission's Home page.
- Click Create Educator Account on the CTC Online Login page.
- Type your Social Security Number and Date of Birth and click OK. One of three pages described below will display based on the information provided.
- The Existing user profile cannot be found page will display when the information does not match our records. You must re-type your Social Security Number and Date of Birth to continue your registration.
- If this page displays and you have previously submitted an application or were issued a document/credential since February 2017, STOP
and contact the Certification Division using Live Chat - (M-F
12:00 PM to 4:00 PM). This issue cannot be resolved by email for
security reasons.
- If this page displays and you have previously submitted an application or were issued a document/credential since February 2017, STOP
and contact the Certification Division using Live Chat - (M-F
12:00 PM to 4:00 PM). This issue cannot be resolved by email for
security reasons.
- You must type your full legal name when creating your Educator Profile.
- Review the fingerprint information webpage at https://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/fee-and-fingerprint to avoid fingerprint clearance delays and errors.
- When there is an existing profile, the User Profile page will display.
- Note: The text displayed at the top of the page cannot be changed until you login with your User ID and Password. Name changes must be submitted using the 41-NC form.
- Note: The text displayed at the top of the page cannot be changed until you login with your User ID and Password. Name changes must be submitted using the 41-NC form.
- The User ID page will display when you are already registered to use the Online system.
- Please make note of your User ID and use the Forgot Your Password? link on the CTC Online Login page to access your account.
- When using the Forgot Your Password? link, select Educator when offered a choice.
- Please make note of your User ID and use the Forgot Your Password? link on the CTC Online Login page to access your account.
- Complete the Profile page to register your User ID, Password and Challenge questions and answers.
- User ID: Carefully type your User ID. Once it is created, it cannot be changed. For security purposes, never use your SSN as your User ID.
- Email address: You must include a current valid email address as this is how password recovery information and other important correspondence regarding your file will be distributed.
- When all of the system requirements are met, the User ID Created page will display confirming your User ID. Please take note of the User ID and keep it secure.
- If this page did not display, the User ID was not created. Please try again.
- Click Return to Login.
- Login with your registered User ID and Password.
Logout
To securely logout of your account:
- Click the Person icon at the top right corner of the page.
- Click Logout.
- The following page confirms you have securely logged out.
Click Back to Home to return to the Commission’s web page.
Troubleshooting Login Issues
"SSN and DOB Combination does not match, please try again." message
If you receive this message when using Forgot Your User ID? or Forgot Your Password?, you probably do not have a registered User ID, even if you were issued a document/credential or submitted an application prior to February 2017.
Please review the information under Register Using the Create Educator Account link on the Login Help page for additional information.
"The selected record has been modified by another user..." message
At any point in the online process, you may get the message stating that 'The selected record has been modified by another user since it was retrieved. Please continue'.
This message will not lock your account. There is no need for concern as you are modifying the record.
Below are instructions on what to do when this message displays.
- The pop-up message displays. Click OK or CLOSE. The pop-up message will disappear.
- The previous page you were on will display again. Repeat the last action taken before the pop-up message displayed.
- Repeat Steps 1 and 2 until the message no longer displays.
"Invalid username/password specified" message
The “Invalid username/password specified” error message will display when the User ID and Password are entered incorrectly or the account is locked.
Check your information
- Always type your password into the Password field. Do not copy and paste, it will not work.
- Make sure the CAPS lock is off when typing in your password.
- To avoid being locked out when the error message displays after your second attempt to login, do not try again. Please review the information under Forgot Your User ID? and then Forgot Your Password?/Password has expired to recover your User ID and reset your password.
- If you are using a temporary password and have received this message after your second attempt to login, try copying the temporary password, pasting it into a Word document or Text file and enlarging the text. Type the temporary password into the Password field again. As noted above, do not copy and paste the temporary password into the Password field.
If your account is locked
- Accounts are locked after five unsuccessful login attempts.
- For security purposes, accounts that are locked after five unsuccessful login attempts cannot be unlocked by Commission staff.
- If you used Forgot Your Password? and you reset
your password or received a temporary emailed password and you still receive
this message when trying to login, your account is locked.
- When accounts are locked, please wait 24 hours before you attempt to
login again. If you received a temporary emailed password, you must first use the Forgot Your Password? link before attempting to login again.

Page does not display or is inactive
When a page does not load correctly, you may notice the following:
- A rotating oval may display over a blank page
- The page does not display properly or completely
- Not all of the fields with a white background are accessible
Please try the following:
- Logout and close all browsers.
- Try again using a different browser.
I am unable to create my profile
When using the Create Educator Account link, the following message may display:
This issue can be caused by the User ID. Please check for the following:
- If your User ID begins with a special character, please try using a different character.
- The User ID cannot end with a period.
If the User ID meets all the requirements and you continue to receive this message:
- Please try again using a different internet browser.
- Please try again later. The server may be busy.
- Please see the Contact Us item on this page for additional information.
I cannot reset my Password
If you do not receive an email confirming your password has been changed, please check your email's spam or junk folders. If the email is not there, please use the following steps:
- Click Forgot Your Password? on the CTC Online Login page.
- On the next page, click Educator then type your User ID.
- Answer your challenge questions to reset the password.
- If you do not answer your challenge questions accurately, you will be asked to provide your Social Security Number, Date of Birth and email address associated with your account.
a. If you are requested to provide an email address, type the email address associated with your account and click Email my temporary password.
- If you did not receive an error message, please click Continue.
- If you received an error message, please try again. Consider trying another active email address that you might have used with your account.
- If you continue to receive an error message, please contact the Certification Division using Live Chat - (M-F 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM). This issue cannot be resolved by email for security reasons.
b. Check your email inbox and spam or junk folders for an email from donotreply@ctc.ca.gov.
- If you did not receive an email, please contact the Certification Division using Live Chat - (M-F 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM). This issue cannot be resolved by email for security reasons.
If your account is locked
- For security purposes, accounts that are locked after five unsuccessful login attempts cannot be unlocked by Commission staff.
- If you reset your password and the Invalid username/password specified message displays, your account is locked.
- Review the information under the Invalid username/password specified message item on this page for assistance.
"The information you submitted does not have a match." message
If you receive this message when using Forgot Your User ID?, Forgot Your Password? or resetting an expired Password, please try again.
- Always select Educator when offered a choice.
- Confirm your User ID before using Forgot Your Password? or resetting an expired Password.
Issues with updating your information?
"You must enter a complete address." message
- Click OK or Close to close the pop-up window.
- Check your address displays a Country.
- If a Country is not displayed, click Add or Change Address to add a Country to your address. The drop down menu will not work until Add or Change Address is clicked.
- Type your information in the required fields.
- You must click Save when you are done before clicking any other button. Otherwise you will lose all changes made.
- Click Next to continue if your address is accurate and the Country information displays.
Fingerprint Clearance
Video - New Educators
For individuals who have never held California certification
This step-by-step video tutorial will guide new users through the process of creating an Educator Profile in the CTC Online system, including creating a User ID and Password. You must type your full legal name in your Educator Profile to avoid fingerprint clearance delays and errors.
IMPORTANT: Your User ID cannot be changed after it has been created.
Click on and view the Register using the Create Educator Account link item on this page for more information.
Video - Existing Educators
For individuals currently/previously certified in California
This step-by-step video tutorial will assist educators who have already held certification with creating a CTC Online User ID and Password. If you have not logged into the CTC Online system since February 2017, then you probably do not have a registered User ID.
IMPORTANT: Your User ID cannot be changed after it has been created.
Click on and view the Register using the Create Educator Account link item on this page for more information.
Need more help?
Questions on an Application or Payment?
When you submit an online application you are certifying (or declaring) under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that all the statements in your application are true and correct.
Contact Us
If you have tried the troubleshooting recommendations on this page and are still having issues using the CTC Online system, please use a different web browser and try again.
If you need further assistance, please send an email to credentials@ctc.ca.gov with the following information:
- What you were attempting to do (provide as much detail as possible)
- The page or location on which you are encountering the issue
- The type of device you were using
- The internet browser you were using
- Include a screenshot of the error message or provide the exact text
- Include your full legal name
IMPORTANT: Never email any part of your Social Security Number.