The NTC Instructor Development Program (IDP) is designed to attract experts in their fields who are committed to providing this crucial training. The program guarantees the superiority of NTC training courses by adhering to its core values: 

• Ensure that all instructors are trained consistently and meet the same meticulous standards. 
• Promote instructors’ use of effective learning techniques and ongoing development. 
• Provide a framework that aligns with NTC policies, procedures, guidelines, and standards. 
• Require that all instructors are evaluated at regular intervals. 

Participation in the IDP is open to current employees of the FMCSA or participating Commercial Motor Vehicle Enforcement (CMVE) state programs. These CMVEs include recipients of FMCSA’s extensive grant program to State and local law enforcement agencies, the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP). The FMCSA’s High-Priority Enforcement Training and Support (HP-ETS) grantee, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), is an additional stakeholder. Under the NTC’s supervision and with NTC guidance, these stakeholders work cooperatively to realize FMCSA’s mission by providing high-quality training and course delivery.

Requirements for Certification

1. Application 

Applicants first coordinate with their State POC/Federal supervisor to complete and submit the NTC Instructor Certification Program Application2 and its required supporting materials, which range from a detailed resume to inspection or investigation reports. The NTC evaluates the applications and selects candidates. 

2. Approval – Candidacy 

Applicants who meet the qualification requirements and receive NTC approval are considered IDP candidates. The candidates must then complete the online NTC Instructor Orientation course. 

3. Certification 

Instructors may only teach courses in which they are certified. They are not permitted to instruct any part of a course before they are certified by the NTC. 

Instructor and Master Instructor candidates must pass a qualification exam for the course they wish to teach.

To become certified as an Instructor or Master Instructor, candidates must: 

     i) Receive the minimum required score on the qualification exam for their selected course4 
    ii) Complete the Instructor Development Certification (IDC) Course or Master Instructor Development Certification (MIDC) Course 

To become certified as a Presenter, Instructor, or Master Instructor, candidates must: 

   iii) Receive an overall rating of “Effective” on a field evaluation (an evaluation conducted by a Master Instructor while the candidate teaches a course) 

4. Maintenance 

Once certified to teach a course in the IDP, there are certain requirements instructors must meet to continue teaching after the first year. All instructors must meet the certification maintenance requirements for their role. Certifications are based on a four-year cycle.

However, there are also specific annual requirements. All maintenance requirements are listed in the detailed description of each instructor role later in this document. 

As an added assurance that course delivery is always of the highest quality, instructors may be evaluated by a Master Instructor whenever they teach. For example, if a Master Instructor joins a class to evaluate an IDP candidate, any instructors co-teaching the course shall also be evaluated.

To learn more about the course, review the Instructor Certification Program Manual.

Ready to Apply?

To apply, download, complete and submit the Instructor Certification Program Application. 

If you have any questions, contact us at NTC-Certification@dot.gov.