Coach Licensing

IS YOUR TENNIS COACH LICENSED?

By signing up to and displaying the Tennis Ireland Safeguarding Statement, stakeholders have demonstrated their commitment to safeguarding all their members and through working under the guidance of the National Governing Bodies safeguarding policies and procedures, volunteers, employees and contractors should seek to create a safe, enjoyable, positive, equitable, welcoming and encouraging atmosphere for all involved.

Part of Tennis Ireland’s recruitment policy states that all Coaches should be Licensed.

All individuals or organisations that employ or contract coaches  (e.g. clubs, schools, individual players) should employ only licensed coaches.  This development is supported by Tennis Coach Ireland (TCI).  To review the criteria for the 2025 Coach Licensing Scheme and apply for your License please see below.

2026 Coach Licensing

Coaches can apply for their 2026 Coach License from mid-December (exact date is TBC).

Coaches must only apply for licensing once they have all their correct documents available.

WHAT IS THE CRITERIA FOR 2026?

In order for a coach to be eligible for licensing in 2026, the coach must satisfy the following criteria:

1.CPD Points

Amass a minimum of 100 points under the regulations of the TCI Continuous Professional Development Programme for 2025.

2.Garda Vetting/Access NI

Coaches must be able to provide evidence that you have been vetted within the previous 3 years; Garda Vetting or Access NI as appropriate through Tennis Ireland/Ulster Tennis.  Vetting completed before 2023 is no longer valid. Garda Vetting due to expire within 6 weeks of a licensing application will not be valid due to the current vetting turnaround times.

3.Safeguarding 1

Safeguarding 1 certificates are valid for 3 years with the Sport Ireland/Sport Northern Ireland online refresher extending this by a further 3 years. If you have a refresher certificate, you must also hold the original Safeguarding Certificate. Safeguarding 1 Certificates dated prior to 2020 are not valid for 2026, regardless of when your refresher was complete as it is based on the date of your Safeguarding 1 cert.

For Example, if your cert is dated 2020 your refresher cert needs to be dated 2023 to extend it to 2026, after which you will need to complete the full Safeguarding 1 course again (before the date on your original cert expires).

All Safeguarding courses should be completed through Sport Ireland (run by the Local Sports Partnerships) or Sport Northern Ireland. No other Safeguarding 1 training is accepted.

To update your certificate, you can complete the Safeguarding 1 Online Refresher with Sport Ireland here or Sport Northern Ireland here.

4.First Aid Certificate

Coaches must have valid first aid certs from training delivered in person that includes defibrillation/AED training. Online courses are not accepted. If an expiry date is not displayed on the certificate, the 2 year rule will apply as this is the general duration that a cert is valid for.

5.Registration with Tennis Ireland

Be registered with Tennis Ireland by paying the €20.00 Coach License fee at time of application. Payment can be made via card on the application form below.

 N.B. it is important that when stakeholders request evidence of a coach’s license, that they also check the Coach’s Garda Vetting disclosure, Safeguarding 1 Cert and First Aid Cert to ensure they do not expire during the year in question.

If either tasks expire, it is the responsibility of the Stakeholder taking on the coach to work with children and young people and the Coach to ensure both Garda Vetting and Safeguarding are kept up to date.

HOW DO I APPLY FOR MY LICENSE?

Apply for your 2025 License by clicking the link below. Please note the 2025 License application form is closing at the end of November.

Please note, applications made via e-mail or phone will result in a delay in being processed.