This information is reliable for the US only, other countries have different regulations.
When you first start looking into becoming a yoga teacher, it can be a little confusing to figure out what all these different terms mean. The most important thing to know about teaching yoga in the USA is that there is absolutely no regulation on yoga teachers. This means that you do not need to be certified, registered, or licensed in order to hang a shingle and start leading sun salutations. In fact, some of the most experienced and well-known teachers in the country have never been certified, registered, or licensed. That is because all of these are relatively recent concepts, especially in regards to teaching yoga. When many of these teachers started teaching, there were no formal yoga teacher training programs. Your teacher might “certify” you to teach, but that was an arbitrary designation that did not imply a specific amount of training.
Some time in the last 30 years or so, yoga teacher training has become a profitable endeavor if not quite big business. There are a plethora of options for novice teachers to receive their training and very little oversight or regulation. Although the actual laws regarding teaching yoga have not changed, the environment has. As a brand new yoga teacher today, you are unlikely to have much luck finding a job teaching yoga unless you have been through some training.
Certification
Certification refers to the completion of a certain program of training according to the standards of that particular school. There are no universal standards for certification, so two certified teachers from different schools can have completely different skill sets. Most gyms and yoga studios require that you have a certification in order to teach there. For some gyms and studios, a certification is all the credentials you need. Others require you to be registered with the Yoga Alliance or have graduated from a Yoga Alliance approved training. And some places require you to teach an “audition” class in addition to your credentials in order to more clearly see your skills in action.
Registration
In order to bring some consistency to the burgeoning market of teacher training programs, The Yoga Alliance was formed in 1997. The Yoga Alliance sets minimum standards for teacher training programs. Programs that meet these standards and pay a fee can market their trainings as “Yoga Alliance Approved”. Graduates of these trainings can then register with the Yoga Alliance and then promote themselves as RYT – Registered Yoga Teachers. Registration is available at 4 different levels: RYT 200, E-RYT 200, RYT 500, and E-RYT 500. The E stands for experienced and indicates a certain number of hours teaching since the completion of teacher training.
Some employers require Yoga Alliance Registration and some do not, but rarely will an individual student know or care about Yoga Alliance registration. There is a a lively controversy regarding the value of the Yoga Alliance. Some argue that their standards are too weak and unenforced, making them ineffective at fulfilling their stated mission of ensuring the quality and consistency of yoga instruction in the US. Others argue that yoga is a spiritual practice that should not be regulated at all. This faction believes that regulation misses and stifles the best parts of yoga while subtly endorsing the commercialization of yoga. Some people support the Yoga Alliance, stating that if we do not regulate ourselves, then the states will step in with regulation.
As it stands, registration is optional and the benefits of doing so are hotly debated. However, most reputable teacher trainings are registered with the Yoga Alliance so it is likely that your training will qualify you to register. You can go ahead and register right away if you feel that an extra credential will help your chances of getting a job, or you can wait and see if anyone asks for it.
Licensing
Licensing usually refers to regulation by the state, such as in massage licensing. However, there are currently no states that regulate yoga (though some are making noises about it). With the current popularity of yoga, it is likely that state regulation will become a reality in the future. If and when this happens, I will update this page to reflect the latest news.
Licensing can also refer to the ability to use the name of a specific style in your marketing materials. Some schools of yoga have licensing agreements separate from their certifications. Once you have met the standards for certification, you may choose to pay the licensing fee in order to promote your classes as this particular style.
I hope this was a helpful discussion on the terms that are commonly used to describe the credentials of yoga instructors. If any of this information is incorrect or out of date, please let me know in the comments below. If you have any additional questions regarding this material, I’m happy to give it a shot and possibly incorporate it into the body of the article, so leave a comment about that too.
I found an online course for certification for yoga. Would that be good? I don’t have the money for the yoga alliance ones and i really just want to teach friends. i just don’t want them to hurt themselves
I currently teach yoga with over 200 hrs, and would like to have my own teacher training program recognized by yoga alliance. What are the steps to certify students, to become yoga instructors.
Is this article still valid for the US, specifically California in 2013?
Can a yoga teacher legally teach and have insurance that will respond without a certificate?
If this has changed,
Is Yoga Alliance certification required legally?
Is a certificate from a Yoga Alliance registered school enough?
Thank you
Yes, this is still up to date in 2013. Yoga Alliance registration is not legally required anywhere, it is entirely optional.
All that information is available on the yoga alliance website and they would be a much more accurate resource for that than I am. 🙂 They are really very friendly and easy to work with, just give them a call.
Not wanting people to hurt themselves is exactly why I don’t usually recommend online courses. Since you aren’t planning to charge people you really don’t need an actual certification. Instead, why don’t you take the money you would have spent on the online certification and spend it on private sessions with a teacher you trust and respect. Most teachers would be thrilled to mentor you in this way and after a while might even allow you to assist in their classes.
Mado, I want to teach yoga, but I want to learn first. I would like some kind of certification but can’t afford anything expensive. I have taken yoga classes and I love it and would like to be able to teach it as well. I have the “Yoga Anatomy” book and there are some other titles on the web page for ASFA (I thought they were a site were I could get my certification from – but they are continuing ed only)… My big question for you, is there a good self study guide or program out there? I want to study before I teach (weather I need any certification or not) but I want to make sure I am studying the right things.
Hi Nicole –
I can hear your desire to teach in your message appreciate your passion. While you can learn ALOT from books, the internet, and your home practice, I cannot recommend starting to teach people you don’t know without an in-person teacher training. (Teaching your friends and family however is a great way to get started) Even a 200 hour teacher training is not enough for most people to teach safe & effective classes. 200 hours is really only the tip of the iceberg and all of us need individual feedback because we don’t know what we don’t know – we need someone to point out our blindspots.
However, the good news is that there is no rush! Keep studying, keep practicing. The more you know going into a teacher training, the more you will get out of the training. Perhaps your life circumstances will change at some point, or you can save up enough for a training over time. In the meanwhile, you can gain experience by teaching your friends and family. Doing so will probably give you a lot of awareness of what you don’t already know – then you can go look it up or ask your teachers.
Also, while teacher trainings may seem financially out of reach, there are scholarships available to many of them to make them more affordable. The teacher training I help run is already on the affordable end and also has scholarships, so definitely something to look into if you are in the region: http://www.ashevillecommunityyoga.com/
Good luck, and please come back let me know what you decide on.
Hi I was wondering what you need to lead a teacher training, I am currently a yoga teacher I am not certified with yoga alliance but I can be if I would like. But if I want to lead a teacher training do I need anything in specific
Hi Mado,
I have the option of taking my yoga teacher training course this year with two great instructors. One offers the 200 Hr RYT with Yoga Alliance and one does not. Her course is paired down to 55 hours of crucial teachings that are necessary to teach a class. The 200 hr course is more expensive and more time involved as to the other one. My dilemma is that if I choose to go with the 55 hr training and receive my certification (without being able to register with Yoga Alliance) can I still open a small private business? This is crucial to me as I plan to make a career change in the future. I have to make a decision soon to sign up with one of them.
Namaste,
Cathy
Hi Cathy-
Yes, you can still open a business even if you are not registered with the Yoga Alliance. However, even a 200 hour course is very short for developing the skills you need to be a sucessful teacher. While the requirements are light (actually non-existent), the competition is fierce. If you feel that your background and personality are such that you already have the knowledge and charisma to be sucessful, then nothing will stand in your way. If you have big hopes for making a career change after a 55hr or even a 200 hour training, I’d encourage you to pare down your expectations. Many people do not make their entire living teaching yoga until they have a decade or more of experience, sometimes never. There are the rare exceptions, but you need an unusual amount of talent, perserverance, and luck to make that happen. I personally would recommmend taking the more comprehensive training. Chances are good you will still feel like you need more once you are done. Keep in mind that massage therapists get 800-1000 hours of training depending on the state, and their scope is much more defined (ie specific and narrow). Best of luck to you!
Hi Josephine – If you want to create a yoga alliance approved training, you must first register yourself with the yoga alliance and then register your school with the yoga alliance. This is called a RYS (registered yoga school). In order to create a RYS, you must be an E-RYT 200, meaning that you have documented 2 years and 1000 teaching hours since the completion of your yoga alliance approved training. Then you need to submit your TT curriculum and have it approved. These are the basics, you can get all the details on the yoga alliance website. Best of luck!
Hi Mado, I’ve been trying to figure this out for a while but can’t seem to find the answer… If you get certified through Yoga Alliance I would be a RYT and I could market myself as such. However, if I took an online teacher training course could I also market myself as RYT? Thanks!
Yoga Alliance requires a certain number of contact hours, so online courses do not qualify unless there is also an in person component. Also, to be clear – you do not get certified through the Yoga Alliance. You may get certified through a Yoga Alliance affiliated school and then register with them, thus being allowed to use the RYT designation. But the Yoga Alliance itself is not a certifying organization. They do set standards for the schools who are connected to them, but those schools will vary greatly in their interpretation of those standards. Therefore, some yoga schools will vastly exceed Yoga Alliance Standards while others will meet them, shall we say “creatively”. It is worthwhile to spend the time and money for a quality training. Even the most comprehensive 200 hour program will barely scratch the surface of what you need to know to be a good teacher. Do not compromise with an online training unless 1. you already have decades of practice under your belt 2. you are a great self motivated learner and 3. you have a local teacher willing to mentor you.
Is there a way to verify the yoga credentials a person claims to hold?
I have my 200 hour teacher training certification already but I am wondering if I can teach my own classes at my home in Washington State with out having a business license. I’m not really finding information on this.
Thanks!
How is the International Association of Yoga Therapists IAYT different from Yoga Alliance? Are both recognized in the industry/market place? I am considering taking a training program with an IAYT member school.
Hi Cindy. The IAYT certification is newer than Yoga Alliance. It is more rigorous with more hours required and fewer schools qualified. Among people who are knowledageble about the yoga industry, I would say it is well known and respected. Among allied professions (such as fitness professionals) it is probably less well known. However, as there are no laws governing yoga certification either one should suffice as a credential when applying for a job. Hope that helps. I’ll update my article to reflect this new development soon.
I do not know the business laws of Washington State. They can also vary depending on the City you are in. Most community colleges have small business support centers who should be knowledgable about local laws, I would check with them. Good luck!
In the US, the Yoga Alliance has an online searchable registry. If that is the credential they claim, you can verify it.
I am a member at a Wellness Centre in MN and am considering training so I can teach yoga. The requirements through the Wellness Centre state the training I receive must be “evidence based” training. Are you familiar with what this means?
It means that they teach things that have been shown to be effective using double blind controlled studies and the scientific method. This is pretty difficult to determine ahead of time as it is murky ground in the yoga field. Everybody likes to think they are teaching evidence based information… Anyway, my advice would be to ask the Wellness Centre for a list of trainings they approve of. If they can’t offer you that, then they really won’t be able to follow up behind you on whether or not the training you took is evidence based. In this case, just make sure that whatever training you take uses the term evidence based in their marketing materials. Many do. It’s not perfect, but again, if your Center cannot point you in a specific direction it may be the best you can do.
Hi there. I am planing to do my 200 hours certification in South Africa. I am an American living here for now but, I am planning to go back home and teach Yoga there too. Will I be able with this accreditation to teach in the US?
Absolutely, you can legally teach as yoga is completely unregulated. If you plan to organize and promote your own classes you will be fine. However, if you are looking to get hired, different venues will have different requirements about your training. Most places look for a yoga alliance approved training and many overseas training do register with the yoga alliance. Check with your particular training to see whether or not they are yoga alliance approved.
very nice information thank you for this nice post.
Hi, i have beena yoga instructor and kids yoga instructor for years in another country and do not hold any certifícate or license. Do you know if i need any or both to teach in florida and in nevada? Not to be hired but to offer my own in house or prívate lessons.
Hi Angie. Legally you do not need any certification to teach yoga in any state in the US. This is as of May 2018.
Hi I have been searching & searching trying to get some answers. So I’m just going to ask the question & hope someone knows the answer here ?
Do you have to have a GED or high school diploma in order to take the classes to become a certified yoga instructor?
You see I never got to finish my education completely & I have been working an awful, stressful, hard labor job just to make ends meet. With no time to ever go finish my education. Then I discovered yoga & meditation & it has helped me so immensely & really, truly works so wonderfully that I wanted to become an instructor to help other discover what I have. To help people experience a way to deal, to expand, to learn & to heal ?
I want to be able to quit my job & instruct yoga & create my art on the side as well. But I keep coming back to the question of do I need to finish my regular education before I can even move forward with becoming a yoga instructor.
Unless you happen to choose a yoga teacher training program through an institution of higher education (and there are very few of those), no you absolutely do not need a high school diploma for most yoga teacher training programs. You will want to check with any programs you are interested in before applying, but I have never heard of any teacher training program requiring a diploma.
hi, wondering what the rules are in Canada…any idea…is certification required to teach
HI Mado, I’m a yoga teacher and am looking into getting insurance. I was told by the insurance company that I need to meet all California state requirements for licensing in order for a claim to be approved. The thing is , I can’t find any information on any requirements by the state and your post seems to suggest that no such rules exist. Are there no licensing requirements in California? Thanks for your help.
Hi , i am starting my ryt200 in a few weeks in michigan , i am super excited- my plan is to open my own studio eventually. Can i do that after my 200 hour course? Also would you suggest i skip the 200 course and go straight to a 500 hour course? Do i need the 500 hour course. I know i will continue learning after the 200 course and take
More classes , just wondering what my oprions are with the 200 hour course. I am paying 3 grand
Hi Chanel – I love your enthusiasm! Yes, you can definitely open a studio after your 200 hour course, I know many who have. The truth is that the first few years of teaching you will learn more than from any teacher training. You can’t exactly skip the 200 hour course as they are a prerequisite for the 300 hour course (which ends up being 500 hours total). Some trainings give you a discount for signing up for both at once, but people usually get more benefit from the 300 hour course once they have a few years of teaching under their belt, so I actually recommend separating them out.
More important than the number of hours are the teachers who are training you and your connection with them.
Also be aware that the skills and knowledge needed to run a studio are different from the ones needed to teach. Before opening a studio, I definitely recommend getting some business education. Most of all, make sure you seek out guidance and mentorship on both teaching yoga AND business before opening a studio.
The hardest thing when you are so excited about something is to practice patience. There truly isn’t any way to rush the process of becoming an excellent yoga teacher and depending on your business background trying to run a studio at the same time might be distracting. So what I recommend is to focus on the 200 hour training and then get at least 2 years of teaching under your belt, ideally with some mentoring and coaching from experienced teachers while also getting business training at the same time. Once you have been teaching for a few years, you can re-evaluate your vision of starting a yoga studio and determine at that time whether or not to pursue the 300 hour training.
Best of luck!
I started doing Yoga in college (1994) after 2 years, I was helping teach. I have taught off and on for the past 25 years. I currently work part time for a large Orthopedic hospital. Most of my clients are all beginners. They have had some sort of injury etc. I have to spend most of my class showing modifications. That said, I am constantly asked if I am Yoga Certified. I looked into it. But I feel I could teach the course. The thought of spending all That $ on something I volunteer my time to do, seems silly. My question is there a test, or a grandfather claus?
Best regards,
Dena