How often do nurses need to revalidate with the NMC?

Every nurse, midwife and nursing associate on the NMC register, in all four UK nations. Revalidation happens every three years from when you joined or rejoined the register, and the annual fee is paid in each of the years in between. Employers of registrants usually track the dates too, because a lapsed registrant cannot practise.

• If the revalidation application or the annual fee is not in by the deadline, registration lapses automatically and your name is removed from the register.
• You are not allowed to practise as a nurse, midwife or nursing associate while you are unregistered.
• To practise again you must apply for readmission, which the NMC says can take up to six weeks.

1. 1

   Collect the evidence over the three years

   450 practice hours (900 if renewing two registrations), 35 hours of CPD including 20 of participatory learning, five pieces of practice-related feedback and five written reflective accounts.

2. 2

   Have a reflective discussion

   Discuss your five reflective accounts with another NMC registrant, who signs the approved form.

3. 3

   Get your confirmation

   Have a confirmation discussion with a confirmer, and complete the health and character declaration and professional indemnity arrangement.

4. 4

   Apply in MyNMC during the 60-day window

   The NMC sends a Registration Renewal Notice 60 days before the application is due. Submit before the 1st of the month your registration expires, and pay the fee.

5. 5

   Ask for an extension early if you need one

   If you need more time, request a short extension through MyNMC before the deadline.

A simple reminder plan: 120 days, 90 days, 60 days, 30 days before the expiry date. The calculator above puts these in your calendar.

• Practice hours log, CPD records with evidence, feedback notes and the five written reflective accounts on the NMC forms.
• The signed reflective discussion form and the confirmation form.
• For employers: each registrant’s PIN, renewal date and annual fee expiry date, checked on the NMC register.

• Treating the expiry date as the deadline. The application is due on the 1st of that month.
• Forgetting the annual fee in the years between revalidations. It lapses registration too.
• Leaving the confirmation discussion until the last week.
• Assuming a Direct Debit covers everything. You still have to submit the revalidation application.