Licence renewal and revalidation compared: nurses, doctors, solicitors and pharmacists

Renewal cycles compared

Nurses and midwives in the UK

The NMC requires a minimum number of practice hours over the three-year period since registration was last renewed or since joining ¹. The minimums are as follows ¹.

• Nurse, midwife or nursing associate: 450 hours ¹.
• Nurse or midwife with SCPHN registration: 450 hours ¹.
• Dual registration, such as nurse and midwife: 900 hours ¹.
• Triple registration as nurse, midwife and nursing associate: 1,350 hours ¹.
• CPD: 35 hours in the three years, of which at least 20 must be participatory learning with other professionals ².

What happens if hours are short

A registrant who has not practised the required hours must complete an approved return to practice programme or a Test of Competence before applying to renew ¹. The NMC says participatory learning can be in person or virtual, such as a conference, workshop or training course ². CPD records must show dates, hours, participatory hours and the part of the Code most relevant ².

Doctors in Australia and California

The Medical Board of Australia says general, specialist and non-practising registration renews on 30 September ³. A practitioner who does not renew by that date or within the one-month late period is removed from the Register of practitioners and the registration lapses ³. To keep practising after 31 October they must make a fast-track application and cannot practise until the register is updated ³. For 2026 the board said the fast-track route was open until 30 November 2026 ³.

In California, physician and surgeon certificates issued from 1 July 2018 expire at midnight on the last day of the month of issue in the second year of a two-year term ⁵. To renew, the licensee applies and pays the fee on or before that date ⁵.

Lawyers, pharmacists and architects

The SRA said on 21 September 2026 that practising certificate and registration renewals would run from 1 to 31 October 2026, with no new questions in the application ⁴.

The GPhC says all pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy premises licensed in Britain must renew annually ⁶. The Architects Registration Board said CPD declarations and the 2027 retention fee must be completed before midnight on 31 December 2026 ⁷. NMBI's Irish register shows each nurse's registration expiry date and updates in real time ⁸.