What is NMC revalidation?
Revalidation is how nurses, midwives and nursing associates renew their NMC registration every three years. It is not an exam and does not directly test clinical competence. It asks you to show, using evidence from your normal work, that you keep up to date, reflect on your practice against the Code and talk about it with colleagues.
Separately, you must pay the annual registration fee every year to stay on the register. Check the current fee on the NMC website.
What are the NMC revalidation requirements?
| Requirement | What you need over three years | Key points |
|---|---|---|
| Practice hours | 450 hours (900 if dual registered, 450 for each) | In a role relying on your registration. Healthcare assistant or pre-registration hours do not count. |
| CPD | 35 hours, at least 20 participatory | Relevant to your scope of practice, with evidence. |
| Practice-related feedback | 5 pieces | Note what it said and how you used it. |
| Written reflective accounts | 5, on the NMC form | Each based on CPD, feedback or an event, linked to the Code. |
| Reflective discussion | 1, with another NMC registrant | Covers all five accounts; recorded on the NMC form. |
| Health and character | Declaration | Declare relevant charges, cautions, convictions or determinations as set out in NMC guidance. |
| Professional indemnity | Declaration | Usually through your employer if you work in the NHS. |
| Confirmation | 1, with an appropriate confirmer | Ideally your line manager, in the final 12 months of the cycle. |
The NMC does not ask you to upload your portfolio, but it may select your application for verification and ask you, your confirmer or employer for more information. Keep your evidence organised so you can respond quickly.
Step-by-step revalidation checklist
- 1. Find your dates: Log in to NMC Online and note your renewal date. Your application date is the first day of the month your registration expires. Keep your email and phone number up to date: the NMC notifies you 60 days before the application is due.
- 2. Set up your portfolio: Download the NMC templates (practice hours log, CPD log, feedback log, reflective accounts form, reflective discussion form, confirmation form) and create a section for each requirement.
- 3. Log practice hours: Record dates, organisation, role and hours. Payslips or rotas support your record.
- 4. Log CPD as you go: For each activity: method, topic, date, hours, participatory hours, how it relates to your practice and the Code, and the evidence you hold.
- 5. Capture feedback: Each time you receive it, note the source, a summary and how you used it, with all identifying details removed.
- 6. Write reflections across the cycle: Aim for one or two a year rather than five at the end, from a mix of CPD, feedback and events.
- 7. Choose your discussion partner and confirmer: Ask early. Send your accounts to your discussion partner in advance.
- 8. Hold the reflective discussion, then confirmation: Both are recorded on the NMC forms. Confirmation should ideally happen in the last 12 months.
- 9. Check your declarations: Health and character, and indemnity, including cover for any private or independent work.
- 10. Submit on NMC Online: Apply before your application date and make sure your annual fee is paid. If you will not be ready, contact the NMC before the deadline.
How do I count practice hours and CPD?
Practice hours are hours in a role where you relied on your registration, including direct care, management, education, research or policy roles that depend on it. Most full-time nurses exceed 450 hours within months. Part-time and bank staff should check their totals regularly.
Participatory CPD means learning that involves interaction with one or more other professionals, in person or online: workshops, study days, conferences, group discussions, clinical supervision and interactive webinars. Reading and solo e-learning can make up the remaining 15 hours. NMC guidance says mandatory training unrelated to your scope of practice, such as general fire safety, does not count, though directly relevant skills training may.
| Activity | Hours | Participatory | Impact and Code link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sepsis recognition study day | 6 | 6 | Earlier escalation of deteriorating patients. Preserve safety. |
| E-learning on pressure ulcer categories | 2 | 0 | Applied new skin assessment approach. Prioritise people. |
| Team workshop on distressed relatives | 3 | 3 | Calmer, clearer conversations with families. Practise effectively. |
What counts as practice-related feedback?
Feedback can come from patients, carers, students, colleagues, managers or other professionals. It can be about you or your team, positive or critical, written or verbal. Thank-you cards, colleague emails, supervision notes, appraisal comments, student feedback, audit results and ward patient surveys can all count.
A patient said I was kind. I was happy.
A relative's thank-you card said I had explained her father's new discharge medicines clearly and given her a written list, which made her confident caring for him at home. How I used it: I now give a written medicines summary to every patient going home on new medicines, and I shared the template with my team.
How do I write the five reflective accounts?
Use the NMC form, which asks: what was the CPD, feedback or event; what did you learn; how did you change or improve your practice; and how is it relevant to the Code? Never include anything that could identify a patient, colleague or anyone else.
Eighteen months after joining the register, Kofi, an adult nurse on a respiratory ward, noticed a patient with COPD had become drowsy. The prescribed target saturation was 88 to 92%, but the patient was at 98% on a high flow set by a colleague. Kofi adjusted the oxygen to the prescribed range, escalated to the doctor, who arranged a blood gas, and documented his actions. The patient recovered.
A COPD patient was on too much oxygen. I turned it down and told the doctor. I learned oxygen can be dangerous. I check oxygen now. Code: Preserve safety.
Event: a patient with COPD was drowsy, with saturation of 98% against a prescribed target of 88 to 92%. I adjusted oxygen to the prescribed range, escalated using SBAR, increased observations and documented. Learning: I had assumed high saturation was always safe. Re-reading our oxygen policy and national guidance, I learned why some people with COPD have individual targets and that drowsiness can signal carbon dioxide retention. Change: I now check every oxygen target at the start of each shift; with my manager we added target checks to our safety huddle, and I explained the reasons to two newer colleagues. Code: Preserve safety (recognising and responding to deterioration, escalating promptly) and Practise effectively (using evidence, sharing learning).
The strong account is factual and anonymous, explains what Kofi did not know before, names the guidance he read, shows changes to his practice and his team's, and links to specific parts of the Code.
Who can be my reflective discussion partner and confirmer?
- Reflective discussion partner: any nurse, midwife or nursing associate with effective NMC registration. They need not be on your part of the register or be your manager. The NMC expects face to face, but a video call is acceptable if needed.
- Confirmer: ideally your line manager, who does not need to be on the NMC register. If that is not possible, NMC guidance allows another NMC registrant or another UK-regulated healthcare professional, such as a doctor or pharmacist, in set circumstances.
- The same person can do both if they are an NMC registrant.
- The confirmer checks you have met the requirements other than the health, character and indemnity declarations, which you make yourself.
Common problems for internationally educated nurses
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| Counting experience from before UK registration | Only practice and learning since you joined the UK register count for your first revalidation. |
| Counting pre-registration or HCA hours | These are not registered practice hours. |
| Missing the NMC's notice | Keep your NMC Online contact details current and diarise your dates. |
| Losing evidence when changing employer | Keep your own anonymised copies of logs, feedback and reflections. |
| Reflections that only describe events | Answer all four questions on the form, especially what changed. |
Getting ready for your first revalidation
If you joined the register after training abroad, your first revalidation is three years after you joined, so start your logs in your first week. Many nurses find it a chance to recognise how much they have grown since arriving. If you are under investigation or have a declaration to make and are unsure how, contact your union or defence organisation for advice before you submit.
Our course NMC Revalidation for Internationally Educated Nurses goes through each requirement with worked examples of a CPD log, feedback record and reflective account, and helps you plan your timeline. NMC Registration for Internationally Educated Nurses and NMC CBT Preparation (Test of Competence Part 1) cover the earlier steps if you are still joining the register.
Frequently asked questions
How many CPD hours do I need for NMC revalidation?
35 hours over the three years since you last renewed or joined the register, of which at least 20 must be participatory, meaning they involve interaction with other professionals. The learning must be relevant to your scope of practice, and you need evidence for each activity recorded on your CPD log.
When is my NMC revalidation due?
Every three years. Your application date is the first day of the month in which your registration expires, and the NMC notifies you 60 days before. Check your exact date on NMC Online and keep your contact details up to date so you receive the reminder.
Can my reflective discussion partner be a friend?
Yes, if they are a nurse, midwife or nursing associate with effective NMC registration. It works best with someone who will engage seriously with your reflections, such as a senior colleague or preceptor. They record their name, PIN and the date on the NMC reflective discussion form.
Does mandatory training count as CPD for revalidation?
Not if it is general training unrelated to your scope of practice, such as fire safety. Training that is directly relevant to your practice, such as a clinical skills or resuscitation update, may count if you can show how it relates to your role. Check the NMC's current guidance.
What happens if I miss my revalidation deadline?
If you do not submit your application and pay the fee in time, your registration can lapse and you cannot work as a registered nurse or midwife until you are readmitted. If you think you will not be ready, contact the NMC before your application date to discuss your options.
Does the NMC check my revalidation evidence?
Not routinely, but some applications are selected for verification, when the NMC asks for more information from you, your confirmer or employer. Keep your portfolio organised and anonymised so you can respond quickly. The NMC has proposed increasing verification, so check current guidance.
Does nursing experience abroad count towards my first revalidation?
No. Your first revalidation covers the three years since you joined the UK register, so practice hours, CPD, feedback and reflections must come from that period. Hours worked before registration, including as a healthcare assistant while awaiting your OSCE, do not count as registered practice hours.
Related courses
NMC Revalidation for Internationally Educated Nurses
This course explains NMC revalidation step by step for nurses and midwives who joined the UK register after training abroad. It covers each…
NMC Registration for Internationally Educated Nurses
This course walks internationally educated nurses and midwives through each stage of joining the NMC register, from checking you are ready to…
NMC CBT Preparation (Test of Competence Part 1)
This course prepares internationally educated nurses for Part 1 of the NMC Test of Competence, the computer-based test. It explains the structure of…
Sources and further reading
- Revalidation: How to revalidate with the NMC. Nursing and Midwifery Council.
- Revalidation leaflet and forms. Nursing and Midwifery Council.
- NMC to launch landmark consultation on new Code and revalidation process (July 2026). Nursing and Midwifery Council.
- The Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives and nursing associates. Nursing and Midwifery Council.
- Guidance on health and character. Nursing and Midwifery Council.
- BTS guideline for oxygen use in healthcare and emergency settings. British Thoracic Society.
Practitioner Insight is an independent education provider. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the GMC, MPTS, NMC, HCPC, GPhC or any NHS organisation, and this information is not legal advice. If you have been referred to a regulator, speak to your defence organisation, trade union or legal representative.
More guides
How to Write a Reflective Account for NMC Revalidation (With Examples)
How to write a reflective account for NMC revalidation: what the form asks, how many you need, a weak vs strong example, and how to link each one to the Code.
How Doctors Should Write a Reflection for Appraisal and Revalidation
How doctors should write a reflection for appraisal and GMC revalidation: what to reflect on, a simple structure, a worked example, and what to leave out.
CPD Requirements in the UK: Nurses, Doctors, Pharmacists and HCPC Professions
UK CPD requirements compared for nurses, doctors, pharmacists and HCPC professions: NMC 35 hours, GMC appraisal, GPhC annual records and HCPC CPD audits.