Readmission requirements

All applications for readmission need to meet our general requirements. 

If your registration has lapsed within six months of your most recent revalidation date, you'll also need to complete some of the revalidation requirements.

This page sets out what you'll need to do and provide. We've also added some extra information for referees. 

What you'll need to do

1. Practice hours

You must have undertaken registered practice for either:

• 450 hours in the three years before you start your readmission application, or
• 750 hours in the five years before you start your readmission application.

Or you’re applying for readmission having qualified in the last 5 years and are unable to meet the 450 registered practice hours in the last 3 years requirement.

We can only consider the hours you worked when you were effective on the register. If you have worked without registration in a role that requires NMC registration, we'll also ask for details about this.

I can't meet this requirement

If you haven't practised for the required hours, you’ll need to complete a return to practice course or complete a Test of Competence.

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2. Continuing professional development (CPD) hours

You must have gained 35 hours of learning in the three years before you apply for readmission.

These hours don't need to be from the time you were effective on the register.

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3. Professional indemnity arrangement

All registered nurses, midwives and nursing associates must hold appropriate cover under a professional indemnity arrangement.

You’ll be asked to declare to us that you currently hold this cover, or will hold it when practising. 

See the guidance on professional indemnity arrangements.

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4. English language

We’ll assess your application to determine whether or not you meet our English language requirements.

You can meet our requirements if:

• you’ve been registered with us in the last two years
• you’ve met the practice hours in a majority English language speaking country
• you’ve completed an NMC approved return to practice course that was taught in an NMC-approved educational institution and you’ve relied on this to apply for readmission
• you’ve completed a pre-registration nurse, midwife or nursing associate programme that was taught and examined in English in a majority English-speaking country
• you’ve achieved the required score in an English language test accepted by the NMC.

We may ask you for evidence of how you meet our requirements.

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5. Health and character declarations

In your application you'll need to declare:

• any health condition and/or disability which may affect your ability to practise safely and effectively
• any police charges, cautions, convictions or conditional discharges other than those which are protected 
• any fitness to practise determinations you have received from any other regulatory body

Read our guidance on health and character to find out what you must tell us about.

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6. Supporting declaration and references

We’ll ask you for references in your application. Your referees need to be three different people.

Referee 1

We’ll ask you for the name and Pin of a NMC registrant to provide a supporting declaration of your health and character. This referee should:

• be from the same part of the register as you are applying to join (for example, if you’re applying to readmit as a nurse, your referee must also be a registered nurse),
• have known you for at least one year in the last three years, and
• have been in contact in the last six months.

Referee 2

We’ll ask you for the name and email address of your employer.

Referee 3

We’ll ask for the name and email address of someone on our list of approved signatories that you have known for the last year.

Overseas practice

If you’re declaring overseas practice we’ll also ask you for:

• A certificate of professional standing from the country you are declaring practice from - you need to contact the regulator you’re registered with to request this.

If you’re declaring overseas practice from a country not on the majority English speaking country list, we’ll ask you for evidence of English language as well.

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7. If you're applying for readmission within 6 months of your revalidation due date

If your registration has lapsed within six months of your most recent revalidation date, you'll also need to complete some of the revalidation requirements.

You'll need to:

• provide surname and Pin of a NMC registrant to provide supporting declaration of your health and character - they must have known you for at least one year in the last three years, and been in contact in the last 6 months
• provide the name and email address of your employer
• provide the name and email address of someone on our list of approved signatories that you have known for the last year
• declare 20 hours of your 35 hours of CPD are participatory
• declare you’ve obtained five pieces of practice-related feedback
• declare you have five written reflective accounts
• confirm you’ve had a reflective discussion with an NMC registrant and provide their name and Pin

Your referees need to be three different people.

Visit our revalidation section for more detail on these requirements.

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Information for referees

Before a nurse, midwife or nursing associate can be readmitted to our register, we have to be satisfied that they're able to meet our health and character requirements.

To help us make this decision, we ask applicants to nominate a referee to provide a supporting declaration of their good health and character. 

When a referee signs the declaration of health and character, they’re confirming that the applicant's health and/or character is such that they are able to practise safely and effectively.

Referees should consider our guidance on health and character when making their supporting declaration.

What about charges, cautions, convictions and conditional discharges?

We expect the person responsible for signing the supporting declaration to think carefully about how a charge, caution, conviction or conditional discharge may impact on the character of the applicant before deciding whether to sign it or not.

There may also be determinations from other regulatory bodies and conduct that would breach the requirements of the Code (whether or not it has resulted in criminal proceedings) that you may also need to think about.

Read our guidance on health and character for further information on what to consider.

What about health conditions and/or disabilities?

Having a health condition and/or disability doesn’t stop someone from being able to register with us – we just need to know whether their health condition and/or disability allows them to practise safely and effectively with or without reasonable adjustments.

What if I am unable to provide a supporting declaration?

If you're unable to provide a supporting declaration to confirm the applicant’s health and character, we'll ask you for the reasons why. We'll consider this information when making a final decision about the application.

We'll also ask the applicant to find another individual who can make the supporting declaration. If they can't, they will not be able to proceed with their application.