Nursing CE · United Kingdom · for providers
NMC revalidation CPD certificates for UK nursing training providers
The NMC requires no certificate and approves no provider. It requires every nurse, midwife and nursing associate to keep a CPD record with six items and evidence of each activity. A certificate that carries those items is the evidence. Checked against the NMC booklet “How to revalidate with the NMC” and its guidance sheets.
Short answer · checked 30 October 2026
The NMC sets no certificate format and approves no CPD providers. It requires each registrant to keep a record of every CPD activity with the method, the topic and how it related to their practice, the dates, the number of hours and participatory hours, the part of the Code it relates to, and evidence that they did it. A certificate of attendance or completion is that evidence, so print those items on it. The nurse keeps it until after their next revalidation, three years on.
- Elements to show
- 9
- Issue deadline
- None set by the NMC
- Nurse keeps records
- Until after the next revalidation
- Reporting system
- NMC Online (the nurse declares; no upload)
New to CE?
How continuing education works, in one line
New to CE?
How continuing education works, in one line
Accreditor
Sets the rules and approves providers.
Provideryou
Runs the course and issues the certificate.
Learner
Completes the course and keeps the certificate.
Board
Renews the licence and may audit the certificate.
- Revalidation
- The process every nurse, midwife and nursing associate goes through every three years to renew their NMC registration. They declare that they have met the requirements; the NMC checks a random sample.
- CPD
- Continuing professional development. Learning a registrant does outside normal practice to keep their knowledge and skills up to date. The NMC requires 35 hours in each three-year period.
- Participatory learning
- A learning activity in which the registrant personally interacts with other professionals, in a room or online. At least 20 of the 35 CPD hours must be participatory.
- The Code
- The NMC’s professional standards for nurses, midwives and nursing associates. Its four themes are Prioritise people, Practise effectively, Preserve safety, and Promote professionalism and trust. Each CPD record names the part of the Code most relevant to the activity.
- Confirmer
- The person, normally the line manager, who looks at the registrant’s evidence in the final year of the cycle and signs the confirmation form to say the requirements were met.
- NMC Online
- The NMC’s online account, now branded MyNMC, where the registrant submits the revalidation application and any verification information.
Who this applies to
Providers under NMC, and the learners they serve
Providers
- Training companies, universities, NHS trusts, professional bodies and conference organisers that run learning for UK nurses, midwives and nursing associates
- E-learning platforms whose courses UK registrants count towards their 35 CPD hours
867,935 registrants on the NMC register (31 March 2026). The NMC keeps no list of CPD providers. · NMC registration data reports
Learners
Nurses and midwives registered in the UK, and nursing associates registered in England, who must revalidate every three years to stay on the NMC register.
The 9 elements
What the certificate must show
Each number on the sample matches one element NMC requires. The list says where the rule is written and which Hyperstack field fills it.
- 1
Provider name
Who ran the activity. The NMC does not list this item, but a certificate is only evidence if it shows who issued it. Add a web or email address so a confirmer or the NMC can check it.
Example: Harbourside Clinical Education
In Hyperstack: set once in the templateExamples of CPD activities guidance sheet (“Certificate of attendance” as suggested evidence)
- 2
Learner name
The record must hold evidence that this registrant did the activity, so the certificate must name them. The NMC Pin is not required.
Example: Amara Okafor
In Hyperstack:
[recipient_name]How to revalidate with the NMC, para. 55, p. 23 (“evidence that you undertook the CPD activity”) - 3
Topic
The title of the activity, written so the nurse can describe the topic and how it relates to their scope of practice. One or two lines of learning outcomes help.
Example: Recognising and Escalating Sepsis in Adult Inpatients
In Hyperstack:
[group_title]How to revalidate with the NMC, para. 55, p. 23 (“a description of the topic and how it related to your practice”) - 4
Date of the activity
The date, or dates, on which the activity was undertaken. For self-paced e-learning, the date the learner completed it.
Example: 14 October 2026
In Hyperstack:
[issue_date]How to revalidate with the NMC, para. 55, p. 23 (“the dates on which the activity was undertaken”) - 5
CPD method
How the learning was delivered. The NMC log gives “online learning”, “course attendance” and “independent learning” as examples; “workshop” or “conference” are fine too.
Example: Course attendance (live workshop)
In Hyperstack:
[custom_cpd_method]CPD log template, p. 53 of the booklet (“Examples of learning method”) - 6
Number of hours
The learning time this learner completed, in hours. Leave out breaks and meals. Show the real figure, not “up to”.
Example: 3 hours
In Hyperstack:
[custom_cpd_hours]How to revalidate with the NMC, para. 55, p. 23 (“the number of hours”) - 7
Number of participatory hours
How many of those hours involved interaction with other professionals. A lecture with discussion is participatory; a recorded video watched alone is not. Say 0 when none.
Example: 3 participatory hours
In Hyperstack:
[custom_participatory_hours]How to revalidate with the NMC, paras. 54 and 63, pp. 23–24 - 8
Link to the Code
The theme of the Code most relevant to the activity: Prioritise people, Practise effectively, Preserve safety, or Promote professionalism and trust. The nurse decides, but a suggested theme saves them time.
Example: Preserve safety
In Hyperstack: set once in the templateHow to revalidate with the NMC, para. 55, p. 23; CPD log template, p. 53 (“Link to Code”)
- 9
Evidence line
One fixed sentence that says what the certificate is for and tells the nurse to keep it. It must not say or imply that the NMC approved the activity.
Example: Keep this certificate with your CPD log as evidence for NMC revalidation, until after your next revalidation. The NMC does not prescribe or approve CPD activities.
In Hyperstack: set once in the templateHow to revalidate with the NMC, para. 10, p. 13 and para. 61, p. 24
Exact wording
The statements, word for word
Copy it, do not retype it. One changed word is the most common audit finding.
Attendance certificate (no NMC wording exists)
[Learner name] attended [Activity title], a continuing professional development activity run by [Provider name] on [Date]. CPD method: [course attendance / online learning / independent learning]. Number of hours: [X]. Number of participatory hours: [X]. Most relevant part of the Code: [Prioritise people / Practise effectively / Preserve safety / Promote professionalism and trust]. Keep this certificate with your CPD log as evidence for NMC revalidation. The NMC does not prescribe or approve CPD activities.
The NMC has no required wording and no accreditation statement. This line lists the items of the NMC CPD record so the nurse can copy them straight into the CPD log template. Never write “NMC approved”, “NMC accredited” or “NMC CPD points”: the NMC does not approve activities or providers and does not use points.
How to revalidate with the NMC, paras. 55 and 61, pp. 23–24; CPD log template, p. 53How credit is counted
Minutes in, CPD hours out
The unit
1 CPD hour = 60 minutes
The NMC counts CPD in hours of learning activity undertaken separately from normal practice. A registrant needs 35 hours in each three-year period, of which at least 20 must be participatory. There are no points, credits or units.
How to revalidate with the NMC, paras. 53, 54 and 59, p. 23Rounding
The NMC sets no rounding rule. Record the real learning time. Count the hours in a workshop without the breaks, and count only the hours in which the learner interacted with others as participatory.
Worked example
150 minutes ÷ 60 = 2.5 hours. If the whole session was a live workshop, all 2.5 are participatory.
150 minutes → 2.5 CPD hours
150 ÷ 60, to the nearest 0.25. The NMC sets no rounding rule. The calculator rounds to the nearest quarter hour; the nurse records the real time.
Timeline
From the last slide to the audit file
Activity
Day 0
The nurse completes the activity. It must be relevant to their scope of practice and separate from their everyday practice.
Certificate
On completion
The NMC sets no deadline because it requires no certificate. Send it the same day so the nurse can fill in the CPD log while the activity is fresh.
Report
In the 60 days before the revalidation application date
The nurse declares in NMC Online that they met the CPD requirement. Nothing is uploaded. The application date is the first day of the month in which their registration expires.
Records
Until after the next revalidation
The nurse keeps the CPD log and the certificates in a portfolio, and shows them to the confirmer. The NMC may ask for the CPD details, and sometimes the evidence, if the application is picked for verification.
Reporting
Who reports what to NMC Online
System
- Who reports
- The nurse, midwife or nursing associate. Providers report nothing to the NMC.
- Deadline
- The revalidation application date: the first day of the month in which registration expires, every three years. The online application opens 60 days before.
The certificate never reaches the NMC unless the nurse is asked for evidence during verification. Its job is to make the CPD log easy to fill in and to prove the entry if asked.
How to revalidate with the NMC, paras. 163–165, p. 38 and 179–183, pp. 41–42; Verification guidance sheetProvider
Gives the learner a certificate with the topic, date, method, hours, participatory hours and a link to the Code.
Nurse
Copies those items into the CPD log and keeps the certificate as evidence in their portfolio.
Nurse and confirmer
In the final year of the three-year cycle, the nurse shows the portfolio to a confirmer, who signs the confirmation form. The form is kept, not sent to the NMC.
Nurse
In the 60 days before the application date, logs in to NMC Online, declares that each requirement is met, enters the confirmer’s details and pays the fee. No evidence is uploaded.
NMC
Picks a random sample of applications each year for verification and emails a selected nurse within 24 hours of submission. The nurse then has 21 days to enter the CPD details (method, topic, dates, hours, participatory hours, Code link) in NMC Online and may be asked for the evidence.
Right and wrong
The same certificate, two ways
The lines on the left are the mistakes auditors find most. The lines on the right are the fix.
Fails an audit
Harbourside Clinical Education
Amara Okafor
- This course is approved by the NMC for 3 CPD hours
- CPD: 3 hours
- Certificate of attendance (no date)
- Fire Safety Awareness, 1 CPD hour for NMC revalidation
- Expires: 14 October 2027
- This certifies that the participant attended
Passes an audit
Harbourside Clinical Education
Amara Okafor
- Number of hours: 3. Number of participatory hours: 3. The NMC does not prescribe or approve CPD activities.
- Number of hours: 3. Number of participatory hours: 3
- Date of the activity: 14 October 2026
- Fire Safety Awareness, 1 hour (mandatory training)
- Completed: 14 October 2026
- This certifies that Amara Okafor attended
- 1. The NMC approves no activities and no providers. An “NMC approved” line is false and could get the nurse into trouble at verification.
- 2. The NMC log needs the participatory hours as a separate figure. Without it the nurse must guess.
- 3. The log records the dates the activity was undertaken, and the hours only count inside the current three-year period.
- 4. Mandatory training that is not directly related to the nurse’s practice, such as fire or health and safety training, must not be counted in the 35 hours. Do not label it as NMC CPD.
- 5. NMC CPD hours do not expire; they count in the three-year period in which they were done. An expiry line makes the nurse think the evidence is no longer valid.
- 6. The record must be evidence that this registrant did the activity. A certificate without a name proves nothing.
Digital
Electronic certificates and badges
Electronic certificates
The NMC sets no format for a certificate because it requires none. Evidence may be kept on paper or electronically; the NMC does not require an e-portfolio and never asks for the portfolio to be uploaded. A digital certificate with a verification link is good evidence for the confirmer and for verification.
Digital badges
The NMC says nothing about badges. A badge on its own is weak evidence unless it opens a page that shows the topic, date, method, hours and participatory hours.
Evidence must be kept in English, and any requested verification information must be given in English. E-portfolios and revalidation guidance sheet; How to revalidate with the NMC, paras. 5–6, p. 12
Records and other rules
What else NMC checks
The nurse keeps the evidence until after the next revalidation
The NMC recommends keeping the portfolio until the next revalidation is complete, three years later. The NMC sets no retention rule for providers, but a nurse who loses a certificate will come back to you. Hyperstack keeps every certificate and its verification page for the life of your account and after cancellation, so a reissue is one click.
How to revalidate with the NMC, para. 10, p. 13No NMC approval, no provider list
The NMC does not prescribe any type of CPD and leaves the choice to the registrant. It publishes no register of approved CPD providers or courses, so there is nothing to apply for. Never print “NMC approved” or “NMC accredited”.
How to revalidate with the NMC, para. 61, p. 24Participatory means interaction with other professionals
Any activity in which the registrant personally interacts with other professionals counts, in a room or in a virtual group such as an online discussion. A recorded course watched alone is individual learning. Split the hours on the certificate so the nurse can meet the 20-hour participatory minimum.
How to revalidate with the NMC, para. 63, p. 24Self-paced e-learning
E-learning counts as CPD, but only as participatory when the learner interacted with others, for example in a live webinar with Q&A or a tutored discussion forum. Print the completion date as the activity date and state the participatory hours as 0 when there was no interaction.
How to revalidate with the NMC, para. 63, p. 24; Examples of CPD activities guidance sheet (“Structured learning (direct or distance learning style)”)Mandatory training is usually out
Mandatory training that is not directly related to the nurse’s practice, such as fire training or health and safety, must not be counted. Mandatory training that is necessary to their scope of practice may be. Label mandatory training as what it is and let the nurse decide.
How to revalidate with the NMC, para. 62, p. 24Conferences with several sessions
The NMC sets no rule. One certificate for the whole event works if it lists the sessions the nurse attended with the hours of each, so the nurse can log the topics and hours accurately. Count only learning time, not breaks or meals.
How to revalidate with the NMC, para. 55, p. 23No signature required
The NMC requires no signature on CPD evidence. Only the reflective discussion form and the confirmation form are signed, by the discussion partner and the confirmer, and electronic signatures are accepted on those. A signature on your certificate is optional.
E-portfolios and revalidation guidance sheetKeep patients out of the title
A registrant’s revalidation evidence must not identify any patient, service user or colleague. Do not print case names, incident dates or ward names in an activity title or description.
How to revalidate with the NMC, paras. 26–27, p. 16Before you send
The audit checklist, to tick or print
NMC certificate checklist0/12
How to do it in Hyperstack
Three steps to a compliant certificate
- 1
Open the NMC template
The template has a place for every element on this page. Add your logo and your 3 fixed elements once.
- Provider name
- Link to the Code
- Evidence line
- 2
Map your columns
Upload a spreadsheet or connect your LMS. Each column fills one element for every learner.
- [recipient_name]
- [group_title]
- [issue_date]
- [custom_cpd_method]
- [custom_cpd_hours]
- [custom_participatory_hours]
- 3
Issue and keep the record
Every learner gets an email, a verification page and a QR code. The record stays for as long as the rules need it.
- Verification page
- QR code
- Audit log
- Kept 3 years and beyond
Free template
An NMC-ready certificate, with all 9 elements in place
Set your provider details once. Names, dates and CPD hours fill in for every learner. Each certificate gets a verification page and QR code.
FAQ
NMC certificates, answered
No. The NMC does not prescribe any type of CPD and leaves the choice to the nurse. It publishes no list of approved providers, so there is nothing to apply for and nothing to put on the certificate. Do not write “NMC approved”.
Not by the NMC. The nurse must keep a record of each activity and evidence that they did it. The NMC’s own guidance sheet names a certificate of attendance or completion as the evidence for courses, workshops and conferences, so in practice nurses expect one.
The items of the NMC CPD record: the topic, the date, the CPD method, the number of hours, the number of participatory hours and the part of the Code most relevant, plus the learner’s name and yours. That lets the nurse copy the entry into the CPD log without guessing.
Hours in which the learner personally interacted with other professionals, in a room or online. At least 20 of the 35 hours in a cycle must be participatory, so nurses look for this figure. A live workshop is participatory; a recorded video watched alone is not.
No. The nurse declares in NMC Online that they met the requirement; nothing is uploaded. If the NMC picks the application for verification, the nurse enters the CPD details and may be asked for the evidence. A certificate they can find and share in one click helps them meet the 21-day deadline.
The NMC recommends the nurse keeps the portfolio until after their next revalidation, three years later. The NMC sets no rule for providers. Hyperstack keeps certificates and their verification pages for the life of your account and after cancellation.
Yes. The NMC sets no format and accepts evidence kept electronically or on paper. The portfolio is never uploaded. A digital certificate with a verification page is easy for the confirmer to check.
Yes. Nursing associates are registered in England only and revalidate with the same requirements: 35 CPD hours, 20 participatory, every three years. Nurses and midwives across the UK do the same.
Sources
Read from Nursing and Midwifery Council documents on 30 October 2026. This page is a guide, not legal advice. Your accreditation manual and your licensing board have the final word. Something out of date? Tell us.
Changes to this page
- 2026-10-30Page written from the NMC booklet “How to revalidate with the NMC” (May 2019 edition), the CPD requirement page, the CPD log template and the CPD activities, verification and e-portfolio guidance sheets.
- 2026-10-30Fact check: verification step reworded to match booklet paras. 179–181 (sample picked each year, email within 24 hours, 21 days). CPD log source note now lists the “Link to Standards of proficiency” column that the downloadable template has and the booklet copy does not.
- 1How to revalidate with the NMC (booklet, updated May 2019)CPD requirements and record contents (paras. 53–66, pp. 23–24); key terms and portfolio (paras. 3–12, pp. 12–13); checklist (p. 9); non-identifiable information (pp. 15–17); application (paras. 159–165, p. 38); verification (paras. 179–186, pp. 41–42); CPD log template (p. 53).
- 2NMC: Continuing professional development (revalidation requirement page)35 hours, 20 participatory, the record items, “we don’t prescribe any particular type of CPD”, and links to the templates.
- 3NMC guidance sheet: Examples of CPD activitiesTable of activities, suggested evidence (certificate of completion or attendance) and whether each is individual or participatory.
- 4NMC CPD log template (recommended)Columns: dates, method, topic, link to Code, link to Standards of proficiency (in the downloadable template only, not in the booklet copy on p. 53), number of hours, number of participatory hours. Examples of learning method.
- 5NMC guidance sheet: VerificationRandom sample, 21 days, what to provide for CPD, “we may request further evidence”.
- 6NMC guidance sheet: E-portfolios and revalidationNo e-portfolio required, templates optional, forms mandatory, electronic signatures accepted on forms.
- 7NMC: Forms and templatesThe recommended logs and mandatory forms; all forms must be completed in English.
- 8NMC: Your revalidation application dateFirst day of the month in which registration expires; 60-day window; three-year cycle.
- 9NMC: Submit your applicationMyNMC, declarations, no evidence upload, confirmer details, fee.
- 10NMC: VerificationSample selection, 24-hour notice, 21 days, keep evidence safe.
- 11NMC: ConfirmationWho can be a confirmer, the confirmation form, final-year timing.
- 12NMC: What is revalidation?Who must revalidate: nurses and midwives in the UK, nursing associates in England; every three years.
- 13The NMC Register, 1 April 2025 – 31 March 2026 (UK data report)Record high of 867,935 registrants; 14,238 nursing associates.
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