NMC Revalidation: A UK Nurse's Complete Guide (2026)
A UK nurse's complete guide to NMC revalidation — the eight requirements, CPD rules, reflective accounts, the confirmer, and what happens at audit.
Quick answer: Every UK-registered nurse, midwife, and nursing associate must revalidate with the NMC every 3 years. You need 450 practice hours (900 for dual registrants), 35 hours of CPD (20 participatory), 5 pieces of practice-related feedback, 5 written reflective accounts, a reflective discussion with another NMC registrant, a confirmation from a confirmer, and a health and character declaration. The NMC audits a sample of registrants each cycle — failing to evidence any element results in removal from the register.
NMC revalidation sounds administrative, but the evidence you keep is the difference between a straightforward submission and a career-interrupting audit. Most registrants who fail audit fail because their records from two years ago are missing or unclear — not because they hadn't done the learning.
Who must revalidate
Every registrant on the NMC register — nurses (adult, mental health, learning disability, children's), midwives, and nursing associates. Revalidation happens every three years on the anniversary of your last registration. The NMC sends reminders from 60 days before your revalidation date.
The eight requirements
- 450 practice hours — 900 for dual registrants (nurse+midwife). Paid or unpaid, in a role where you use your nursing knowledge and skills.
- 35 hours of CPD — 20 must be participatory (involving interaction with others).
- 5 pieces of practice-related feedback — patient, colleague, formal complaint, team debrief. Anonymised.
- 5 written reflective accounts — tied to the Code and covering at least one CPD activity, one piece of feedback, and one practice event.
- Reflective discussion — with another NMC registrant who signs a reflective discussion form.
- Health and character declaration — any cautions, convictions, or health issues affecting fitness to practise.
- Professional indemnity arrangement — usually through employer or union.
- Confirmation — someone (usually a line manager, or an appraiser) confirms you've met the requirements.
The Code — the golden thread
Every reflective account must link to one or more sections of the Code (Prioritise people, Practise effectively, Preserve safety, Promote professionalism and trust). The link should be specific — not a vague reference but a named standard.
What CPD counts
Participatory CPD includes attending a study day, clinical supervision, team teaching, a structured mentorship session, attending a conference with interaction, and formal appraisal. Non-participatory CPD includes online modules completed alone, reading a journal article, watching a recorded lecture. You need at least 20 hours participatory out of 35 total.
Feedback — what counts
Formal feedback (patient surveys, 360 appraisals), informal (thank-you card from a family), team feedback (case review, M&M meeting), and reflective feedback you've given to others. Anonymise patient information rigorously — the NMC treats confidentiality breaches seriously.
The reflective discussion
The reflective discussion must be with another NMC-registered professional. They don't have to be senior — a peer on the same band works. They sign the NMC's Reflective Discussion form with their NMC PIN.
The confirmer
Your confirmer is usually your line manager, or if not an NMC registrant, someone else who's seen your practice over the cycle. If you're self-employed, agency, or retired-but-practising, the NMC has specific guidance on alternative confirmers.
What happens at audit
The NMC audits a random sample (around 2.5% of registrants). If selected, you'll have 21 days to submit all your portfolio evidence. Missing evidence means an extension request — and if evidence can't be produced, the NMC may suspend or remove you from the register. You cannot practise while removed.
Portfolio format
The NMC doesn't prescribe a format. Many employers provide templates; union-led tools (RCN, Unison) are widely used. Electronic portfolios (PebblePad, Turas in Scotland) are common. Paper is still accepted. What matters is that the eight requirements are evidenced.
Common mistakes
- Counting non-participatory CPD as participatory — an audit fail
- Reflective accounts with no explicit link to the Code
- Feedback that inadvertently identifies a patient
- Confirmer signs without actually reviewing the portfolio
- Practice hours claimed that pre-date the three-year cycle
FAQs
I've been on maternity leave — do my hours still count?
No, maternity leave is not practice. But NMC rules allow a gap in practice of up to 5 years with appropriate return-to-practice arrangements. Discuss with the NMC directly if approaching 5 years.
I'm dual-registered as nurse and midwife — how many hours?
900 practice hours total (not 450 per part). The hours can be split across both roles.
Can one CPD activity satisfy both CPD and reflection?
Yes — if you attend a study day (participatory CPD) and then write a reflective account on what you learned and applied, it counts in both categories.
What if my confirmer isn't my line manager?
The NMC accepts alternative confirmers — another senior colleague, appraiser, or practice educator. For self-employed registrants, a former manager, a specialist colleague, or an NMC-approved external confirmer can be used.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed 2026-04-22 by Jamie Dawson, Editor. Corrections: corrections@logbook.co.uk
