Annual practising certificates
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1. Renewal of annual practising certificates 2005/06 The Act changes the requirements for practising certificates. All practising nurses must hold new annual practising certificates ('practising certificate') for the 2005/06 year from 1 April 2005. Please note that under Section 30(3) of the Act, all nurses are treated as holding practising certificates from the date the Council has received the practising certificate payment and application for a renewal of a practising certificate, until they are notified whether or not the practising certificate will be issued. Please Note: In the transitional phase of implementing the Act, your practising certificate will be printed on Nursing Council letterhead. You will not, therefore, receive a plastic card as issued in previous years. Practising certificates now are issued on a rolling cycle, rather than everyone renewing on 1 April each year. The Council wants to improve its service to nurses and also have time to check the Act’s requirements for competence, recency of practice, and fitness to practise before issuing practising certificates. Why the change? The Council is required to comply with section 27 of the Act - Restrictions on issue of annual practising certificates. This requires individual assessment of applications for practising certificates and a process for determining what action to take on a case-by-case basis. The Council may decline to issue a practising certificate if the applicant has, at any time: failed to maintain the required standard of competence
not completed an ordered competence programme
not held a practising certificate (or practised) for three years preceding application
been unable to perform functions required because of some mental or physical condition
included false or misleading information on application.
Cycle for practising certificate renewal
The following table shows how the Council will process practising certificates.
Quarter - in which you were born |
Renewal date for your annual practising certificate |
When your practising certificate application will be sent to you |
| 1 April to 30 June | 1 July | Late March |
| 1 July to 30 September | 1 October | Late June |
| 1 October to 31 December | 1 January | Late September |
| 1 January to 31 March | 1 April | Mid December |
Nurses with overseas addresses
Renewal application forms (with overseas addresses) are not automatically posted overseas to nurses. If you live overseas and want to renew your practising certificate, please contact the Council to confirm your address and your application form will then be posted to you.
3. Practising certificate fees
(including interim practising certificate) Note this fee includes the compulsory disciplinary levy of $30 per annum |
$ |
12 months practising certificate |
96.00 |
3 months or any part, thereof |
24.00 |
6 months |
48.00 |
9 months |
72.00 |
Fees must be paid by returning a cheque with your completed practising certificate form or, by providing your credit card details on your completed application form. Please take special care to ensure that you record your credit card numbers correctly, if paying by this method, to avoid any processing delays.
4. Competence and fitness to practise requirements for practising certificatesThe introduction of the Act requires the Council to ensure the continuing competence of practitioners to protect public safety. The Council has therefore developed a Continuing Competence Framework.
In your practising certificate application, you will need to declare that you meet the requirements of the Act regarding competence and fitness to practise. The application form includes five new questions that you must answer, and if necessary, provide further information.
These questions are:
Have you completed at least 60 days or 450 hours of nursing practice within the last three years in New Zealand?
Do you meet the Council’s competencies for your scope of practice?
Have you undertaken at least 60 hours of professional development within the last three years?
Do you have a mental of physical condition which means that you are unable to perform the functions required for the practice of nursing?
Are you the subject of an investigation, disciplinary or criminal proceedings or a disciplinary order in New Zealand or any other country?
An information Guide will be provided to help you to complete the application form. It is extremely important that you read the guide carefully and ensure that you have sent in all the supplementary information required. Failure to do so will significantly delay the processing of your practising certificate.
5. The Council's approach to issuing practising certificatesThe new process means that it will take longer for the Council to process each application. We would appreciate your patience as we implement this new process.
The Council intends to make the process as efficient as possible so that it causes minimal disruption to nurses and employers. Nurses holding current practising certificates and who are in nursing practice will receive practising certificates. Those nurses who declare that they do not meet all the required criteria, will be individually considered and either given practising certificates or be issued interim practising certificates with conditions.
6. Non-renewal of a practising certificate does not affect registration statusRegistration is for life in New Zealand. It is not necessary to hold a practising certificate if you are not practising in New Zealand.
New definition of practising
Nursing practice is using nursing knowledge in a direct relationship with clients or working in nursing management, nursing administration, nursing education, nursing research, nursing professional advice or nursing policy development roles, which impact on public safety.
Your scope of practice will be printed on the front page of the practising certificate application form and includes any conditions on that scope that apply to you. If you are not practising in accordance with your scope of practice and conditions, you may not be issued with a practising certificate. If so, please contact the Council.
7. Application formsAll applications for a practising certificate must be on the official Nursing Council of New Zealand application form. These are not available online.
Application forms to renew practising certificates will be posted to nurses holding current practising certificates at their last recorded address in New Zealand .
For inquiries contact:
| NZ Registrations | Postal Address: PO Box 9644, Wellington 6141, New Zealand |
| Telephone: +64 4 385 9589, option 2 | |
| Fax: +64 4 801 8502 | |
| Email: nzreg@nursingcouncil.org.nz |
The Register of all practising nurses is available on the website. Employers, practitioners and the public are able to check if individual nurses hold a current practising certificate. This information is updated every 24 hours.
Click here to access the on-line register
9. Changing your nameThe Council is unable to alter a name of the register without formal evidence. You will need to supply a photocopy of a marriage certificate, deed poll or statutory declaration.
10. Change of address form