Guide

NMC revalidation CPD hours: 35 in 3 years, 20 participatory

Updated 2026-08-15

Two numbers and one definition. Most of the difficulty people have with this requirement is with the definition rather than the numbers.

Question 1

Which register are you revalidating on?

NMC CPD hours: the requirement, in the NMC's words

"You must have undertaken 35 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) relevant to your scope of practice". That covers "the three year period since your registration was last renewed, or you joined the register". Of those, "at least 20 must have included participatory learning" (nmc.org.uk).

What your CPD record has to contain

The CPD method.
A description of the topic and how it related to your practice.
The dates on which the activity was undertaken.
The number of hours, including the number of participatory hours.
The identification of the part of the Code most relevant to the activity.
Evidence that you undertook the CPD activity.

That list is the NMC's, verbatim. The two entries people most often leave out are the link to the Code and the evidence, and both are things a confirmer will look for.

What participatory hours mean for NMC revalidation

The NMC's definition is deliberately wide: "you simply have to undertake activity that involves interaction with one or more other professionals". It can be physical or virtual: "you don't have to be in the same room as the people you undertake the activity with."

attending a conference;
taking part in a workshop;
attending a relevant training course;
group meetings outside everyday practice, for example to discuss a specific event or a new way of working.

What the NMC does not do

It does not prescribe activity types: "It's important to remember that we don't prescribe any particular type of CPD". You decide what is most useful for your development. There is no approved-provider list, and CPD need not be paid for.

The NMC suggests using its standards of proficiency to find learning needs. Plan CPD against them across the three years, not in the final months.

Recording it

The NMC publishes a CPD log template and describes it as recommended rather than mandatory, so your own format is acceptable provided it captures the six items above. Only the reflective accounts form, the reflective discussion form and the confirmation form are mandatory.

Questions, answered directly

How many CPD hours do you need for NMC revalidation?

35 hours of CPD relevant to your scope of practice in the three years since you last renewed or joined the register. At least 20 hours must include participatory learning.

What do NMC participatory hours mean?

Activity involving interaction with one or more other professionals, physical or virtual. The NMC's examples: conferences, workshops, relevant training courses, and group meetings outside everyday practice, such as on a specific event or a new way of working. You need not be in the same room.