Nurses and midwives due to renew registration by 31 May

News

02 Apr 2019

Online renewal for nurses and midwives is now open.

More than 400,000 nurses and midwives are registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (the NMBA) and are due to renew their general or non-practising registration by 31 May 2019.

Registered nurses, enrolled nurses, midwives and nurse practitioners should look out for an email from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) reminding them to renew registration. This email is the first in a series of reminders being sent by AHPRA on behalf of the NMBA.

The renewal reminder emails provide access to online renewal and resources explaining the renewal process. Online renewal is the simplest way to renew registration, with more than 98.9 per cent of practitioners across all health professions choosing to renew online last year.

Check the online register: no more paper registration certificates

In 2018 we told you that paper registration certificates will no longer be mailed to you after you renew your registration from this year. NMBA Chair Associate Professor Lynette Cusack said the move was intended to further encourage the use of the online register of practitioners, which is updated daily.

‘The online register is the safest and most up-to-date way for nurses, midwives and employers to check their registration,’ she said.

If required, you will be able to print a certificate from the online portal, which is in the registration renewal area of our website.

Read your renewal declarations carefully

Each year when you renew, you are asked questions to ensure that you are meeting the registration standards of your profession, such as criminal history declarations.

You are also asked about whether you have an impairment that is likely to detrimentally affect your capacity to practise nursing and/or midwifery. This question is about whether you have a physical or mental health condition or disorder (including substance abuse or dependence), that is likely to detrimentally affect your ability to practise safely.

It is important to think carefully about this question.

Remember, health conditions which are safely managed so that they don't 'detrimentally affect' your ability to practise, such as needing prescription glasses or taking time off work for a fractured arm, don't need to be declared.

If you do not receive a reminder email

If you do not receive a reminder email please check your contact details held by AHPRA are up to date. Use the secure online services for health practitioners on the AHPRA website. Go to Login at the top right of the home page, enter your user ID, password and date of birth to log in and follow the prompts to update your contact details.

If you do not have your user ID, complete an online enquiry form and select the category ‘Online Services – Practitioner’. AHPRA will contact you. If you’ve forgotten your password it can be updated using the Reset your password function. You must have previously had an email address registered with AHPRA to be able to use this function.

If you do not renew on time

If you do not renew your registration by 31 May 2019, or within the following one-month late period, your registration will lapse. Your name will be removed from the national Register of Nurses and Midwives and you will not be able to practise without making a new application for registration.

Useful information

The following pages on the NMBA website contain useful information for nurses and midwives, and their employers:

For more information

Lodge an online enquiry form
For registration enquiries: 1300 419 495 (within Australia) +61 03 9275 9009 (overseas callers)
For media enquiries: (03) 8708 9200