Revalidation happens in a three-year cycle, and the requirements don't change from year to year. What changes is when your window opens, and the admin that lands around it. This guide sets out exactly what you need for 2026, and when.
The six requirements, at a glance
| # | Requirement | The number |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Practice hours | 450 (900 if dual-registered) |
| 2 | CPD | 35 hours — at least 20 participatory |
| 3 | Reflective accounts | 5 written reflections |
| 4 | Practice-related feedback | 5 pieces |
| 5 | Reflective discussion | 1, with another NMC registrant |
| 6 | Confirmation | 1 registered professional |
1. Practice hours — 450 over three years
You need 450 hours of registered practice over your three-year cycle. Dual-registered nurses need 900. Employer records help, but keep your own running total too: agencies, bank shifts, and voluntary hours all count, and trusts do lose data.
Most nurses on a standard contract clear this comfortably. The risk is the opposite: forgetting to log the extra shifts and hours that would have made the difference.
Full guide: Practice Hours Explained →
2. CPD — 35 hours, 20 of them participatory
Participatory means you could ask questions and discuss: study days, workshops, live webinars, in-service training. The remaining 15 can be non-participatory, like reading, e-learning, or recorded content.
Mandatory training and workplace study days count. Most nurses already have the 35 hours from their day job; they just haven't logged them. Log each one the day you do it, with the date, title, hours, and whether it was participatory.
Full guide: What Counts as CPD? →
3. Reflective accounts — five of them
Each account covers three questions: what the activity or experience was, what you learned, and how you changed your practice. Each must link to at least one theme of the NMC Code. At least four should relate to your CPD or feedback.
The Code link is the part nurses most often forget, and a common reason portfolios get returned at audit.
Full guide: How to Write Reflective Accounts →
Worked example: Medication Error Reflection →
4. Feedback — at least one piece
You need five pieces over your three-year cycle. They can come from a colleague, a manager, or a patient (anonymised). Performance reviews, patient feedback forms, thank-you notes, and peer observations all qualify. Save them as you receive them, not three years later.
5. Reflective discussion
One conversation with another NMC-registered professional about your portfolio. It can be in person, by phone, or by video. Book it at least four to six weeks before your deadline — finding a slot for two shift-workers takes longer than you think.
6. Confirmation
A registered professional reviews your portfolio and confirms you meet the requirements. Usually your line manager or a senior colleague. Give them two to three weeks, and remember they can be the same person who did your reflective discussion.
⚠️ What you do NOT submit
You do not upload your portfolio to the NMC. You submit a short online form through MyNMC. The NMC may audit a sample, so keep your evidence, but your confirmer is the one who checks your portfolio day-to-day.
The October 2026 fee rise
Separate from revalidation itself, the annual registration fee is due to rise from £120 to £143 from 1 October 2026, subject to Parliamentary approval. It often lands in the same window as revalidation, so it's worth planning for. See our registration fee guide for the details.
Your revalidation timeline
| Time before deadline | What to do |
|---|---|
| 36–6 months | Log CPD and practice hours as you go. Save feedback. Write a reflection every six months. |
| 6 months | Review your portfolio against all six requirements. Write any missing reflections. |
| 4 months | Identify your confirmer. Book your reflective discussion. |
| 2 months | Complete the reflective discussion. Confirm your confirmer has what they need. |
| 1 month | Final review, submit online, keep copies. |
The single biggest reason nurses fall behind
It's rarely a lack of hours or CPD. It's not tracking as they go, then having to reconstruct two and a half years of activity from memory a month before the deadline. The nurses who find revalidation easiest are the ones whose system does the tracking for them.
Revalidation Copilot keeps all six requirements in one place: CPD logged in 30 seconds, reflections drafted from a voice note, practice hours calculated automatically. When your window opens, you're reviewing what's already done, not starting from zero.
Meet all six requirements, on time
Track practice hours, CPD, feedback, and reflections in one app. It calculates, reminds, and drafts the accounts for you.
Download the AppDeeper guides on each requirement
- What is NMC Revalidation?
- NMC Revalidation Step-by-Step Guide
- NMC Revalidation Checklist 2026
- NMC Code of Conduct: The 4 Themes Explained
Revalidation Copilot is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Always refer to official NMC guidance for your full revalidation requirements.
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