Applying to relinquish your registration or relinquishing your licence to practise - your options and what to do if you want to get them back
Relinquishing - your options and what to do if you want to get your registration or licence back
If you are not engaged in medical practice or in other work that requires you to be registered, with or without a licence to practise, you can choose to either:
Relinquish your licence to practise (if you have one)
Advantages
- you will pay a reduced annual retention fee during periods when you do not need to be licensed to practise
- there is no fee to relinquish your licence
- you will keep your professional connection with us and you can ask us to confirm your good standing to other regulators or employers if you need to
- you will keep your entry on the medical register (and GP and Specialist registers if applicable) but it will show you do not have a licence to practise.
Getting your licence back
- You will need to make an application no more than three months before you want it back. We will, among other things, ask for:
- Proof of identity (copy of current passport)
- Certificate(s) of good standing from other medical regulators you have been registered with
- Statements from your recent employer(s) about your employment and work for them.
- We aim to contact you within five days of getting your application to let you know if there is any other information we need.
- In most cases we will assess your application and give you a decision within five days of receiving any extra information we ask for.
- You can find detailed information on your next steps in our guidance on relinquishing your licence to practise.
If you currently have a contract of employment as a medical practitioner
- We recommend you discuss the matter with your employer before you choose to relinquish your licence.
Other things to consider
- Even though you will not have a licence to practise you are still bound by the principles of Good Medical Practice
Relinquish your registration (voluntary erasure)
Advantages
- you will not have to pay an annual retention fee during periods when you do not need to be registered
- you will not be charged a restoration fee if you subsequently apply to have your name restored to the Register. You will be charged a restoration fee if you allow your registration to lapse because you do not pay your ARF or keep your address up to date with us
- you will automatically relinquish your licence to practise as well, if you have one, if your application to relinquish your registration is granted.
Getting your registration back
- You will need to make an application and we will, among other things, ask for:
- Proof of identity (copy of current passport)
- Certificate(s) of good standing
- Statements from your recent employers.
- We will assess your application and give you a decision.
- You can find detailed information on your next steps in our guidance on relinquishing your registration (voluntary erasure).
If you currently have a contract of employment as a medical practitioner
- We recommend you discuss the matter with your employer before you choose to relinquish your registration.
Other things to consider
- The Responsible Officer Regulations say that, to be nominated or appointed as a responsible officer (RO), a doctor must have been fully registered throughout the previous five years at the time of appointment. If you think you might become a responsible officer within the next five years, you may want to consider relinquishing your licence to practise, but keeping your registration.