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Amending your registration category

Changing your registration category

If you're a vet whose circumstances have changed and you need to change your registration category, you can do this online by logging into ‘My Account’ and completing the change of category declaration form.

We aim to complete your change of category request within 3 working days of receiving all necessary documentation and payment. Unfortunately, we will be unable to proceed with your request, until we have received these.

Depending on the registration category you’re changing to, you may need to pay an additional fee or be entitled to a credit to your account for the registration fee you have already paid. Please visit our fees page to check.

Changing to ‘Practising outside the UK’

‘Practising outside the UK’ is applicable to a veterinary surgeon who is registered and has become a member of the College and is practising but not in the United Kingdom.

You can request to change to this category via your online 'MyAccount' area.

Changing to ‘UK-practising’

If you are currently listed as a ‘Practising outside the UK’ or a ‘Non-practising’ member and you are returning to practise in the United Kingdom, you will need to change your registration category to ‘UK-practising’ before you are eligible to practise veterinary surgery anywhere in the UK.

The regulations state that “practise or practising” means (whether or not for remuneration) undertaking acts of veterinary surgery or undertaking any activity which is veterinary related. Veterinary-related activity includes a member who is professionally active, even if not involved in clinical work, e.g. members employed by government departments or agencies, in academia, at research councils, or in industry and commerce. In other words, “practising” is not limited to those in practice, but includes members using their professional qualification in any way. 

Please note you will be asked to supply a copy of your passport before you can change your category to ‘UK-practising’.  In addition, if you have been under the ‘Non-practising’ or 'Practising outside of the UK' category for 12 months or longer, you will also need to produce confirmation of your good standing. Please take a look at the table below which proof of good standing you will need to provide depending on the current category you hold.

 

If you have held either a Practising outside the UK or Non-practising category for 12 months or more, you will be required to provide:
Practising outside the UK

Letter of good standing

This will need to come from the regulatory authorities you have been registered with whilst practising abroad. Please verify with your registered authority the length of time it will take to receive the letter of good standing.

Non-practising

Sworn Declaration

This is a form which will need to be signed and stamped by one of the following:

  • Solicitor
  • Public Notary
  • Commissioner of Oaths
  • Barrister

For more information please contact the Registration Department on 020 7202 0707 or [email protected].

Changing to ‘Non-practising’

‘Non-practising’ is applicable if you are not carrying out any veterinary-related activity in the UK or overseas.

'Non-practising' members should not engage in any act of veterinary surgery and should not sign any form of veterinary certification, including vaccination certificates or prescriptions. In effect, they should only undertake activities that may be undertaken by a layperson, for example, those under Schedule 3 of the Act. The issue of payment or non-payment for services is irrelevant. 

Please note, if you remain as ‘non-practising’ for 12 months or longer, you will need to produce confirmation of your good standing before you are able to change your category to practising. A certified translation of the certificate (or letter) will also be required if it is not issued in English.