FAQs

Your annual renewal comprises of four parts;

1. Confirming your Register and correspondence details 
2. Declaring any convictions
3. Paying your annual renewal fee

Even if your employer is paying your fee or you have a Direct Debit set up, you will still need to confirm your Register details, declare any convictions  to remain Code compliant.

If the fee is not received in full before 1 June (for vets) or 1 January (for VNs) then your name will be removed from the Register and you will no longer be able to work as a veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse anywhere in the UK.

Please note that, as well as it being illegal to practise in the UK whilst your name is not on the Register, any professional indemnity insurance may also be invalidated. You will also no longer be able to use the post nominal MRCVS or RVN.

The Register enables an inspection regime to be implemented by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) to improve traceability of Controlled Drugs and to ensure veterinary surgeons are compliant with the Veterinary Medicines Regulations. According to the VMD, this answers criticism from EU auditors and brings veterinary surgeons in line with other retail suppliers of veterinary medicinal products, who are permitted to supply only from registered premises.

You do not need to participate in the VetGDP if you are going to work abroad and you can still maintain your MRCVS. If/when you return to the UK, you will only need to participate if you have less than 18 months experience in a role similar to the one you will be undertaking on your return. If you have more than 18 months experience, you may participate in the VetGDP if you wish.

If you fail the Code of Professional Conduct paper then you will have the opportunity to resit it within the same diet.

We do not offer re-sits for the clinical written papers or the OSCE.

The VMD has said it will not inspect practices applying to join the PSS, unless there is an investigation for enforcement purposes. If you are notified of a VMD inspection and then apply to join the PSS there are strict requirements regarding timescales for the application to be submitted and the initial PSS inspection to take place.

Assuming the veterinary professional is in attendance, their barrister (or the veterinary professional themselves if they are not legally represented) may then ask you questions about your statement or the incident(s) in question. We cannot predict what questions you will be asked (or how many) but it could be about anything that is relevant to the case. The questioning is controlled by the RCVS barrister, the legal assessor and/or the Chair of the DC who may intervene if they think a line of questioning is inappropriate.

There may also be questions from the DC itself. Again, we cannot predict what questions (or how many) will be asked. Sometimes there will be a short break whilst the DC consider what questions to ask and they may even leave the hearing room to discuss in more detail. During this break you will not be able to talk to anyone as you are still giving evidence.

You may be eligible for a discretionary refund of some or all of the exam fee (excluding administration costs).

You must submit your request in writing, along with documentary evidence to support the medical or compassionate grounds cited, no later than 6 days after the part of the examination that you missed.

Once you have submitted your payment you will be taken to a 'Payment Confirmation' page which will also display the email address to which a payment confirmation email has been sent.

Payment receipts are also available in 'My Account', in the 'Receipts tab'.

Yes. We will send you at least one reminder by email and by text, if we have your mobile number.

If we do not hold a valid email address for you, then we will send you one reminder to your correspondence address.

Yes, once payment has been received, you will receive confirmation by email.

Payment receipts are also available via the 'My Account' area.