What is the central obligation of Code Section 22?

Fulfil all registration requirements — keeping indemnity, paying fees, completing revalidation, notifying the NMC of relevant changes

Sub-clause 22.2 covers what kind of changes that must be reported to the NMC?

Changes to your registration as and when they arise (name change, change of registration type, address)

Changes to your union membership

Letting your registration lapse without notifying the NMC is...

A potential Section 22 breach if you continued practising or otherwise failed to fulfil the registration requirements properly

Acceptable as long as you re-register later

Only relevant if you were employed at the time

Only relevant for nurses with under 10 years' experience

Is CPD typically tied directly to Section 22?

No — Section 22 is procedural, not a clinical learning area; awareness of revalidation is the practical knowledge needed

Yes — annual Section 22 training is required

Yes — Section 22 mandates 10 CPD hours per cycle

Only for newly qualified nurses

Part 3 of 8 The NMC Code, every section Chapter 48 of 100

NMC Code Section 22: Fulfil Registration Requirements

NMC Code Section 22 explained. Meeting NMC standards continuously, the revalidation cycle, and the obligations that come with registration.

Start reading ← Course outline ~5 min read

By JobLabs Editorial · UK healthcare reference editorial team

· May 11, 2026 · 2 min read

Section 22 of the Code is the Code’s own reference to the framework around it.

“Fulfil all registration requirements.”

Sub-clauses:

22.1 Keep to the conditions of any indemnity arrangement under which you practise.
22.2 Keep us informed of changes to your registration as and when they arise.
22.3 Keep to our prescribed hours of practice and any other criteria for renewing your registration when it is due (including paying any fees, completing revalidation, taking the NMC test if needed, and successfully completing any return to practice programme).

Section 22 is procedural rather than clinical. It binds together the revalidation, fee and notification obligations that the rest of the Code presupposes.

What it means in practice

Three obligations sit under Section 22:

Annual. Pay the fee, keep contact details current.

Three-yearly. Complete revalidation by the deadline. All eight requirements.

Event-driven. Notify the NMC of significant changes: name change, address change, change of employer in some contexts, fitness-to-practise relevant events.

The notification duty under 22.2 is the most commonly overlooked. Many nurses don’t update NMC Online when their contact email changes, then miss the revalidation reminder and end up lapsed.

Common breaches

Lapsed registration: failure to revalidate or pay fees on time.
Outdated contact details that prevented NMC reminders from reaching the registrant.
Failure to notify of a significant change in circumstances (criminal charge, fitness-to-practise relevant matter).
Indemnity gap: practising without appropriate cover (also Section 12).

CPD that maps to Section 22

Section 22 is procedural. CPD doesn’t directly apply. What helps:

Annual review of NMC Online contact details.
Calendar reminders for fee and revalidation dates.
Awareness of when significant changes need notification.

Where Section 22 connects to other sections

Section 12 (indemnity arrangements).
Section 23 (cooperate with investigations).
The revalidation framework as a whole.

The next chapter covers Code Section 23 on cooperating with investigations.

Sources & further reading

Key takeaway from NMC Code Section 22: Fulfil Registration Requirements

Frequently asked questions

What changes do I have to notify the NMC about?

Changes to your name, contact details, address, employer (in some cases), and significant changes in your fitness to practise (health conditions affecting practice, charges or convictions).

Is failing to revalidate a Section 22 breach?

Yes implicitly. Letting your registration lapse breaches the obligation to fulfil registration requirements. You're then unable to practise until you re-register.

What CPD maps to Section 22?

Generally none. It's a procedural section. Awareness of the revalidation requirements is the practical knowledge needed.

Check your understanding

Quick quiz: NMC Code Section 22: Fulfil Registration Requirements

4questions. Click an answer to see the explanation. Your score is saved on this device only.

1
What is the central obligation of Code Section 22?
Section 22 is the Code's anchor for the wider framework of being on the register: indemnity (linked to Section 12), fees, revalidation submissions, return-to-practice when required, and notifying the NMC of relevant changes.
2
Sub-clause 22.2 covers what kind of changes that must be reported to the NMC?
Sub-clause 22.2 covers notifying the NMC of changes affecting your registration: name change, address update, change in registration type, registration with another regulator. Notifications are made through NMC Online and keep your record current.
3
Letting your registration lapse without notifying the NMC is...
If you let registration lapse you can't practise, but that's a registration consequence, not a Section 22 breach by itself. The Section 22 breach occurs when registration requirements were not fulfilled while practice continued, or when notifications were not made in good faith.
4
Is CPD typically tied directly to Section 22?
Section 22 is procedural. It covers paying fees, completing revalidation paperwork, and notifying the NMC. CPD doesn't directly apply. What helps is annual review of NMC Online contact details, calendar reminders for fee and revalidation dates, and awareness of when significant changes need notification.