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Frequently asked questions about renewal


Renewal - General
When is the registration renewal period for RPNs?

​​​Registration renewal opens on Feb. 1.

Registration renewal closes on March 31 at 4:30 p.m.  

  • You must submit your annual registration renewal application and pay outstanding​ fees by the deadline. 

  • Your application will be considered incomplete if we have not received the application and/or the required fees. 

  • ​​Incomplete applications are cancelled when the deadline passes.

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What happens if I do not renew or forget to renew my practising registration before it expires?

  • ​If you do not renew by the deadline, your registration will expire and you will no longer be a registrant of BCCNM. 

  • You must not practise as a nurse or use the title of "nurse," "registered psychiatric nurse," or "RPN" unless you hold practising registration. 

  • To regain your registration, you will need to apply to reinstate your registration and pay the application fee, in addition to paying your registration fees. ​

What happens if I work in BC without practising registration?

​To practise as a nursing professional in B.C., you must hold current practising registration with BCCNM. If you practise without practising registration, even accidentally, you are in breach of the Health Professions Act. Your application for reinstatement of practicing registration may require review by the BCCNM Registration Committee. You're also taking a risk that can impact you professionally and financially:

  • You aren't covered by professional liability protection. If you practise without protection, you are opening yourself up to personal financial risk if there is a lawsuit stemming from your nursing practise during that period.

  • Additional fees. If you practise without registration, you'll have to pay an unregistered practice surcharge, in addition to your registration and reinstatement application fees. 

Learn more about the risks of unregistered practice​. 

Renewal requirements
How many hours do I have to work each year to keep my registration?

  • ​Registrants need to work a minimum of 1,400 hours over the preceding five-year period to renew their practising registration. 

  • Learn more about the practice hours requirement​ and your options if you do not have enough hours to renew your practising registration.

  • There is no minimum number of hours on a per year basis. If you were employed but did not work, enter 0 hours.​

I have provisional registration. Do I need to renew?

  • ​If you intend to continue practising after March 31, yes. 

  • If you do not plan to continue practising on or after April 1, you do not need to renew and your registration will expire.

I hold registration in more than one nursing designation. Do I have to renew and pay fees for both designations?

​Yes. You will still need to complete a renewal application for each registration you want to maintain. We’re working on making this easier for you, but our current system still processes each application separately.

To learn more, visit the renewal for dual registrants page​.

Fees and payment options
What payment options are available?
I don't have/want to use a credit card to pay my registration fees. What are my options?

​If you do not have or do not wish to use a credit card for payment, we also accept INTERAC Online. 

If neither of those options work, we recommend you buy a prepaid credit card and use it to pay your fee. A few things to keep in mind:

  • Check your total balance owing before buying the card

  • The pre-paid card must have a balance that can pay the entire fee. Multiple cards cannot be used. 

  • The pre-paid card must be from American Express, VISA and MasterCard. 

Why don't you accept cash?

  • ​Even though cash is legal currency, it is not mandatory for Canadian businesses to accept it. 

  • The Canadian government no longer accepts payments other than credit card for items such as passports. Airlines only accept credit card payment as well.​

Are registration fees refundable?

​You may be entitled to a refund if you cancel your registration. There is a $85+GST refund administration fee. For more information, visit changing your registration status during renewal​. 

Are there measures in place to ensure that payments made online are secure?

​Yes. BCCNM does not retain any personal banking information transmitted over the Internet. The information is retained by Moneris, which is the largest processor of transactions in Canada. Moneris also has enhanced security mechanisms to ensure the security of financial information.

How do I get a tax receipt for my registration renewal fees?

​Tax receipts for the previous year are available in early January. You can access your tax receipt by logging into your BCCNM account​.

Passwords and technical assistance
I forgot my password. How can I reset it?

​Visit the BCCNM sign in page​ and click “I've forgotten my password.” You’ll need your BCCNM ID and personal security word to complete the process.

Please click on the link only once! It may take a few moments for the email to reach your inbox. ​

What do I do if I get this message when I try to log in to my account: "The email or password you entered may not be correct or you do not have an account"?

​This message will appear for one or more of the following reasons:

  • You haven't created your account

  • The email address you have entered is different from the address in your BCCNM record

  • The password you entered does not match the one you created. Remember that one of the characters must be a capital letter. If you cannot remember your password, click on "I’ve forgotten my password” and follow the steps to reset it.​

What can I use my BCCNM account for?

​Your BCCNM account can be used to:

  • Access to registration applications and renewal

  • Access to your quality assurance information

  • Update your contact information (address, phone number, and email address)

  • Update or add new employer information

  • View or print your annual renewal tax receipt

  • Pay outstanding fees​

Changing your registration status during renewal
What should I do if I'm retiring/not renewing my registration?

​If you are retiring or do not plan to renew your registration, then sign into your BCCNM account once the renewal period has started and select the “Cancel” option. This will ensure that you do not receive any email reminders to renew. ​

If you use our pre-authorized payment plan, you can cancel it at the end of the form. You will receive a refund in May for any payments made for the upcoming registration year​​.

How should I renew if I'm planning to take a leave of absence?

​Visit the changing your status during renewal page​ for your options. 

I am a non-practising nurse and would like to return to practice. Can I do that on the renewal form?

​No. You’ll need to reinstate your registration and then renew. Learn more about changing your registration status during renewa​l. Not sure what to do? Please call us and we'll walk you through it.