UK CPD requirements hub
CPD Requirements by Professional Body
Most UK professional bodies require members to complete and record CPD, but the amount and format differ by body: RICS asks for at least 20 hours a year, RIBA 35 hours, ACCA 40 units, ICAEW 20 to 40 hours by work category, and the GDC 100 verifiable hours across five years for dentists. Each requirement links to the official rules.
Last updated: 6 July 2026
- RICS: 20 hours a year minimum, at least 10 structured (2026 rules)
- RIBA: 35 hours a year, at least 20 from the ten Core Curriculum topics
- ICAEW: 20 to 40 hours a year by work category, including at least one hour of ethics-related training (independently verifiable)
- ACCA: 40 units a year, at least 21 verifiable (1 unit = 1 hour)
- GDC: 100 verifiable hours per five-year cycle for dentists (75 or 50 for other registrants)
CPD requirements at a glance
The current CPD requirement for eleven UK professional bodies is set out below, each checked on 6 July 2026 against the source linked alongside. Formats vary: some set annual hours or units, some work in a longer multi-year cycle, and some set no fixed hours at all, relying on appraisal, standards or reflection instead.
CPD requirements by professional body, official rules linked in the last column.
| Body | Requirement | Cycle / deadline | Official rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| RICS | Minimum 20 hours of CPD a year, at least 10 hours structured learning | Calendar year; recorded with RICS by 31 January of the following year | RICS CPD rules (Jan 2026) |
| RIBA | At least 35 hours of relevant learning a year for practising Chartered Members, at least 20 hours from the ten mandatory Core Curriculum topics | Annual; recorded via RIBA's online CPD tool | RIBA CPD obligations |
| ICAEW | 20 to 40 hours a year depending on category of work, including at least one hour of independently verifiable ethics-related training | CPD year runs 1 November to 31 October | ICAEW CPD categories |
| ACCA | 40 units a year (1 unit = 1 hour), at least 21 verifiable | Annual declaration due by 1 January | ACCA CPD routes |
| GDC | 100 verifiable hours per five-year cycle for dentists (75 hours for dental therapists, hygienists and orthodontic therapists; 50 hours for dental nurses and technicians) | Five-year cycle, at least 10 verifiable hours in any consecutive two-year period; annual CPD statement | GDC CPD scheme |
| GMC | No fixed hours, points or credits; CPD every year across whole practice | Discussed at annual whole-practice appraisal; revalidation every five years | GMC CPD guidance |
| NMC | 35 hours relevant to scope of practice, at least 20 hours participatory learning | Three-year revalidation cycle | NMC CPD requirements |
| HCPC | No fixed hours; five outcome-based standards (continuous record, mixture of learning activities, contribution to practice quality, benefit to service users, written profile on request) | Two-year renewal; random 2.5 per cent of each profession audited | HCPC CPD requirements |
| SRA | No minimum hours; continuing competence, reflecting on practice and identifying and addressing learning needs | Annual declaration at practising certificate renewal | SRA continuing competence |
| GPhC | Four CPD entries a year (at least two planned) plus one peer discussion record and one reflective account | Annual revalidation record via myGPhC, tied to yearly registration renewal | GPhC revalidation and renewal |
| CIPD | No mandated hours, though around 30 hours of planned learning a year is recommended as a guide | At least three reflective CPD records each calendar year | CIPD CPD policy |
Swipe the table to see each body's cycle, deadline and official rules.
How CPD requirements work
CPD requirements are usually expressed in one of three ways: annual hours, units or points, or a longer cycle with an overall total. RICS uses annual hours with a structured minimum, at least 20 hours each calendar year of which 10 must be structured. ACCA uses units, where one unit equals one hour of learning and at least 21 of the 40 annual units must be verifiable. ICAEW sets an hours range, 20 to 40 hours a year, determined by six work-based categories, while the GDC uses a five-year cycle with an overall verifiable total rather than a fixed annual amount.
A third pattern sets no fixed hours at all. The GMC, HCPC and SRA each require ongoing CPD but leave the amount to the professional's own judgement: the GMC asks doctors to carry out CPD every year and discuss it at annual appraisal, the HCPC sets five outcome-based standards rather than a number of hours or points, and the SRA replaced its old 16-hour rule with a reflect, identify and address cycle confirmed by an annual declaration. This is exactly why there is no single answer to how many CPD hours you need: it depends entirely on your body.
Most schemes also split learning into a formal and an informal element, for example structured versus unstructured at RICS, or verifiable versus non-verifiable at ACCA and ICAEW; ICAEW defines verifiable CPD as activity with evidence that is objective, corroborated by an independent source and retained.
Some bodies mandate topics too: RICS members must cover ethics; artificial intelligence, data and technology; and sustainability at least once every three CPD years, and ICAEW requires at least one hour of ethics-related training every CPD year, which must be independently verifiable.
Recording is part of the requirement, not an optional extra, though what counts as evidence differs by body. RICS members record their hours and learning outcomes by 31 January of the following year, RIBA members must use RIBA's online CPD recording tool, ACCA members submit an annual CPD declaration by 1 January, and GDC registrants submit an annual CPD statement. For the underlying difference between doing CPD and having it recognised, see what CPD is and how it works.
Requirements by sector
Whichever sector you work in, your own regulator or professional body sets the CPD rules, and its website is the authoritative source for the current requirement. Sourced requirement summaries for eleven bodies are above; for every other body below, the link goes straight to the organisation that publishes the official CPD rules.
Healthcare
In healthcare, the GDC (dentistry), GMC (doctors), NMC (nurses and midwives), HCPC (allied health professionals) and GPhC (pharmacy) are summarised above. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) covers physiotherapy, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) counselling and psychotherapy, and the British Psychological Society (BPS) psychology; Social Work England regulates social workers, and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) covers veterinary professionals.
Finance and accountancy
In finance and accountancy, ACCA and ICAEW are summarised above. CIMA, AAT, the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI) and the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) each publish their own CPD rules.
Law
In law, the SRA is summarised above; CILEx publishes the rules for legal executives.
Built environment
In the built environment, RICS and RIBA are covered above. CPD rules are also published by the Architects Registration Board (ARB), the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), CIBSE and the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).
Engineering
Engineering institutions set their own schemes: see the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).
People and workplace
For people and workplace professions, CIPD (HR) is summarised above. The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) sets the rules for marketers, and IOSH for health and safety professionals.
What counts as CPD
Any learning that is relevant to your professional role can usually count as CPD, and you do not need to use an accredited provider for it to qualify with the bodies above. RICS states that a diverse range of activities qualify as CPD "because this is based on personal assessment", and RIBA is explicit that "CPD does not have to come from RIBA to count". ICAEW accepts podcasts, coaching, webinars, reading articles, on-the-job training and learning from colleagues, while ACCA accepts work-based learning, coaching, mentoring, e-learning, networking, discussion groups, reading and research. The common thread is evidence rather than provider status: formal or verifiable learning must be documented, and for GDC registrants verifiable CPD needs documentary evidence from the provider, even though the GDC itself states "We do not quality assure CPD". Independent accreditation of a course, such as CPD accreditation, is therefore a quality signal for training, not something these regulators mandate.
Frequently asked questions
Do all UK professional bodies require CPD?
Most UK professional bodies require CPD in some form, but the obligation differs. For regulated professions CPD can be a condition of staying on the register: the GDC scheme, for example, is compulsory for all registered dental professionals. For membership bodies it is a condition of membership: ACCA members must complete CPD every year to maintain membership, and RICS and RIBA members must meet annual hours requirements. Always check your own body's current rules, because schemes change: RICS revised its framework from 1 January 2026, and ICAEW moved to hours-based categories from 1 November 2023.
Sources: GDC CPD scheme, ACCA: your guide to CPD, RICS CPD rules and requirements (January 2026), RIBA: fulfilling your CPD obligations, ICAEW: your guide to CPD
How many CPD hours do I need per year?
There is no single number: each body sets its own requirement. Among the bodies covered on this page, RICS requires at least 20 hours a year (10 of them structured), RIBA at least 35 hours, ACCA 40 units where one unit equals one hour, and ICAEW between 20 and 40 hours depending on your category of work. The GDC does not set an annual total at all: dentists complete 100 verifiable hours across a five-year cycle, with at least 10 verifiable hours in any consecutive two-year period.
Sources: RICS CPD rules and requirements (January 2026), RIBA: fulfilling your CPD obligations, ACCA CPD routes, ICAEW CPD categories, GDC CPD scheme
Does my CPD need to come from an accredited provider?
No. None of the eleven bodies summarised on this page requires CPD to come from an accredited provider. RICS bases eligibility on relevance, stating that a diverse range of activities qualify "based on personal assessment"; RIBA says "CPD does not have to come from RIBA to count"; ICAEW and ACCA both accept a wide range of relevant activities, including reading and on-the-job learning; and the GDC states "We do not quality assure CPD", although verifiable CPD needs documentary evidence from the provider. The GMC, NMC, HCPC, SRA, GPhC and CIPD likewise leave the choice of learning activity to the professional, with no accredited-provider requirement. Independent accreditation of a course is a quality signal, not a regulator mandate.
Sources: RICS CPD compliance guide, Frequently asked questions on RIBA CPD, ICAEW: your guide to CPD, ACCA members' CPD FAQs, GDC: information for CPD providers, GMC: CPD guidance for all doctors, NMC: Continuing professional development, HCPC: Our CPD requirements, SRA: FAQs about continuing competence, GPhC: Revalidation framework (January 2018), CIPD: What is Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
What happens if I don't complete my CPD?
Consequences depend on the body. RICS states that breaches of its CPD rules may result in administrative or disciplinary action. ACCA warns that if you do not submit your annual CPD declaration your membership will be at risk. RIBA audits member records on its online recording platform to check compliance. For registered professions such as dentistry, CPD is compulsory for staying on the register under the GDC scheme.
Sources: RICS CPD rules and requirements (January 2026), ACCA: managing your CPD, RIBA: fulfilling your CPD obligations, GDC CPD scheme
How do I record my CPD?
Follow your own body's recording rules, because they differ. RICS members record their hours and the learning outcomes of each activity with RICS by 31 January of the following year, via RICS My Account or the mobile app. RIBA members must use RIBA's online CPD recording tool, and certificates are not required. ICAEW lets you record CPD in any format that suits you, such as a spreadsheet or ICAEW's digital CPD record. ACCA members keep their CPD evidence for three years in case of review, and GDC registrants keep an activity log with provider certificates and submit an annual CPD statement.
Sources: RICS CPD rules and requirements (January 2026), RIBA: fulfilling your CPD obligations, ICAEW: your guide to CPD, ACCA: managing your CPD, GDC CPD scheme
If you provide training for any of the professions above, note the pattern: no body here requires an accredited provider, so independent CPD accreditation works as a quality signal for your courses rather than a compliance requirement.
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