The pathway · step 5 of 11
Certificates of good standing
- Source
- www.gmc-uk.org
- Last verified
- 2026-08-31
- Typically takes
- 2 to 8 weeks per regulator
- Typical cost
- Not stated here — see the official source, because fees change
- Comes after
- gmc registration routes
A certificate of good standing is a statement from a medical regulator that you are registered with them and that nothing is outstanding against you.
The part that catches people out
You need one from every regulator you have been registered with, not only the one where you practise now. A doctor who trained in one country, worked briefly in a second and now lives in a third needs three, and each has its own process, its own form and its own turnaround.
They also expire. A certificate has a validity window from the date it was issued, so requesting them all at the start of a two-year process means requesting them again. The order that works is: find out what each regulator requires early, then request the certificates once the rest of the application is close.
What to do now
- List every regulator you have ever been registered with, including registrations you no longer hold.
- Find each one's process for issuing a certificate to the GMC.
- Note the turnaround each states, and whether they send it to you or directly to the GMC.
The GMC's page on evidence of fitness to practise, linked above, states what it accepts and how recent it must be.