Many registrants choose to practise their profession outside the United Kingdom. If you decide to do this you can still maintain your registration with us. In fact, in some cases UK registration may be required. All registrants must ensure that your correspondence address and personal details remain up-to-date with us.
You do not have to tell us if you are planning to practice abroad. However, you may need to obtain a certificate to confirm your professional status for the purpose of practising in another jurisdiction. If you are informed of this, here are your options.
Practising worldwide (including non-EU member states)
Registration confirmation letter
This letter contains your name, your HCPC registration number, your date of birth, your registered address and information about your current registration status.
To request the letter, you need to contact the Registration department by phone. We will not issue the letter if it is requested by someone else on your behalf, or via email.
We can post the letter to any address chosen by you. There is currently no charge associated with issuing the letter.
Please note that the most up-to-date information about your registration status is available on the online Register.
Practising in Europe
There are currently two routes available for practising in Europe. Both options are only available for practising in European member states.
This certificate contains:
- your name;
- your nationality;
- your HCPC registration number;
- your gender;
- your date of birth;
- your registered address;
- your profession; and
- information about your qualification.
It also contains the details of the route you have taken to join the HCPC register (UK approved qualification, international, EMR, grandparenting), how your professional training corresponds with relevant chapter of the European Professional Qualifications Directive and your current registration status.
This certificate is issued for those who wish to practise in another relevant European State.
To request the letter, you need to contact the Registration department by phone. We will not issue the letter if it is requested by someone else on your behalf, or via email.
We can post it to any address chosen by you. There is currently no charge associated with issuing of this document.
Please note that the most up-to-date information about your registration status is available on the on-line Register.
What is it?
The EPC isn’t a physical card. It’s electronic evidence of the holder’s professional rights, which have been obtained in their home state and replaces the need for making a paper application for registration.
Within the EU member states, regulators and organisations accept that individuals holding the EPC are qualified to practice to a certain standard (even though the name of their qualification may differ between countries).
Types
There are two different types of EPC, depending on the intention of the applicant:
EPC for temporary and occasional provision of services
This EPC is available only to those who are currently registered with the HCPC and who wish to exercise their profession in another relevant European State on temporary and occasional basis.
The migrating professional must initiate their EPC application via Your Europe website. This application is then transferred to the HCPC, who will perform necessary checks. Depending on the regime in the destination country, the HCPC will either transfer the EPC application to the host country for further processing or issue the EPC for a chosen country. Once issued, the EPC for temporary and occasional provision of services is valid for eighteen months. After this time it may be renewed by using Your Europe.
We acknowledge complete applications within a week, and transfer the file to the host state within a further month.
EPC for the purpose of establishment
This EPC is available to those who are currently registered with HCPC (or have been in the past) or those holding UK-approved qualification in physiotherapy and who wish to migrate to another relevant European State to become professionally established there.
The migrating professional must initiate their EPC application via the Your Europe website. This application is then transferred to the HCPC, who will perform necessary checks. We acknowledge complete applications within a week, and transfer the file to the host state within a further month.
Cost
There is a cost associated with processing of EPC for those wishing to practise outside UK – scrutiny fee of £25. Once we accepted your file for processing we will contact you via e-mail and request this payment. Scrutiny payment is made online, by following a link and instructions sent in our e-mail.