How to Register and Renew Nursing Council of Kenya License

Nurses are superhumans. Who else passes on invaluable sleeping time to ensure lives are saved?

Who else sacrifices their lives to care and spend time with the sick and weak?

Who else exposes themselves to potentially deadly viruses and diseases to ensure those already infected get additional days on earth.

Honestly, they deserve medals, every single one of them. Not only for the good work they do but also for the resilience they portray to pass through a rigorous process that takes years before becoming professional nurses

Today we’ll find out what this process entails. After the years of study, one is required to register as a nurse to be allowed to offer nursing services. Also, they have to renew their licenses once in 2 years.

The Nursing Council of Kenya is the institution mandated to register nurses in Kenya which is part of its duty to ensure the delivery of safe and effective nursing and midwifery care, to the public, through quality education and best practices.

It also accredits all institutions that offer nursing and midwifery courses in Kenya.

How to register as a nurse in Kenya?

The NCK registers already trained nurses through issuing of the council’s national licensing examinations. A trained nurse is therefore required to sit and pass these examinations to be licensed to work as a nurse.

Two types of trained nurses would seek NCK licensing

  • Nurses Trained in Kenya
  • Nurses Trained Outside Kenya (NTOK)

The process of registration is much easier for Nurses trained in Kenya as compared to Nurses trained outside Kenya.

Nurses trained in Kenya are grouped into 4 categories which determine the requirements they need to fulfill before starting the registration process

  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduates who were upgrading from KRCHN (B) can directly apply for registration without any other requirement.
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduates who were upgrading from RN/M have to go for a 15 weeks self-sponsored internship in a community health nursing before they can apply for registration
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduates who were upgrading from RN are required to proceed for 27 weeks of self-sponsored internship in midwifery and community health nursing
  • Basic Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduates have to undertake a 1-year internship which is either government-sponsored or self-sponsored.

Now with that in mind

Steps for nurses trained in Kenya to register with NCK

  1. Graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing
  2. Complete your internship if required
  3. Sit and pass the national licensing examination.
  4. Wait for results to be released by NCK
  5. If you are successful, submit an online application for registration and licensing within 30 days after results.
  6. Wait for your application to be reviewed
  7. Approved nurses/midwives will receive a practice license and registration certificate within 72 hours and 4 weeks, respectively.

Meanwhile, for Nurses trained outside Kenya, you have to prove that you have attained the required skills and knowledge by Kenyan standards before beginning the registration process.

Steps for nurses trained outside Kenya to register with NCK

  1. Contact NCK through the website, phone numbers, email, or social media platforms. NCK Phone numbers: +254207854665, +254207854669, +254721920567, +254733924669. NCK E-mail: info@nckenya.org
  2. Wait for the Council to verify qualifications with the relevant training school and board of nursing/midwifery from the respective country.
  3. If the Council is satisfied, you will be invited for an oral interview by the Registration and Licensing Committee.
  4. Sit and pass a written licensure examination
  5. Undergo a clinical placement for a period of up to 24 weeks
  6. Submit an online application for registration and licensing
  7. Wait for your application to be reviewed
  8. Approved nurses/midwives will receive a practice license and registration certificate within 72 hours and 4 weeks, respectively.

As shown, there are various steps you need to undergo to ensure you meet Kenyan standards before you can proceed with the normal registration process from step 6.

NCK Plaza
Nursing Council of Kenya Plaza

Nursing License Fees

  • Ksh 5000 for Basic Programmes examinations
  • Ksh 7000 for Post-Basic Specialization Programmes examinations
  • Ksh 1000 practice license fee for nurses trained in Kenya
  • Ksh 2000 practice license fee for Kenyan nurses trained outside Kenya
  • Ksh 5000 ($50) non-Kenyans trained outside Kenya

Payments of these fees should be made as deposits to these bank accounts under the account name: Nursing Council of Kenya.

  • Cooperative Bank: 01136098613400
  • Barclays Bank: 094-8023954.

Also, it is worth noting the qualifications required for you to be allowed to undergo standardization as a nurse trained outside Kenya. These requirements are;

  • Have completed the nursing program, registered and licensed by the country of training
  • Have met NCK minimum entry criteria for the nursing program done abroad
  • Have made an official application, attach required documents for verification, and make payments of the prescribed fees. These documents include an original certificate and license.

Now, for both Kenyan trained nurses and NTOK the procedure is pretty much the same. The online procedure is very efficient

Steps to apply for nursing license

  1. Access the NCK Portal Registration Page
  2. Select Category (Student or Practitioner)
  3. Students Enter student index number, ID number, and email address
  4. Practitioners enter Registration Number, ID number and email address
  5. Input email and confirm.
  6. Click “Register for Online Services” to create account
  7. Log into your Email and activate your account by clicking on the link provided. You will be redirected to your NCK account.
  8. Edit and update your profile.
  9. Click on the “Registration and Licensing” tab
  10. Select “Application for Practice License”
  11. Fill in your work experience, academic qualifications, knowledge of rules, and other NCK licenses that you may be having.
  12. Scan and upload required documents then click “Next”
  13. Choose an examination center.
  14. Enter the transaction number indicated in the payment slip and the date you deposited money to the bank.
  15. Submit your application and print the application notification.

The license will be ready after 30 days. You will be notified by email and through text.

You are required to collect the license in-person from the NCK offices and hence you should carry a proof of identity during collection.

Documents required for application

The required documents for application of licensing for a nurse trained in Kenya include;

  • National ID card or Passport
  • NCK Examination Result Slip
  • Academic Certificates; KCSE and others.
  • Original professional certificate
  • 2 colored passport size photographs
  • CPD Log Book as proof of at least 60 hours of continuous professional development

Meanwhile, nurses trained outside Kenya will be required to have the following documents in addition to the ones required for nurses trained in Kenya.

  • Birth Certificate
  • Valid Practice License
  • 2 Passport size Photographs
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Original Transcripts
  • Copies of College Certificates
  • Verification by Registering Board

To ensure the continued provision of best quality services by Kenyan nurses, the Nursing Council of Kenya requires that nurses renew their practice licenses every 3 years.

How to renew your nursing license in Kenya

The renewal of the nursing license can be done either online or by visiting the NCK offices personally. The process is almost similar to the registration procedure and requires you to resubmit the necessary documents.

  1. Pay the renewal fee of Ksh 2000 to NCK Co-operative and Barclays accounts. Ksh 4000 for express processing (i.e. within 3 days)
  2. Log into NCK Online Service Portal
  3. Click on the tab “Registration and Licensing” tab
  4. Select “Renewal for Practice License”
  5. Add any additional experience and qualifications you have collected since registration.
  6. Upload required documents as indicated earlier
  7. Enter the bank transaction number indicated in the payment slip. The payment date is the date you deposited money into the bank.
  8. Submit your application and print the application notification.
  9. The license will be availed within 30 days and you will be notified through email and text message to personally collect the license from regional NCK offices. Carry identification documents.

Using the online portal is the easiest and most efficient means to either register or renew your NCK nursing license.

However, if you prefer the traditional method you can visit the NCK offices personally with all the required documents and seek licensing services.

Note you might still be required to use the NCK portal to create an account and download the registration form. So it’s only logical to do it online in the first place.

20 Comments

    • Hey Leti, it don’t think there in NCK preventing you to renew your license just because it expired 5 months ago. So you can renew it.

  1. how many points are required to renew licence and pliz is there an mpesa till no or pay bill i have to go to the bank

    • Hey Ann, about the points, I’m not sure but for the MPesa payment gateway, there currently is no till number to use in paying for NCK services, that I’m aware of. Unless you visit an NCK office and inquire.

  2. When I try to log in my NCK account, the feedback is that the user account has been deactivated, what may be the problem and what can I do to enhance me renew my license?

    • Hey Faith, im not sure why your account has been deactivated you need to contact NCK if you cannot reactivate the account online.

  3. i did 13 exams after taking 13 CPD on line. my points are still hanging at 2. what is the problem.

    • Hey Rosemary, that clearly seems to be a system error and the only way to solve such an issue is contacting the NCK customer care offices or visiting their offices.

  4. hi, i have reset my password but cant access NCK, it shows the successful. reset successful, redirecting has taken long, what could be happening

    • Hey Rachel, that might be an issue with the NCK system. Manybe you should try logging in another time. If the issue persists, then you need to reach them to check what might be wrong.

  5. I want to renew my KRCHN license which is expired. I tried to renew online. At some point failed because I had no points. I have started taking courses online and have managed to pass 3 courses getting 2.5 points. The problem that I have now is, with the 4th and 5th course, after taking the exam submission is failing, what could be the problem

    • Hey Evyline, I’m not sure about the specific process of renewing a KRCHN license and I haven’t covered it in the article so I might not understand the problem you are experiencing.

    • Hey Ruth, I’m not sure if that’s possible. You need to ask Nursing Council customer care or visit its branch quarters in Mombasa

  6. I already have a practice licence with a number,how comes am told to register again only that it’s inactive.licence number 107931,I have just called and informed that.

    • Hey Josphine, there might be an issue with you details, you should contact them for clarification. I find their Facebook Page particularly active, so i guess you should start from there. Also you can use their phone numbers:+254 20 7854665/9, +254721920567, +254733924669 for immediate response

  7. I CANNOT LOG IN, AM TOLD TO CONTACT ADMIN WHEN I TRY TO ACCESS THE ONLINE PORTAL. HOW THEN CAN I RENEW. I WORK WITH INSURANCE. I HUMBLY REQUEST TO RENEW. MY L NO: IS 106885

    • Hello Pauline, I understand what you’re going through. The website might be experiencing technical issues. The only way around this is to contact the NCK customer care offices so that they can look into your issue use these contacts: Phone Numbers:+254207854665, +254207854669, +254721920567, +254733924669. Or send them an E-mail: info@nckenya.org. Alternatively, you can visit the NCK offices if you are currently in Nairobi. I hope they attend to you issue and help you renew your license.

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