CPD certificates for veterinary training providers
If you deliver CPD to vets or veterinary nurses, through webinars, online courses, practical workshops or congresses, you can issue your own CPD certificates. The RCVS asks professionals to record and reflect on their CPD, and it does not approve CPD providers. A certificate with clear outcomes and a verification link is what that record needs.
Does veterinary CPD need RCVS approval?
No. The RCVS sets how much CPD vets and nurses do and asks them to plan, record and reflect on it. It does not accredit CPD providers or individual courses. Learners choose relevant learning; the provider supplies good evidence.
Outside the UK, veterinary continuing education works in a similar way: the professional chooses and logs the learning. Some US states and Canadian provinces have their own approval routes, so providers serving those learners should check local rules.
How does a certificate help vets reflect on their CPD?
The RCVS's outcomes-focused approach asks professionals to reflect on what they learned and how it changed their work. A certificate that lists the aims, skills and outcomes of the session gives them a head start on that reflection, which is a genuine reason to choose your CPD over a session that only confirms attendance.
Why does this suit independent veterinary educators?
Independent veterinary educators often run webinars, on-demand libraries and practical courses side by side. Open CPD issues a branded certificate and badge for every format from one course profile, automatically or by CSV upload, so the team can stay focused on teaching.
How a veterinary nursing webinar series becomes CPD certificates
A provider runs a monthly anaesthesia webinar series for registered veterinary nurses, each available as a recording afterwards.
- 1Live webinar with case discussion
- 1.5 hours
- 2Short quiz and reflective question after the session
- 30 minutes
- 3Course profile with aims, skills and outcomes
- One per webinar
- 4Live attendees: certificates issued by CSV upload
- Same day
- 5Recording viewers: certificate issued on completion
- Automatic
Result: a 2-hour CPD certificate per webinar, so a nurse who joins the whole series covers well over the RCVS's 15-hour annual minimum.
How do certificates reach your learners?
Upload attendee lists after a live event, or connect your webinar or course platform through Zapier or Zoho Flow so certificates go out on completion. Each certificate carries your branding, a digital badge and a permanent verification page. You pay per certificate issued, with no per-course fee.
See how it works, the course platform connections and what you can say about recognition.
Questions veterinary cpd providers ask
Does the RCVS approve veterinary CPD providers?
No. The RCVS sets CPD requirements for vets and veterinary nurses and asks them to record and reflect on their learning, but it does not accredit CPD providers or courses. A certificate showing the aims, skills, outcomes and hours of your session is good evidence for the learner's record.
How many CPD hours do vets and veterinary nurses need?
The RCVS asks vets for at least 35 hours of CPD a year and registered veterinary nurses for at least 15 hours a year, recorded with reflection on the learning. Check the RCVS website for the current requirement.
Can US or Canadian vets use the certificate for continuing education?
Many can, as evidence of learning. Some US states and Canadian provinces only accept continuing education from approved sources, so providers serving those learners should check the rules in each jurisdiction.
Can I issue veterinary CPD certificates myself?
Yes. A CPD provider can issue certificates for its own sessions. With Open CPD they carry your branding, the outcomes, the hours and a unique verification ID, and you can describe them as powered by Open CPD.
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