What are CPD hours?
One CPD hour is one hour of genuine, purposeful learning. If you deliver training, you decide how many hours a course is worth. Here’s what counts, how to work the hours out, and how to put them on a certificate that anyone can verify.
Hours of active learning, not time in the room
Professional learning comes in many shapes — a half-day workshop, a short webinar, a structured course, a mentoring session, or guided reading. A CPD hour represents one hour of that learning genuinely happening: time spent gaining new knowledge, practising a skill, or reflecting with purpose. It isn’t tied to how long an event runs or how long someone sits in a room.
Active learning can include:
- ✓Taking part in training sessions or workshops
- ✓Completing e-learning modules
- ✓Guided reading or reflection
- ✓Supervised practice
- ✓Structured assessments
Setting CPD hours as a provider
No central body assigns CPD hours. The provider sets them, and the hours carry weight when the reasoning is clear. Open CPD’s Aims, Skills, Outcomes framework gives you one consistent way to record it, so each certificate shows what the learner did as well as how long it took.
See how self-accreditation works, in three steps, on How it works.
Your training provider issues the certificate, and your professional body sets how many hours you need each year. Keep each certificate, note the hours awarded and add a line on how you used the learning. Open CPD works with training providers, so ask yours whether they issue certificates through Open CPD.
One hour of active learning, one CPD hour
A widely used guideline is that one hour of active learning equals one CPD hour, point or credit. This makes it easier for employers and professional bodies to understand the depth of learning, even when the training formats differ. For shorter sessions, meaningful activities can be combined — a 30-minute workshop plus a 30-minute reflective task, for example, can reasonably add up to one CPD hour.
To count towards CPD, reviewers generally look for four elements:
What the learner should know, or be able to do, by the end.
The amount of active learning time actually involved.
Why the activity matters for the learner's professional development.
Something that shows the learner genuinely engaged, not just attended.
How to work out the CPD hours for a three-hour workshop
Count the time a learner spends actively learning, then add it up. Breaks and registration are not counted.
- 1Live teaching and demonstration2 hours
- 2Practical exercise with feedback30 minutes
- 3Reflective task or short assessment30 minutes
Total: 3 CPD hours, recorded on the certificate with the aims, skills and outcomes the learner worked towards.
Why consistent CPD hours matter
CPD hours only carry value if they’re applied consistently and transparently. Using a clear method helps the people reviewing your certificates — HR managers, recruiters, or professional bodies — understand exactly what the hours represent, and how they compare with other learning.
CPD hours: questions providers ask
How do I work out the CPD hours for my course?
Add up the time a learner spends in active learning, then record the total as the CPD hours. Count live teaching, practical exercises, guided reading, reflection and any assessment. Leave out breaks, registration and purely social time. A three-hour workshop with 30 minutes of breaks and a 30-minute reflective task is 3 CPD hours: 2 hours of teaching, 30 minutes of reflection and 30 minutes of assessment.
What are CPD hours?
CPD hours measure active professional learning. One CPD hour usually reflects one hour of purposeful development, such as training, supervised practice or guided reflection, rather than simply time spent in a room.
Are CPD hours, points and credits the same thing?
In most sectors, yes. CPD hours, CPD points and CPD credits are used interchangeably, usually on a one hour equals one point basis. Some regulated professions apply their own weighting, so check the rules of the body your learners belong to.
Who decides how many CPD hours a course is worth?
The training provider decides. There is no central authority that assigns CPD hours, so providers use widely accepted principles: active learning time, clear aims and outcomes, relevance to practice and evidence of participation.
Do CPD hours need to be approved by a regulator or accrediting body?
In the UK and most countries, no. CPD hours are not assigned or approved by a central regulator, and a provider can document and award them through self-accreditation. Some professions and countries have their own CPD rules, so it is worth checking the requirements for your learners' profession.
What should a CPD certificate show?
A CPD certificate should show the learner's name, the course title, the CPD hours awarded, the date, the provider's details and a way for anyone to check it is genuine. A certificate issued through Open CPD carries a unique verification reference, so an employer or professional body can confirm it online without contacting the provider.
Can online courses or webinars count towards CPD hours?
Yes. CPD hours can be awarded for webinars, virtual workshops, self-paced e-learning and blended formats, as long as the activity involves active, purposeful learning with clear outcomes and a defined duration.
I am a learner. How do I record my own CPD hours?
Keep the certificate or attendance record from each activity, note the hours awarded and add a short line on what you applied. Your training provider issues the certificate, and your professional body sets how many hours you need each year, so check with both.
Allocate and document CPD hours consistently
Open CPD works with training providers, not directly with individual learners. If you deliver the training, see how the Aims, Skills, Outcomes framework helps you allocate CPD hours consistently and issue certificates that hold up to scrutiny.
Logging your own CPD hours as a learner rather than running the training? This demo isn’t for you — ask your training provider whether they issue certificates through Open CPD.