There is no application process and no waiting period. Most providers complete their profile, add their first course, and are issuing certificates within a single session. Here is what that session actually looks like.
What to have ready before you start
Three things make the first session go quickly:
- Your logo in a standard image format (PNG or JPG)
- A description of your first course — what it covers, how it runs, who it is for
- A learner list if you are issuing certificates to an existing cohort straight away
None of these need to be polished. A working logo and a paragraph about your course are enough to get started.
Step 1: Create your provider profile
Your provider profile is your public face on Open CPD — a page that shows who you are, what you train, and your membership status. Upload your logo, add a description of your training, and fill in your business details. The profile is shareable via a dedicated link, so clients, learners, and anyone who asks about your credentials can see it directly.
Step 2: Add your first course
Before you can sign the Declaration, you need at least one course on your profile. Add the title, a description of what the course covers, the format (in-person, online, blended), and the duration. If you have course materials, you can upload them. If not, a clear description of the content is enough.
This step comes before the Declaration for a reason: the commitment you are making is to training you are genuinely delivering. The course has to be there first.
Step 3: CPD Genie structures the evidence
Once your course is in, CPD Genie — the platform’s AI tool — reads what you have described and suggests the Aims, Skills, and Outcomes for that course. Most good trainers already deliver all of these; CPD Genie helps you put them into words in the structured form that goes on every certificate.
Review what it produces. Adjust anything that does not quite fit. Confirm when you are satisfied. The professional judgement is yours; CPD Genie handles the blank page.
Step 4: Set your CPD hours
You set the number of CPD hours the course is worth — based on actual learning time and the depth of engagement. A half-day workshop is different from a full-day intensive, which is different from a self-paced online programme. The Declaration commits you to setting this honestly, and the framework gives you the structure to do it well.
Step 5: Sign the Declaration
With a course in place, you sign the Open CPD Declaration. Five specific commitments: that the training you certify is genuine, that your CPD hours are honestly allocated, that you are the legitimate provider of what you certify, that your certificates carry accurate information, and that you will keep your membership active through ongoing issuance.
Your OCPD Provider ID is issued at the moment of signing. Your Certificate of CPD Membership follows — a verifiable document confirming your active membership, hosted on IPFS for permanence.
Step 6: Issue your first certificate
Enter a learner’s name and email to issue individually. Or upload a CSV spreadsheet for a full cohort — one row per learner, certificates generated for all of them at once. Each certificate is chosen from the template library, carries your name, your logo, and a secure verification link.
At the same time as the certificate, your learner receives a digital badge — issued to the IMS Global Open Badges standard, ready to share on LinkedIn or in an email signature. The following day, their achievement page goes live: a permanent, shareable page with the full record of what they completed.
Which plan to start with
Pay-As-You-Go is the natural starting point for most providers: £50 for 25 credits, valid for 12 months from purchase. No monthly commitment, no subscription to set up. You buy when you have training to certify, and you switch to a Business or Professional subscription when your volume makes that better value.
A 7-day free trial with 5 credits is available if you want to explore the platform before committing anything. That said, Pay-As-You-Go gives you enough to get properly set up, issue real certificates, and build your membership record from day one — which is why most providers start there rather than with the trial.
Support when you need it
One-to-one support is included with every Open CPD membership — not just during onboarding, but at any point during the year. If you have questions about setting up your profile, structuring your courses, understanding how CPD hours work, or anything else related to your membership, you can ask. A person, not a help article.
FAQ
How long does the first session take?
Most providers are issuing within an hour. Profile setup, first course, CPD Genie, Declaration, first certificate — the process is designed to be completed in a single sitting. The steps that take longest are the ones you control: writing your course description and deciding on your CPD hours allocation. The platform itself does not slow you down.
Can I issue certificates for training I have already delivered?
Yes. Once your profile and course are set up, you can issue certificates for past cohorts. If you have a backlog of learners who completed training before you joined Open CPD, you can issue their certificates straight away — no restriction on issuing for historical training.
What if I have more than one course?
Add as many courses as you like. There is no limit on the number of courses on your profile, and adding additional courses follows the same process as the first — description, CPD Genie, hours confirmation. You can build your full course library gradually as you go.
Do I need technical expertise to set up the platform?
No. Open CPD is browser-based and works on any device. There is no installation, no integration work, and no technical setup required. If you can upload a logo and fill in a form, you can set up your profile. One-to-one support is there if anything is unclear.
