Fee Changes FAQ's

The last change to annual retention fees occurred in 2015.

Since then, the cost and complexity of medical regulation has grown considerably; driven by increasing registration volumes, expanded statutory responsibilities, and rising operational costs.

Fees relating to first time registration in most categories, as well as fees for certificate requests and transfers between divisions of the register, are being updated. A complete list of fee changes is available on our website here: www.medicalcouncil.ie/registration-applications/fees/

Despite there being no fee increase in over ten years, the Medical Council has continued to invest in service improvements. In recent years, registration processing times have substantially reduced, and legislative reforms to the complaints process have introduced more timely resolution mechanisms and enhanced powers to address vexatious or unsubstantiated complaints at an early stage.

The Council remains committed to using doctors’ fees responsibly, transparently, and in a manner that ensures regulation is effective, proportionate, and aligned with the public interest. The phased fee adjustments are designed to maintain a sustainable regulatory framework while continuing to improve services for both doctors and the public.

Effective regulation is the cornerstone of patient safety, and this phased adjustment is both proportionate and necessary to sustain a robust and effective regulatory system. It ensures we can continue to deliver the regulatory framework that underpins public confidence in the medical profession, while reflecting the real cost pressures that have built over a decade.

The Council has agreed a phased adjustments to fees to ensure the continued delivery of a robust and effective regulatory system:

• There will be a 10% increase in the annual retention fee in 2026.

• There will be a further 10% increase in 2027.

If a doctor is a PAYE employee, they may be eligible for a flat rate allowance expense of €695, which is a deduction from the amount of tax they will have to pay. The Revenue Commissioners states this “Deduction includes subscription to the Irish Medical Council”. 

If eligible, and haven’t claimed it before, a doctor can claim up to four years in payments. Further information is available on www.revenue.ie

The Medical Council appreciates that the convenience of direct debit and spit payment options could make managing registration fees easier for some. We appreciate the feedback we have received on this.

We’re actively investigating what would be involved in facilitating direct debit and split payment options. This is not straightforward and could require changes to our legislation and registration regulations, updates to our ICT systems, and additional resources to implement and manage. While we are committed to examining its feasibility, realistically it will be the next retention period at the earliest before we are in a position to confirm if it can be introduced. We will keep doctors informed as this work progresses.

In the meantime, if you are a PAYE employee, you may be eligible for a flat rate expense allowance of €695, which is deducted from your taxable income. The Revenue Commissioners state that this deduction includes subscriptions to the Irish Medical Council. If you are eligible and have not previously claimed this relief, you can backdate a claim by up to four years. Further information is available at www.revenue.ie.

No. To support newly qualified doctors at the start of their careers, there will be no increase for newly qualified doctors with less than three years on the register in 2026 and 2027.

By ensuring there are no fee increases for those doctors reflects the Council’s continued commitment to supporting doctors at the outset of their professional careers.

Yes. To support newly qualified doctors at the start of their careers, there will be no increase for newly qualified doctors with less than three years on the register in 2026 and 2027.

By ensuring there are no fee increases for those doctors reflects the Council’s continued commitment to supporting doctors at the outset of their professional careers.

Yes. There are a number of reductions in annual retention fees in order to support doctors and their families. The Medical Council continues to provide a 50% refund of retention fees for doctors on maternity leave, adoptive leave, surrogacy leave or sick leave. More information available here.

Yes. Doctors in Ireland with international protection or refugee status will continue to benefit from a nominal registration fee of €5 for their first year of registration.

Doctors over 70 years of age will see a modest fee increase of €5 in 2026 with no increase in 2027, bringing their annual retention to €75 in 2026 and remaining at €75 in 2027. This reflects the contribution that many retired and skilled doctors have on the continued training and development of medical students and trainees.

A full list of updated registration fees is available here.

For doctors registering for the first time the fee changes come into effect from late May 2026.

For doctors renewing their annual retention the fees will change as part of this year’s annual retention process.

Doctors will start receiving their invitation to renew their registration in late May.