When an agency nurse arrives for a shift, you are trusting that they are who the agency says they are — and that they are allowed to practise as a nurse today. The agency should have checked. But the nurse is working under your registration, and the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) makes the check free, public and quick.
This guide shows you exactly how to do it, what to look for, and what to do when the result isn't what you expected. It takes less time than making a cup of tea.
To check an agency nurse's NMC registration:
- Get the PIN and full name from the agency before the shift.
- Search the NMC's online register by PIN — it's free.
- Check four things: the name, current registration, the part and field of the register, and any restrictions.
- Match the person who arrives to the agency profile photo.
- Record the check — date, result and who checked.
Step 1. Get the PIN before the shift
Ask the agency for the nurse's full name and NMC PIN when the booking is confirmed — not when the nurse walks through the door. A good agency will send it as part of the worker profile without being asked.
An NMC PIN has eight characters: two numbers, a letter, four numbers and a letter.
Example format only — not a real PIN.
Step 2. Search the NMC register
Go to the NMC website and use Search the register. Searching by PIN gives you an exact match; searching by name can return several people with the same name. The check is free and there's no login.
Step 3. Check four things
RGN — Registered General Nurse — is the traditional title for an adult nurse, and it's still widely used in care homes. On today's register an adult nurse is listed as a Registered Nurse in the adult field. Mental health nurses (RMNs) are listed in the mental health field.
Step 4. Match the person who arrives
A clean register entry proves the registration is valid. It doesn't prove the person on your doorstep is the person on the register. Compare the nurse with the photo on the agency's worker profile, and ask for photo ID if you have any doubt. If a different nurse turns up from the one you were told about, run the whole check again before they start.
Step 5. Record the check
Write down the date, the PIN, what the register showed and who checked it. When an inspector asks how you know your agency nurses are registered, that record — rather than “the agency does it” — is your answer. Use the tool below to keep it in one place.
Record your NMC checks
Enter the details, open the register in a new tab, then choose what it showed. The tool tells you what the result means and adds it to a check log you can print.
Check, record, print
Everything stays in this browser on this device — nothing is sent to us or anyone else. Clear the log when you've printed it.
Your check log
No checks recorded yet.
Email me my check log
Get a copy of your log in your inbox. Only you receive the nurses' details — we never see them.
We'll email your copy and keep your name, care home and email as a record of the request. What you entered in the tool is only sent to you. Privacy policy
NMC registration check log
Search the register at nmc.org.uk before each nurse's first shift and on a regular schedule after that. Record every check.
| Date | Nurse | NMC PIN | Agency | Register shows | Can work? | Checked by |
|---|
When the result isn't what you expected
Not on the register, or lapsed
Conditions of practice or a caution
Nursing associate, or the wrong field
If what you find suggests a nurse may be putting people at risk, you can raise a concern with the NMC directly, as well as telling the agency.
How often should you check?
- Before every nurse's first shift with you — no exceptions, however urgent the gap.
- On a regular schedule for nurses you use often. Many homes recheck monthly. Registration can lapse or have restrictions added at any time.
- Around their renewal. Nurses pay an annual fee to stay registered and revalidate every three years. A missed renewal means the registration lapses.
- Whenever something changes — a different nurse arrives, or a concern is raised.
Overseas nurses awaiting registration
Many excellent nurses trained abroad work in UK care homes while they complete the NMC's registration process. Until they appear on the register as a Registered Nurse, they cannot practise as one — whatever their qualifications or experience. They may be able to work in a care role such as HCA in the meantime, and should be booked, briefed and paid as that grade.
NMC checks at MAP HealthCare
We'd still encourage you to check — it's your registration. Here's what happens on our side first.
- Every RGN holds a valid NMC PIN, checked against the register before they can be booked.
- Grade is enforced by the platform — only professionals verified as RGN can see or accept an RGN shift.
- Expiring documents block bookings automatically, so a lapsed record removes someone from matching until it's renewed.
- Rebook the nurses you've already checked — invite a nurse who knows your home straight back to the same site.
Choosing an agency? Use our 26-point agency checklist. Read more about how we vet every healthcare professional.
Frequently asked questions
What does an NMC PIN look like?
An NMC PIN has eight characters: two numbers, a letter, four numbers and a letter — for example 12A3456E. If the PIN you've been given doesn't follow that pattern, check it with the agency before searching.
Is an RGN the same as a registered nurse on the NMC register?
RGN (Registered General Nurse) is the traditional title for an adult nurse. On today's NMC register an adult nurse appears as a Registered Nurse in the adult field. Make sure the part and field of the register match the role you're booking.
Can a nursing associate cover a registered nurse shift?
No. Nursing associates are on the NMC register in England, but they are not registered nurses and cannot fill a registered nurse role. Check the part of the register, not just that the person appears on it.
How often should I check an agency nurse's NMC registration?
Before their first shift with you, and then on a regular schedule for nurses you use often — many homes recheck monthly — as well as around their renewal date. Registration can lapse or have restrictions added at any time, so a single check when they joined is not enough.
Can an overseas nurse awaiting NMC registration work as a nurse?
No. Until they appear on the NMC register as a registered nurse, they cannot practise as one in the UK, whatever their qualifications abroad. They may be able to work in a care role such as HCA in the meantime.
Need an RGN in Bristol, Bath or South Gloucestershire?
NMC-checked nurses, grade-matched by the platform — posted once, filled live, rebooked in a tap.
This article is general guidance for care providers and is not legal advice. MAP HealthCare is not affiliated with the NMC. Always use the NMC's own register as the source of truth.