Last Updated on November 8, 2022
Ready to register for a nursing license in Ghana? The Nursing & Midwifery Council of Ghana (NMC) is a statutory body of the Ghanaian government with a mandate to secure public interest by ensuring the utmost standards and training of nursing practitioners. The Registration Directorate registers Nurse Assistants, Nurses and Midwives who have completed their nursing and midwifery education in accredited institutions and were successful in the Licensing examination.
Registration with N&MC assures the public, employers and colleagues that a nurse or midwife:
- Has the qualifications needed to practice
- Has not had his or her name removed from the Register for misconduct
- Is working in a regulated profession
Registered Nurses and Midwives practice independently and in collaboration with other health professionals, perform general nursing and midwifery functions, and supervise Nurse Assistants and others.
Nurse Assistants are healthcare providers who have undergone two- year training in Health Assistant Clinical or Community Health Nursing programmes. They provide healthcare to patients or clients under the supervision of a Registered Nurse or Midwife.
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Procedure and Requirements for NMC Ghana Registration
There are different requirements for registration for locally and internationally trained nursing professionals. As a locally trained nursing professional, there are three basic requirements you must meet before proceeding with your registration.
- You must have received formal training in an accredited institution in Ghana.
- You must have sat for and passed the necessary licensing examination.
- You are expected to report to the council within 6 months of passing the examination.
Requirements For Foreign-Trained Nursing Professionals
For foreign-trained nursing professionals, the requirements are somewhat more demanding. You will need to present the following documents:
- An official transcript from your training institution
- Three copies of your recent passport photos
- The original copy of your certificate as issued by your institution’s registrar, for inspection only
- Some copies of your original certificate
- One copy of your birth certificate
- One copy of your marriage certificate, if married
- Testimonials from previous work experience, where the applicant worked as a professional for at least a year
- One copy of the appointment letter from your most recent organization
- Proof of registration from the professional body of your training institution/country
- Proof of English proficiency report
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These documents are to be presented to the NMC and if found satisfactory, the applicant would be scheduled to take the (written) licensing examination. This examination is held twice yearly, in June and December. You will need to write and pass it before you can be registered with the NMC.
Registration Procedure For Nursing Professionals Trained in Ghana
Once you meet the requirements above, either as a local or foreign-trained nursing professional, you can move on with registration. Nurses, midwives, and nursing assistants trained in Ghana go through different registration processes.
- Visit the office of the NMC in the region where your training institution is situated
- Show your licensing exam result slip, as issued by the council
- Obtain the registration form and pay the registration fee
- Collect your provisional license, logbook, and national service code
- Undergo the national service/rotation and complete your logbook while at it
- Return your provisional license and logbook to the same NMC regional office you obtained them
- Receive your PIN or AIN and collect your certificate of registration.
Note: The completed form is to be submitted alongside two copies of the applicant’s passport (2×1.5 inches), which have been duly certified by either a Deputy Director or Principal/Senior Officer of Nursing, or a religious minister. Auxiliary professionals are to use red background while others use a white background. Also, the arm to the elbow of the applicant must be visible, showing the full sleeve of his/ her uniform.
Registration Procedure for Foreign-Trained Nursing Professionals
Nurses, midwives, and nursing assistants trained in other countries go through the following registration process:
- Obtain and fill a registration form. Nurses and midwives who are recently qualified, are required to pay to obtain a provisional license from the council
- Proceed to any teaching or regional hospital, as posted by the NMC, for three months intensive practical orientation program
- Get registered, if your performance in the program is deemed satisfactory
Cost of Getting NMC Ghana Registration
The cost for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council usually varies yearly. The NMC released the fee for its 2020 session as follows:
| Service Charge | Badge and Code of Conduct and Ethics added to Registration | Induction Service | PIN/AIN | Log Book | Total Fee for Registration and Licensing |
| Basic Programs | GH₵ 220.00 | 220.00 (for Newly Qualified Nurses/Midwives) | GH₵ 55.00 | GH₵ 22.00 | GH₵ 517.00 |
| Post-Basic programs | GH₵ 220.00 | 220.0 (for Newly Qualified Nurses/Midwives) | — | — | GH₵ 440.00 |
| Auxiliary Programs | GH₵ 187.00 | 220 (Induction Service for Newly Qualified NAC and NAP) | 55.00 (AIN) | — | GH₵ 462.00 |
Applicants are required to get registered within six months of obtaining their licensing examination result. Nursing assistants are to register within two months. Failure to do so results in a late registration penalty fee which is paid with the current year’s registration fee.
- Registration after six months – GH₵ 110.00
- Registration after one year – GH₵ 165.00
- Registration after two years – GH₵ 220.00
- Registration after five years – GH₵ 1100.00
- Registration after ten years – GH₵ 2200.00
The registration fee, with code of ethics, for foreign-trained professionals, varies as follows:
- Registration for Non-Ghanaians – $352.00
- Registration for Ghanaians – $209.00
- Temporary Registration – $137.50 or the Ghana cedi equivalent
Paying for NMC Registration
Here’s How to Pay for Your NMC Registration
Applicants are to pay the registration fee in either Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) or Agricultural Development Bank of Ghana (ADB), based on their Region. Applicants in Upper East, Greater Accra, Eastern, Nothern, and Brong Ahafo are to pay in GCB while those in Western, Central, Ashanti, Volta, and Upper West are to pay in ADB.
The payment procedure is as easy as the following steps:
- Pick a smart-pay or deposit slip at the bank
- Fill in appropriate details (name of practitioner, PIN/ AIN, what the service payment is for i.e. registration, name of the institution i.e. NMC, amount being paid, and contact number of practitioner)
- Pay the fee and collect a stamped receipt from the teller
- Proceed to the regional office of NMC where you obtained your training with a copy of the stamped receipt and obtain a General Counterfoil receipt
What Is PIN or AIN?
Your PIN is the Professional Identification Number which the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Ghana, issues to duly registered nurses and midwives, who have met all the requirements and passed the licensing examination. AIN is a similar number issued to nursing assistants following due registration with the body. It means Auxiliary Identification Number.
These numbers are renewable every year. The PIN/AIN is issued to newly registered nursing professionals at 352.00 GHC. Annual renewal costs 55.00 GHC, changing an unexpired PIN/AIN card costs 44.00 GHC, and replacement of a misplaced PIN/AIN card costs 48.00 GHC.
How Much Does The Licensing Examination Cost?
The licensing examination fee (in Ghana Cedi) for the different nursing cadres varies as follows:
Registered General Nursing, Registered Midwifery, Registered Community Nursing, Registered Mental Nursing, Post Basic Midwifery
- First attempt: 495.00
- A second attempt (resit): One paper 165.00
- Two papers 231.00
- Three papers 313.50
- Above three papers 495.00
Public Health Nursing, Ophthalmic Nursing, Peri-Operative/ Critical Care, and Ear, Nose, and Throat
- First attempt: 495.00
- A second attempt (resit): One paper 198.00
- Above two papers 495.00
Nursing Assistants (Preventive/ Clinical)
- First attempt: 401.50
- A second attempt (resit): One paper 178.20
- Above three papers 401.50
Candidates are also required to pay an additional 10 GHC as a result checking fee, remarking attracts a fee of 2200 GHC. Foreign-trained graduates pay an examination fee of 440.00 Ghana Cedis.