On This Page
Annual Membership Renewal
Your fees help CNO respond to the evolving needs of the health care system, while building innovative and sustainable solutions for now and into the future.
AMR 2024 is now closed. If you have any questions about AMR, Contact Us.
You can complete AMR by:
- filling out the Annual Membership Renewal (AMR) form, which includes questions about your employment status, areas of practice and education
- paying an annual fee
CNO thanks you in advance for completing AMR, for the important role you play in the health care system, and your ongoing efforts to protect the public through safe nursing practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does AMR launch?
AMR will open on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023.
What is the renewal deadline?
The deadline to renew without additional late fees is Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023.
Why do I have to renew my membership every year?
All nurses are required by provincial legislation to register with CNO and renew their registration annually. Paying your registration fees with CNO renews your ability to practice nursing in Ontario.
What does CNO do?
Our purpose is to protect the public by promoting safe nursing practice. CNO is a regulator, which means we promote nursing standards, registers nurses to practice, administers a Quality Assurance Program and ensures each person calling themselves a nurse in Ontario has the knowledge, skill, and judgment to practice safely.
And, as a regulator for the largest group of health care providers in Canada, CNO has a proud 60-year history of influencing the patient safety agenda in Ontario and beyond. We do this by working closely with several partners in safety, including employers, educators and government. Together we support safe nursing practice in Ontario.
How does my renewal fee help to promote safe nursing practice and support the sustainability of the health care system?
Your fees support the important work of protecting the public by promoting safe nursing practice because you are helping us to:
- support data capacity that informs workforce planning.
- maintain the registration of approximately 180,000 nurses who were actively practicing in 2023.
- provide the safest and highest quality care to patients by engaging in quality assurance activities that promote self-reflection and life-long learning throughout your careers.
- increase access to quality care across the province through updates to RN prescribing practice standards, which will allow registered nurses who meet requirements to prescribe certain medications and communicate a diagnosis.
- implement the voluntary Nurses’ Health Program for Ontario nurses designed to encourage them to seek treatment for substance use and/or mental health disorders that may affect their ability to practice nursing safely.
You deserve a regulator that is agile and responsive to the health care needs of our local communities, while embracing the global nature of the profession. By working together, we protect the public through safe nursing practice.
Why are nurses required to pay fees to CNO?
Your renewal fee funds CNO and our regulatory processes. So, paying your fees to be registered with CNO not only renews your ability to practice nursing in Ontario, but it also makes you a contributor in nursing regulation and public protection.
In Ontario, legislation identifies certain professions that are self-regulated to ensure public safety. Nursing is one of these self-regulated professions, along with 25 other health care professions in Ontario. Members of these professions pay a regulatory body to set and enforce standards and entry requirements.
Having one set of standards and entry requirements and providing oversight and accountability for all nurses helps ensure public confidence in the quality of nurses in the province.
By renewing your annual fees with CNO you are also renewing your professional commitment to standards and public safety.
Why do nurses, and not members of the public, pay CNO for registration?
In Ontario, nursing is self-regulated and it’s through your fees that the nursing profession is regulated in Ontario. Renewing your registration and paying a fee makes you a part of the regulation of your profession. As a member of CNO, you can actively participate in many of these regulatory processes. You can join CNO Council, committees and reference groups. Or provide feedback about changes to by-laws, regulations and standards of practices.
What is the renewal fee?
The 2024 renewal fee for nurses in the General and Extended classes is $340. (With HST, the total is $384.20.) The renewal fee for nurses in the Non-Practising class is $63 before taxes. (With HST, the total is $71.19.)
I am an applicant and have applied to the general class but am not yet registered with CNO. Do I still need to pay these renewal fees?
No. Your application with CNO is different than renewal. Renewal is for nurses who are already registered in the General Class. If you are an applicant, please continue to pursue your application. We will ask you to pay your registration fee at the time you enter the General Class.
Application fees are one time and do not need to be renewed.
I’m a nurse starting my year-long parental leave at the end of December 2023. Do I still have to renew my registration for 2024?
Yes, if you want to remain registered in the General Class in 2024, you need to renew by Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023. This includes paying the annual fee, confirming the Declaration of Practice and holding professional liability protection (PLP). Nurses in the General and Extended classes are required to hold PLP, regardless of whether they are currently practicing nursing.
If you don’t want to renew, you have the option of resigning your membership or moving to the Non-Practising class. If you move to the Non-Practising Class, your renewal fee will be lower, and you don’t need to hold PLP. However, if you want to return to practicing nursing after your maternity leave, you will need to return to the General Class. This includes:
- applying for reinstatement
- paying the reinstatement fees
- meeting the requirements (which can include providing evidence of practice, language proficiency and possibly writing the Jurisprudence exam).
We cannot confirm how long it will take to review and process your reinstatement application so you can return to practice. You should contact CNO before you anticipate returning to practice to allow us time to process your reinstatement.
I just registered with CNO (or paid a reinstatement fee) within the last few months of 2023. Why do I have to pay my renewal fee now?
We understand it can be challenging financially when you’ve only recently paid your registration fee, and now you are being asked to pay the renewal fee for 2024. Your registration fee initiated your ability to practice nursing in Ontario for the rest of 2023. For example, if you registered (or reinstated your registration) in November 2023, you initiated your ability to practice nursing in November and December 2023. When you pay your 2024 renewal fees before December 31, 2023, you are renewing your ability to practice nursing for the entire calendar year of 2024.
Why do RPNs and RNs pay the same registration renewal fee?
Regulation costs the same for all nurses regardless of category. Our processes, such as registration renewal, online practice support or developing practice standards, require the same resources whether it’s for RNs, RPNs or NPs.
Why does my fee not include professional liability protection or association fees?
Since CNO’s role is to protect the public, it would be a conflict of interest to provide professional liability protection. For example, it would be a conflict if we have to administer a discipline penalty against a nurse and then cover the nurse’s liability claim.
Unions and professional associations, such as ONA, CNPS, RNAO, RPNAO or NPAO, are organizations that exist to represent nurses’ interest. This includes providing you with access to professional liability protection.
And, while our roles are different, we partner with these organizations to ensure everyone in Ontario benefits from safe, quality nursing care.
How can I pay my fee?
You can pay online using credit card, Visa Debit, Mastercard Debit or a prepaid credit card. (As of October 2023, many banks and our payment partners decided to no longer support INTERAC Online transactions.)
You can use Visa and Mastercard Debit cards to make payments online. One key difference between INTERAC and Visa or Mastercard Debit is that INTERAC transactions can only be processed within Canada, whereas Visa and Mastercard Debit can be used internationally. Most banks in Canada have added this feature to the bank cards you use at an ATM or a merchant. Your bank card will say “Visa Debit” or “Mastercard Debit”, usually on the right-hand side of the card, if you have a Visa or Mastercard Debit. If your debit card is not a Visa or Mastercard Debit, you may need to contact your bank for further instructions.
What is the difference between a visa credit card and a visa debit card (or a mastercard credit card and a mastercard debit card)?
A Visa or Mastercard credit card and a Visa or Mastercard Debit card are different. A credit card does not draw any money from your account immediately and must be paid back in the future, subject to interest charges. This is why many banks have added the feature to their bank cards.
When used as a Visa Debit card, or Mastercard Debit card, the transaction to draw the money goes through the Visa or Mastercard network rather than the INTERAC network. INTERAC is generally limited to Canada, while Visa or Mastercard debit can be used globally.
Is it safe to pay my fee online?
Yes, it is safe. We don’t process or store your financial information within our own systems. When you pay your registration fee, the transaction is securely handled by a third-party vendor. We do not have access to, retain or share your credit card or banking information.
Why is annual renewal at the end of the year (right around the winter holidays)?
CNO’s fiscal year is aligned with the calendar year. We know the winter holidays can be an expensive time for some, but when you pay your renewal fees before December 31 you are supporting CNO’s financial sustainability for the next calendar year. This ensures we can continue to regulate nursing in Ontario in the public interest.
What happens if I don’t pay the fee before the Dec. 31 deadline?
You will be charged a late fee of $125 before taxes ($141.25 with HST.)
Other key dates:
Friday, Jan. 12, 2024: We mail Notice of Intent to Suspend letters to those who haven’t renewed by Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023. Once you receive this letter, you have 30 days to complete your renewal and pay the required fees, including the late fee of $125 before taxes ($141.25 with HST).
Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024: We suspend people who haven’t paid the fees and completed the form by now. At this point, you will have another 30 days to provide all outstanding fees and information. However, since your membership is suspended, you can’t practice as a nurse in Ontario until you have renewed.
Monday, March 18, 2024: We expire memberships for those who have not completed renewal by Monday, March 18, 2024.
Do you share information from my AMR form?
Yes, CNO shares renewal information in the following ways:
- We are required under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 to collect information about our registrants, including basic demographic, geographic, education and employment information. The anonymous data helps the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care develop policies and programs that address nursing supply and distribution, education, recruitment and retention.
- Like other Canadian nursing regulators, we share the anonymous data with the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). This data is used to make improvements in health care, health system performance and population health across Canada.
- We also share the anonymous data with other stakeholders, including researchers, the media and the public.
How do I log on to AMR?
Go to Maintain Your Membership and log in with your email address and password.
Unless you have changed it, your password is the same one you used last year.
For more information about how CNO uses your email address and why it is required, visit www.cno.org/emailfaq.
Which browser should I use to renew?
If you are using an older version of a web browser, you may have difficulty accessing Maintain Your Membership. Check here to make sure your browser will work properly.
Am I required to submit my learning plan prior to renewing my registration?
As part of annual Quality Assurance requirements, you must develop and maintain a Learning Plan, and acknowledge that you have met the QA requirements or developed a learning plan as part of completing AMR. We do not require that you submit the Learning Plan to CNO.
How do I move between pages in AMR?
Always use the Previous or Next buttons when using the AMR application. Do not click Back or Forward in your browser.
What do I do if my page seems stuck?
Please be patient, as many nurses are renewing at the same time. If you see a Please Wait message, do not refresh or reload your page.
Why is it taking so long to get to the next page?
During busy times, it may take longer for pages to load. Please be patient, and do not refresh or reload your page. All browsers except Safari should display a progress bar to show you how the information is processing.
Can I stop and complete my form at a later date?
Yes, you can pause the renewal application at any time provided that you complete renewal before Sunday, Dec. 31. Just scroll to the bottom of the page and click the Exit and Finish Later button. Also, remember to log out of Maintain Your Membership by clicking the logout button in the top right-hand corner of the page.
Why are you asking for so much info?
It may seem like we’re collecting a lot of information, but it’s required under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991. The renewal information also informs the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s policies and programs.
How long will it take me to renew?
Most nurses only need about 12 minutes to complete renewal, but it can take up to 30 minutes. Before starting, we suggest you have your work experience information and other practice details handy, so you can move quickly and smoothly through the process.
How do I renew in French?
Log in to Maintain Your Membership using your email and password. Then, click on Renew Your Membership Now, and simply choose “Français” (French) in the top right-hand corner.
How do I know if I’ve paid?
Once you submit your payment, you will receive a confirmation that the transaction was successful. Please wait for this confirmation before closing your browser. At peak times, there may be a short delay before you see the confirmation while payment is processing.
Where do I find the payment receipt?
After renewing and paying the fee, you’ll find the View/Print Receipt button at the bottom of the page. If you have already logged out of AMR, log back in to Maintain My Membership, click Now and choose View/Print Receipt.
How do I know if I am logged out?
There is a Logout button in the top right-hand corner of every AMR page. Click on it to make sure you’re logged out of Maintain Your Membership. This is especially important if you share a computer at home or work.
How do I check my registration status after I’ve renewed my registration?
Once you have completed the renewal form and paid the fees, you can log in to Maintain Your Membership, click on renewal and check your Renewal Status.
What if I do not complete my online renewal form?
Notice of Intent to Suspend
If you do not complete the form and pay the fees by 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023, you will receive a Notice of Intent to Suspend. This year, notices will be mailed no later than Friday, Jan. 12, 2024. Once you receive the Notice of Intent to Suspend, you have 30 days to complete your renewal and pay the required fees, including the late fee of $125 ($141.25 with HST).
Suspension
Once the Notice of Intent (NOI) letter has been mailed out, if you do not pay the fees and complete the form within 30 days, CNO will suspend your registration on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. At this point, you will have another 30 days to provide all outstanding fees and information.
However, since your membership is suspended, you can’t practice as a nurse in Ontario until you have renewed. You also can’t use the titles “Registered Nurse,” “Registered Practical Nurse,” “Nurse Practitioner” or “nurse.”
Practicing nursing in Ontario while your membership is suspended is a serious offence. If you have been suspended, speak to your employer(s) and stop practicing immediately.
Expiry
If, after the next 30 days, you still haven’t provided the outstanding fees and information, your CNO membership will expire on Monday, March 18, 2024. To resume practicing in Ontario as a nurse, you will need to meet the requirements for reinstatement and pay additional fees.
Since your membership is expired, you can’t practice as a nurse in Ontario. You also can’t use the titles “Registered Nurse,” “Registered Practical Nurse,” “Nurse Practitioner” or “nurse.”
Practicing nursing in Ontario while your membership is expired is a serious offence. If your membership has expired, speak to your employer(s) and stop practicing immediately.
