Apply

How to apply

Before you begin your application, please make sure you have the following ready:

A current, valid DBS certificate - or registration on the DBS Update Service
Evidence of your minimum qualifications (copies of relevant certificates)
A second form of ID to verify your address
Proof of liability insurance (self-employed Care Professionals only)

Your DBS certificate will be verified but will not be made publicly visible on the register. Once verified, this information is deleted from our systems.

How to register

Step 1 - Choose your registration route

Select the option that applies to you:

I work for a care provider
I am self-employed
I am an existing CPO member

Step 2 - Complete the registration form

Fill in all sections of the form and submit it. Make sure all questions are answered before submitting.

Step 3 - DBS and ID verification

Once we receive your application, we will verify your DBS status through the Update Service. If your DBS is not registered on the Update Service, you will need to upload a copy of your current certificate. We will also ask for a second form of ID to verify your address.

Step 4 - Qualification evidence

Upload copies of your qualification certificates to demonstrate you meet the minimum requirements for registration.

Step 5 - Confirmation

Once your application has been reviewed and verified, you will receive a confirmation email. If successful, this will include your unique registration PIN and your digital registration badge.

Registration comes with a commitment

All registrants are expected to uphold the CPO’s Code of Professional Conduct and Values Statement. Registration is a mark of your commitment to the highest standards of care - and we take that seriously.

The register operates a fair Fitness to Practise (FtP) process. Where a serious concern is raised about a registrant, this process can result in advice, a warning, suspension, or removal from the register.

Removal from the register does not in itself create a legal bar on working in care. However, it means the individual is no longer recognised by the CPO as a registered Care Professional, and employers may take this into account.

FAQs

Please reach us at enquiries@thecpo.org if you cannot find an answer to your question.

Is registration free?

No. The current registration fee is £15/year or £1.50/mth

Who can register?

Any Care Professional working in the UK is welcome to apply. Self-employed Care Professionals based in the devolved regions (Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) are currently unable to register, as mandatory registration already applies in those regions.

Do I need a DBS certificate to register?

Yes. A current DBS certificate is a condition of registration. This is in place to maintain the highest standards of safeguarding for vulnerable people. Your DBS data is verified and then deleted from our systems - it will not be displayed publicly.

What happens to my registration if I leave care work?

Simply contact us at enquiries@thecpo.org to let us know. Your entry will be removed from the register. If you return to care work in the future, you are welcome to re-apply.

Is the register mandatory?

No. The Care Professional Register is a voluntary, non-statutory register. It is independent and maintained by the Care Professional Organisation. Whilst registration is voluntary, it is a meaningful signal of professional commitment - and a foundation for the case for mandatory registration in England.

What if I have more questions

DBS and safeguarding within the Care Professional Register

As part of registration with the Care Professional Register (CPR), all registrants are required to hold an enhanced DBS check appropriate to their role, including barred list checks where relevant.

DBS checks are used as part of CPR’s wider safeguarding framework and are considered alongside mandatory declarations, professional standards, fitness to practise procedures, and the publication of sanctions.

DBS checks help identify relevant criminal history but do not, on their own, assess professional competence or suitability for employment. Employers and commissioners remain responsible for role-specific safeguarding checks.