CPD exemption or variation

Education > CPD Home > Continuing professional development for GPs > CPD Program

Last updated 19 November 2025

CPD exemption or variation guidelines

The Medical Board of Australia (MBA) acknowledges that exceptional circumstances may affect a practitioner’s capacity to meet the continuing professional development (CPD) registration standard. The MBA has set guidelines outlining the circumstances in which registered practitioners who are absent from practice for an extended period may be granted a CPD exemption or variation by their CPD home.

RACGP members seeking an exemption or variation to their CPD requirements must apply using the application linked below. Please ensure you meet the exemption or variation criteria set out in this guide before submitting your application.

apply here

Duration of absence from practice

RACGP members may apply for an exemption or variation to their CPD requirements in cases of a continuous absence from practice of at least six months. A CPD exemption or variation will only be approved if the applicant will not be, or is not, engaged in any form of medical practice (clinical or non-clinical) during the period for which the exemption is sought.

Exemption: Members taking a leave of absence from practice for a full calendar year may be granted an exemption from all CPD requirements for that year.
Variation: Members taking a leave of absence from practice longer than six months but shorter than 12 months may be granted a pro rata variation to their CPD requirements but will still need to meet some of their annual CPD requirements.

Members who take a leave of absence from practice for less than six months are required to complete their full annual CPD requirements. Where the period of leave overlaps two calendar years and is less than six months in either of the years, applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Maximum exemption duration

CPD homes can grant exemptions/variations for a maximum of three consecutive years to practitioners who meet the exemption/variation criteria. Practitioners must be aware of how continuous absence from practice may impact meeting the recency of practice registration standard and re-entry to practice.

Members absent from practice for a prolonged period may also consider updating to non-practising registration with Ahpra. Practitioners who hold non-practising registration are not required to meet the CPD or recency of practice registration standards.

Separate arrangements for specialist trainees

GP trainees on leave from the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) or Fellowship Support Program (FSP) specialist training programs should refer to our CPD guide for GP Training for information about the CPD requirements while on approved leave from GP training. GP trainees working as a doctor outside the training program while on approved leave from training, must complete the RACGP CPD declaration, exemption or variation application form.

Approved circumstances

An application for a CPD exemption or variation can be made in relation to extended absence from practice in the following circumstances:

parental leave
carer’s leave
serious illness
cultural responsibilities
compassionate/personal leave in other circumstances (special consideration).

Special consideration

The College may grant a variation to CPD requirements in limited and specific circumstances other than those listed above. For example, practitioners in the following situations may seek a special consideration variation:

gain Australian medical registration from 1 July of the relevant CPD year
have conditions or undertakings that remove their ability to practice
holds practising Australian registration while residing overseas and not working.

Requests for special consideration CPD variations will be considered on a case-by-case basis, upon individual application.

Request a CPD exemption or variation

RACGP members seeking an exemption or variation to their CPD requirements must apply using the CPD exemption and variation application form.

APPLY HERE

Applications for a CPD exemption or variation should be submitted before leave is taken (where possible) so that any changes to CPD requirements can be recorded and managed in time for RACGP's CPD compliance reporting to Ahpra. All exemption or variation requests will be reviewed by the CPD operations manager and escalated to the CPD National clinical lead, where required. Applicants will be notified of the outcome by email. Where an application is approved, the email will outline any remaining requirements for the relevant CPD period, and the exemption or variation will be recorded on the practitioner’s annual CPD statement.

Review and Appeal

Where an applicant for exemption or variation to CPD is dissatisfied with the outcome or decision made by the RACGP, they may apply for a review of that decision under the RACGP’s review and appeals policy. Applications for review of a decision must be made as per process outlined in this policy.

Calculating your CPD requirement

For practitioners approved for a CPD variation, a reduction of CPD hours will be applied on a pro rata basis as outlined in the following tables. Please note that the RACGP encourages all members (even those granted a full exemption from CPD requirements) to continue to undertake and record CPD activities to the best of their ability.

Duration of absence	Number of CPD hours to be applied to your record reducing remaining requirements
6–11 months (inclusive)	two hours per month of educational activities (EA) one hour per month of reviewing performance (RP) one hour per month of measuring outcomes (MO)
12 months	50 hours for the calendar year These guidelines align with the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) recency of practice registration standard. Practitioners who are absent from practice for multiple years must be aware of how continuous absence may impact them in meeting the recency of practice registration standard. CPD homes may grant exemptions or variations for a maximum of three consecutive years to practitioners who meet the eligibility criteria.

The following table provides a breakdown of the variation and remaining hours required by CPD type.

Duration of absence in months	Variation hours per CPD type			Remaining hours required per CPD type
Duration of absence in months	EA	RP	MO	EA	RP and/or MO
6	12	6	6	13	13
7	14	7	7	11	11
8	16	8	8	9	9
9	18	9	9	7	7
10	20	10	10	5	5
11	22	11	11	3	3

Return to practice

Members returning to practice after an extended period of absence should ensure they address the regulatory requirements of the MBA. Visit our returning to work page for important information on re-entry to practice.

Definitions

CPD home: An organisation that is accredited by the Australian Medical Council to provide a CPD program for medical practitioners. All doctors need a CPD home each year (unless exempt) to report their CPD compliance status to Ahpra annually. The RACGP is the default CPD home for our CPD participants and members in the following RACGP membership categories: Full fee, concession fee, Overseas, Senior, Registrar, Life member.

Practice: Is defined by the MBA as “Any role, whether remunerated or not, in which the individual uses their skills and knowledge as a practitioner in their regulated health profession. Practice is not restricted to the provision of direct clinical care. It also includes using professional knowledge in a direct non-clinical relationship with patients or clients, working in management, administration, education, research, advisory, regulatory or policy development roles and any other roles that impact on safe, effective delivery of health services in the health profession”.

Practising registration: Practitioners who hold provisional, limited, general or specialist registration are taken to hold ‘practising’ medical registration, whether they are working or not. Practitioners who retire from practice have ongoing registration requirements until they move to non-practising registration or are no longer registered.