Registrants may wish to change their registration class for a variety of reasons. For example, a registrant who is leaving British Columbia or stepping away from practice may choose to transfer to an inactive registration class or resign their registration. Conversely, a registrant with inactive status may seek to return to practice requiring reactivation of their registration.
A registrant may also wish to transfer between active registration classes as their qualifications, employment circumstances, or intended scope of practice change. For example, registrants in the Specialty Private Practice, Public Sector, or Temporary classes may later become eligible for, and choose to transfer to, the Private Practice class.
Requirements for transferring between registration classes are set out in Part 2 (Registration), sections 2.22 to 2.26, of the College’s Bylaws. Applicants must submit the appropriate application form, provide any required supporting documentation, and pay the applicable fees prescribed in the Bylaws and Schedule C.
Most applications to change registration class can be approved by the Registrar. Applications that do not meet all requirements must be referred to the Registration Committee for consideration.
Inactive registrants are not authorized to practise veterinary medicine in British Columbia. However, they may continue to participate in the profession’s self-regulation by attending College meetings, voting on College matters, serving on committees, and standing for election to Council.
Registrants who transfer to an inactive class may also be eligible to reactivate their registration and return to active practice, subject to the applicable requirements.
Before applying for inactive registration, registrants are encouraged to review the following resources, which outline some of practical implications of maintaining active registration versus transferring to an inactive class:
The College offers two inactive registration classes:
Non-Practicing – Intended for registrants who are no longer practising veterinary medicine in BC but may return to practice in the future.
Retired – Intended for registrants who have permanently left practice and do not anticipate returning. This class is also available to registrants on parental leave or extended medical leave of uncertain duration.
Both classes:
Key differences include:
Please review the College policy Registrant Requests to Transfer to Inactive Status for additional information regarding eligibility and application review.
To transfer to an inactive registration class, complete the applicable application form and submit it to registration@cvbc.ca.
Fees
The College’s fees are established in bylaw – Schedule C – Prescribed Fees & Assessments.
The net amount owing, or refundable, to complete a transfer is calculated as follows:
Transfer Fee (where applicable – see Item 10 of Schedule C)
Plus
Prorated annual registration fee* for the inactive class
Less
Prorated refund of the annual registration fee already paid for the current active class.
* Annual registration fees (items 4-9 of Schedule C) are prorated quarterly based on the effective date of the transfer.
A registrant who has permanently left veterinary practice in British Columbia and does not intend to return may choose to resign their registration rather than transfer to an inactive class.
Upon resignation, the individual ceases to be a registrant of the College and no longer retains any registrant privileges. They must not represent themselves as authorized to practise veterinary medicine in British Columbia and must appropriately qualify any professional titles used to indicate they are not registered in BC.
To resign, complete the required resignation form and submit it to registration@cvbc.ca. There is no fee to resign. Depending on the effective date of resignation, a prorated refund of annual registration fees maybe available.
Registrants in either the Non-Practicing or Retired class may apply to reactivate their registration within the first three consecutive years of becoming inactive. This three-year period includes time spent in either or both inactive registration classes.
Applications for reactivation must include:
Applicants should review the following resources before applying:
Completed applications and supporting documentation should be submitted to registration@cvbc.ca.
Fees
The College’s fees are established in bylaw – Schedule C – Prescribed Fees & Assessments.
The net amount owing to complete reactivation is calculated as follows:
Transfer Fee (where applicable – see Item 10 of Schedule C)
Plus
Prorated annual registration fee* for the active class
Less
Prorated refund of the annual registration fee paid for the inactive class.
* Annual registration fees (items 4 – 9 of Schedule C) are prorated quarterly based on the effective date of reactivation.
The College offers four active registration classes: Private Practice, Specialty Private Practice, Public Sector, and Temporary. Each class has distinct eligibility requirements and practice privileges. (More information about the different registration classes may be found in the Registration Application Guide for applicants)
Registrants may wish to transfer between active classes as their qualifications, employment circumstances, or scope of practice change. Because eligibility requirements vary between classes, applications are assessed individually to determine what additional documentation or requirements may apply.
Registrants considering a transfer between active classes should contact the Registrar’s Office at registration@cvbc.ca to discuss their circumstances and determine the appropriate application process.
Fees