Part of our Nursing Councils of the World series. Last checked: October 2026.
The Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) regulates nursing and midwifery education and practice in Kenya under the Nurses Act (Cap 257). It approves training institutions, indexes students, runs the national licensing examinations, registers and enrols nurses, issues annual practising licences, verifies credentials for foreign regulators and handles professional conduct. Almost every service runs through the NCK Online Services Portal.
The licensing examinations
- When: three times a year, in May, August and November, according to the Council’s approved schedule.
- Format: a computer-based test delivered through a secure, proctored system. Paper I covers basic sciences, pharmacology, fundamentals and medical-surgical nursing. Paper II covers midwifery and neonatal care, paediatrics, community health, and management and ethics.
- Fee: KES 8,000 per programme.
Official fees (KES)
| Service | Fee | Service time |
|---|---|---|
| Indexing: certificate or diploma programmes | 9,400 | 60 working days |
| Indexing: bachelor’s programmes | 9,550 | 60 working days |
| Indexing: higher diploma | 6,400 | 60 working days |
| Indexing: upgrading (KECHN to KRCHN / KRCHN to BScN e-learning) | 17,900 / 26,000 | 60 working days |
| Licensing examination (per programme) | 8,000 | Three times a year |
| Registration or enrolment | 7,000 | 5 working days |
| Registration certificate | Free | 15 working days |
| Annual practising licence renewal | 1,500 | 24 hours |
| Verification for emigration (foreign boards) | 12,000 (+5,000 for each additional cadre) | 14 working days |
| Certificate of current professional status | 1,000 | 14 working days |
| Indexing for foreign-trained nurses (per programme) | 5,000 | 1 working day |
Renewing your practising licence
- Renew online each year. The Council processes renewals within 24 hours of a complete application.
- You need a minimum of 20 CPD points, earned from accredited activities and recorded on the portal. The CPD review itself is free.
- Working with an expired licence is professional misconduct, and employers increasingly check licences online.
Verification for the UK, US, Canada, the Gulf and elsewhere
Apply for verification for emigration on the portal (KES 12,000, plus KES 5,000 for each additional cadre such as midwifery). The NCK sends the verification directly to the foreign regulator within about 14 working days of a complete request. Some regulators also ask for a certificate of current professional status (KES 1,000). Check which one your destination needs.
Foreign-trained nurses in Kenya
- Verification of your documents through the portal. This can take two to six months.
- Indexing (KES 5,000 per programme).
- Clinical adaptation: typically about 24 weeks of supervised clinical rotation at an NCK-approved facility.
- Licensing exam, once your logbook and completion letter are approved.
- Registration, followed by your annual practising licence.
Professional conduct and discipline
Complaints against nurses, such as negligence, misconduct, practising without a licence or breaching the NCK Code of Conduct, are investigated by the Council’s disciplinary machinery. The nurse is notified and given a hearing. Sanctions include a caution or reprimand, suspension, or removal from the register. Findings are shared with foreign regulators during verification, so a disciplinary record in Kenya affects work abroad too.
Sources: NCK Citizens’ Service Delivery Charter (2025 revision); NurseFiti, NCK exam for foreign-trained nurses (21 July 2026). Confirm all details with the Nursing Council of Kenya.