Registration requires an approved qualification in veterinary nursing, veterinary technology or an eligible allied animal healthcare discipline.

Check our approved qualifications list before applying. If your qualification is not listed, contact register@avprc.org.nz for guidance.

A veterinary medicine qualification alone does not establish eligibility for registration as a veterinary nurse or technician. These professions have distinct educational and competency requirements. An education provider may be able to recognise relevant previous learning towards an approved qualification.

Joining the register means committing to AVPRC’s professional standards and registration requirements, including ethical conduct and maintaining your competence.

Registration records your admission to the register. An Annual Practising Certificate (APC) confirms that you have met the applicable requirements for the practising year.

Your first application includes admission to the register and your first Annual Practising Certificate (APC).

Prepare your supporting documents

• Qualification: a copy of your qualification certificate. New graduates may provide a letter confirming completion of an approved programme.

• Identity: identification matching your qualification documents. Commonly accepted evidence includes a copy of your passport, or your birth certificate together with your New Zealand photo driver licence.

• New Zealand residency for your APC: suitable evidence may include a New Zealand passport, utility bills addressed to you in New Zealand, or New Zealand employment records.

If your documents show different names, or you are unsure what to supply, contact us before applying.

Fees

See our Fees page for the applicable registration and APC fees. The one-time registration fee is waived for first-time applicants already on the AVPRC enrolled student list.

Apply

When applications are open, use the application button on this page to complete the form and supply your supporting documents. Your APC will be emailed to you once your application has been approved.

Joining AVPRC’s student list is a free first step towards professional registration. It connects your education with a shared commitment to professional standards, animal welfare and the future of our professions.

Who can join?

You can join once your enrolment is confirmed in an approved programme leading to a veterinary nursing or veterinary technology qualification.

View the approved education providers.

The student list is not public. Being on the list does not mean you are a registered practitioner or hold an Annual Practising Certificate (APC).

How to join

You will need to provide:

• Proof of identity, such as a copy of your passport or driver licence.

• Evidence of New Zealand residency, such as a utility bill addressed to you at a New Zealand address.

• Confirmation of your enrolment, such as an enrolment document from your education provider.

2026 Student registration CLOSES on 1st November 2026.

Apply to join the student list: 2026 form.

After you graduate

You can apply for your first APC in the next application cycle after completing your qualification. Include verification of completion, such as your qualification certificate or an official letter of completion from your education provider.

Let us know that you are already on the student list so we can update your existing record. Once your application is approved, you will move onto the public register and receive your first APC.

The one-time registration fee is waived for students already on the list who are registering for the first time. The APC fee still applies.

Read about APC applications · View fees

Professional practice while studying

Your programme and placement provider will guide your learning, practical activities and supervision. Work within your current competence and seek guidance whenever you are unsure.

Read about roles, responsibilities and accountability.

Need help?

Email register@avprc.org.nz if you have questions about joining the student list or applying after graduation.

Many overseas qualifications are eligible for AVPRC registration. Check the approved qualifications list. Applicants with an approved overseas qualification use the same application form as New Zealand graduates.

If your qualification is not listed, contact us before applying.

New to New Zealand?

If you meet the other eligibility criteria but have not started work and cannot yet provide the usual residency evidence for an APC, email register@avprc.org.nz with:

• A letter from your New Zealand employer confirming their intention to employ you.

• A verified copy of your current New Zealand residency visa.

Already registered overseas?

Ask the organisation that holds your professional registration to email a letter of good standing directly to register@avprc.org.nz.

A veterinary medicine qualification alone does not make you eligible for AVPRC registration as a veterinary nurse or veterinary technician. This applies whether you qualified in New Zealand or overseas.

Veterinary nursing, veterinary technology and veterinary medicine are distinct professions with different educational and competency requirements. Registration in one profession does not automatically qualify you for registration in another.

If you also hold an approved veterinary nursing or veterinary technology qualification, you may apply through the usual registration process.

How can I become eligible?

A New Zealand veterinary nursing education provider may be able to assess your veterinary education and clinical experience towards an approved veterinary nursing or veterinary technology qualification through Assessment of Prior Learning (APL). The provider determines what credit can be awarded and what further study or assessment you need to complete. Not all providers offer APL.

Contact a New Zealand education provider to discuss this pathway.

If you do not hold an approved qualification, an education provider may be able to assess your previous study and workplace experience towards a New Zealand qualification that meets AVPRC’s registration requirements.

This process is known as Assessment of Prior Learning (APL). The education provider determines what credit can be awarded and what further study or assessment you need to complete.

Contact a New Zealand education provider to discuss your options. Not all providers offer APL.

Eligible animal and veterinary physiotherapists have a separate registration and renewal pathway through AVPRC.

Applying for the first time

You must be a recognised animal or veterinary physiotherapist with a current New Zealand Animal and Veterinary Physiotherapy Association (NZAVPA) membership certificate.

Apply for physiotherapy registration

Already registered?

Use the physiotherapy renewal form to renew your annual registration. Renewals are due each March–April.

Renew physiotherapy registration

For help, email register@avprc.org.nz.

Specialist registration recognises advanced knowledge and clinical skills in a defined discipline or area of practice. Specialists have completed substantial clinical experience, advanced training and assessment, including a certifying examination.

AVPRC offers two specialist title options: Registered Veterinary Nurse Specialist (RVNS) and Registered Veterinary Technician Specialist (RVTS). Both recognise specialist status within our registration framework.

Recognised specialist credentials

A Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) credential awarded by an academy recognised by NAVTA’s Committee on Veterinary Technician Specialties (CVTS) is accepted for entry to AVPRC’s specialist register, subject to meeting AVPRC’s minimum eligibility requirements and completing the application process.

Holders of recognised specialist credentials may use either the RVNS or RVTS title through AVPRC’s specialist registration framework.

Applications based on other specialist credentials are assessed individually for eligibility.

View NAVTA’s recognised veterinary technician specialties.

Minimum eligibility requirements

To apply, you must:

• Be registered with AVPRC as a veterinary nurse or veterinary technician.

• Have practised as a qualified veterinary nurse or technician for at least five years.

• Have passed a specialist certification examination administered by a certifying body, rather than an education provider, in a specific area of veterinary medicine.

• Maintain active membership in accordance with your specialty’s requirements.

If your specialty membership expires or is revoked, you will be removed from AVPRC’s specialist register.

How to apply

1. Ensure you are registered with AVPRC as a veterinary nurse or technician and meet the minimum eligibility requirements.

2. Complete the specialist assessment application form.

3. Email your completed form and supporting documents to info@avprc.org.nz, using the subject line “Specialist registration”.

4. We will email you to confirm whether your application can proceed to assessment and provide payment instructions. The assessment fee is $45.

5. AVPRC’s registration committee will assess your application and notify you of the outcome.

Submitting an application and paying the assessment fee does not guarantee admission to the specialist register.

Specialist badges

Qualification badges are available to verified AVPRC-registered veterinary nurse and technician specialists. Visit our registration badges page for details and ordering.

Have you completed a higher qualification or gained an additional qualification since registering? Let us know so your registration record can reflect your educational achievements.

This may include progressing from a diploma to a degree, completing postgraduate study, or qualifying in another animal healthcare profession.

How to request an update

Email register@avprc.org.nz with:

• Your full name and AVPRC registration number, if known.

• The name of your new qualification and the institution that awarded it.

• A copy of your qualification certificate, or a letter confirming completion if the certificate has not yet been issued.

• Details of any other information you need to update.

AVPRC will review the qualification and confirm any changes to your registration record, category or designation. Please contact us before submitting a new first-time registration application.

A higher qualification can deepen your knowledge and open further professional pathways. Completing a degree or postgraduate qualification does not automatically confer specialist registration, which has separate eligibility and assessment requirements.

Updating your personal details

Please also let us know if your name or contact details change. If supporting evidence is needed, we will explain what to provide.