JOIN THE REGISTER

 
 

Show your commitment to your patients and your profession.

Register as a Veterinary Nurse/Technician

Registration is now closed for 2025.

New registrations and APC will be available from 1st January 2026.

New to the register?

If this is your first time applying for registration, becoming registered requires a one-time application to join the register that includes an application for your first annual practicing certificate.

Unsure if you have registered with us before? Please check the public register here or email us at info@avprc.org.nz BEFORE applying.

To apply to join the register for the first time, you will need to supply the following evidence:

  1. Verification of your qualification: As with other healthcare fields, a formal qualification in veterinary nursing/technology or other approved allied animal healthcare field is required to meet minimum educational criteria for registration. See the list of approved qualifications here. You will need to provide a copy of your qualification with your application. New graduates may supply temporary evidence in the form of a letter of completion from an approved programme of study.

  2. Verification of your identity: Proof of your identity, which matches your qualification, will need to be supplied with your application to register. Commonly accepted documents include a photo of your passport, or both your original birth certificate and your New Zealand photo driver's licence.

  3. Verification of your NZ residency: Proof of residency in New Zealand will be required for your annual practicing certificate. Suitable documents can include a photo of your NZ passport, utility bills addressed to you in New Zealand, or NZ employment records.

2026 Fees: The one time registration fee is $25 and the Annual Practicing Certificate fee is $45 (registration fee is waived for those on the AVPRC enrolled student list who are registering for the first time). Your annual practicing certificate will be emailed to you once your application has been processed.

New registrations and APC will be available from 1st January 2026.

Already registered but want to apply for an APC?

To stay current on the register, your APC needs to be renewed each year. Click here to read more about the APC process.

Get a qualification badge now to show you are registered!

Qualification badges are available for purchase by verified registered veterinary nurses, and veterinary technologists. See our badges page for details and ordering.

Overseas Qualifications and Registration

Many overseas qualifications are eligible for AVPRC registration. Check the approved qualifications list for details. Approved qualifications can apply at the same link as New Zealand graduates, above.

New to New Zealand?

  • If you meet other eligibility criteria for registration but haven't started work and can't meet the residency requirement for the APC, email us with a letter from your NZ employer stating intent to employ and a verified photo of your current NZ residency visa to register@avprc.org.nz.

Maintaining Continuous Registration

  • If you're already registered in another country, have your awarding body email a letter of good standing to register@avprc.org.nz.

Veterinarians

  • Veterinarians without a veterinary nursing qualification cannot register as veterinary nurses/technicians due to differing competencies. Follow the APL pathway described below for more information about applying your education and experience to gain an approved qualification.

Overseas qualifications or on-the-job trained?

The AVPRC does not assess qualifications, as overseas course requirements vary widely.

However, you may be able to have your prior experience and/or overseas qualification assessed and credited toward a New Zealand qualification that can lead to registration with the AVPRC. To learn more, contact a NZ Education provider about the Assessment of Prior Learning (APL) process. Please note: Not all providers offer APL.

Register as an Animal or Veterinary Physiotherapist

Click here to register as an Animal or Veterinary Physiotherapist. Only recognised animal or veterinary physiotherapists with a current NZAVPA membership certificate are eligible to apply. The fee for joining the AVPRC register is $10.