The Midwifery Council

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Midwifery Registration

All practising midwives in New Zealand must be registered with the Midwifery Council of New Zealand and have their name entered on the Register of Midwives.

In order to register as a midwife in New Zealand applicants must meet the following criteria:

Fitness for registration
Qualifications for registration
Competence for registration

Meeting these criteria will demonstrate that the midwife is able to practise in the Midwifery Scope of Practice.

Details of the requirements and process for registration of graduates from approved New Zealand Midwifery programmes and midwives from overseas and Australia can be found on the "Overseas applicants" pages on this website.

Once registered, midwives have to apply for an Annual Practising Certificate (APC) in order to practise. In order to obtain an APC midwives have to demonstrate that they are still competent to practise. This will require engagement in the Recertification Programme.

Midwives who have not practised midwifery for three years or more and who then wish to obtain a practising certificate must make a "Return to Practice" application.

Click here to find out about the fees payable for these and other applications.