RCVS to increase fees for annual renewal process
The new fee notices will be sent out once confirmed by the privy council, and will need to be paid by 1 April.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) will be increasing its annual renewal fees for registered veterinary surgeons this spring.
RCVS Council has recommended a six per cent increase to its fee notices this year, which is subject to government approval.
The council has said that these increased costs are a response to inflation, as well as increased business costs. This would include the additional number of veterinary degrees, their Charter Case Committee, and the modernisation of their membership database.
It also supports a trial of its private prosecutions protocol, used against those who aren’t veterinary professionals but breach the Veterinary Surgeons Act.
The new fee notices will be sent out once confirmed by the privy council, and will need to be paid by 1 April.
There will be a late payment charge of £35 to those who do not pay their fee before 1 May. Non-payment by 1 June will risk veterinary surgeons being removed from the Register, leaving them ineligible to practise.
Veterinary surgeons will also need to log-on to their RCVS account, where they can confirm their details, declare any convictions and confirm they are compliant with RCVS’ CPD requirements.
The annual renewal period for veterinary nurses will begin in autumn, and will be subject to the same percentage increase.
RCVS treasurer Dr Tshidi Gardiner MRCVS said: “We recognise that these are difficult economic times, so Council has endeavoured to limit the fee increase as far as possible; however, in proposing these new fees, Council has had to take account both of increased costs due to inflation, and of additional costs related to ensuring we are fulfilling our regulatory remit to the best of our abilities and meeting our strategic priorities.”
Members who are expecting to encounter difficulties with paying these fees should contact the RCVS Finance Team on finance@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0722.
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
