In short
- Many regulated professions set a minimum number of CPD hours a year or per cycle.
- Requirements vary by profession and country, so always check your own body's current rules.
- Most bodies want verifiable CPD: evidence of what you learned, when and for how long.
- Accredited activities with numbered certificates are the simplest way to prove your hours.
"How many CPD hours do I need?" is one of the questions we hear most. The honest answer is: it depends on your profession, where you work and which body you belong to. But there are patterns, and knowing them makes planning much easier.
This guide covers the professions where CPD hours are most often required, what the rules typically look like and how to make sure your hours will stand up if you are asked for proof. Rules change, so always check the current requirements with your own professional body. The examples below were checked at the time of writing.
At a glance
| Profession | Typical requirement | Who sets it |
|---|---|---|
| Accountants (ACCA) | 40 units a year, at least 21 verifiable | ACCA |
| Insurance distributors in the EU | At least 15 hours of training or development a year | Insurance Distribution Directive, applied by national regulators |
| Gaming key function holders (Malta Gaming Authority) | 5 to 10 hours a year for each key function held | Malta Gaming Authority; other gaming regulators set their own rules |
| Nurses and midwives (UK) | 35 hours over three years, at least 20 participatory | Nursing and Midwifery Council |
| Financial advisers | Ongoing knowledge and competence, usually reviewed every year | National financial regulators |
| Lawyers | Varies widely by country and bar association | Bar associations and law societies |
| HR, compliance and many others | Expected by professional bodies and employers, often without a fixed number | Professional bodies and employers |
Accountants and finance professionals
Accountancy has some of the most established CPD rules. ACCA members following the unit route need 40 units each year, with at least 21 of them verifiable, where one unit equals one hour. Other national accountancy institutes set similar annual requirements, usually with part of the time required to be structured: relevant, measurable and verifiable.
The word to notice is verifiable. Reading an article may count as development, but many bodies want a minimum share of your hours to come from learning you can prove.
Insurance professionals
Across the European Union, the Insurance Distribution Directive requires everyone involved in distributing insurance to keep their knowledge up to date through at least 15 hours of professional training or development per year. Each country applies this through its own regulator, and some set more detailed rules. For brokers, agents and staff at insurers, this is one of the clearest annual CPD requirements in Europe.
Financial advisers and investment professionals
Under European rules for investment services, firms must make sure the people who give investment advice or information have the right knowledge and competence, and keep it up to date. In practice this usually means an annual training plan and a yearly review of each person's competence. Accredited CPD gives firms clear evidence for those reviews.
Gaming professionals
Gaming is one of the few sectors where the regulator sets CPD hours directly. Under the Malta Gaming Authority's rules, anyone approved to hold a key function at an MGA-licensed operator must complete a minimum number of CPD hours in each calendar year, for every key function they hold. The minimums are 5 hours a year for the chief executive role and 10 hours a year for each of the others:
- Operations
- Compliance
- Legal affairs
- Data protection and privacy
- Anti-money laundering (the MLRO)
- Internal audit
- Technology
There is no yearly report. Instead, key persons show their hours when they renew their key function certificate, with certificates or proof of attendance and a short note on how each activity relates to the role. Courses, conferences, seminars, workshops and in-house training can all count, and one relevant activity can count towards more than one role.
Training does not stop with key persons. MGA-licensed operators must also train relevant staff in anti-money laundering, whatever their seniority, as the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit sets out for the remote gaming sector.
Other gaming authorities work differently. Each jurisdiction sets its own rules on who needs training, how much and how it is checked, so always confirm the requirements with the authority that licenses your business.
Nurses, midwives and healthcare professionals
In the UK, nurses, midwives and nursing associates must complete 35 hours of CPD every three years as part of revalidation, and at least 20 of those hours must be participatory, meaning learning with other people. Many other health professions in Europe have similar cycles set by their national regulators.
Lawyers
CPD rules for lawyers vary more than for almost any other profession. Some bar associations set an annual number of hours or points, some focus on planning and reflection rather than hours, and some have no formal requirement. If you practise in more than one country, you may need to meet more than one set of rules.
HR, compliance and other professionals
Many professionals work in fields without a single legal CPD requirement but are still expected to keep learning. Professional bodies for HR, compliance, project management and marketing typically make CPD part of their code of conduct. In regulated sectors such as financial services, employers must show that people in key roles are competent, and EU anti-money laundering rules require firms to train relevant staff. CPD records are how they show it.
Even where nothing is mandatory, a record of accredited CPD is a strong signal to employers and clients. We explore why in Why CPD Matters More Than Ever.
What counts as CPD?
Most professional bodies accept a wide range of learning as long as it is relevant to your role:
- Courses and workshops, in person or live online
- eLearning modules and webinars
- Conferences and seminars (the educational sessions, not the coffee breaks)
- Structured reading, podcasts and videos
- Writing, teaching or mentoring, for some bodies
How to prove your hours
If your body audits your CPD, you will need evidence. The strongest evidence shows what you learned, who provided it, when you did it and how many hours it took. Accredited activities make this simple: each certificate we accredit carries a unique number and QR code that anyone can check on our verification page.
Looking for accredited learning in your field? Browse Find CPD. And if you provide training to any of these professions, accreditation helps your learners prove every hour.
Frequently asked questions
Do all professionals need CPD hours?
No. CPD is mandatory in many regulated professions and for members of many professional bodies, but in others it is voluntary. Even where it is voluntary, employers increasingly expect it.
What is verifiable CPD?
Verifiable CPD is learning you can prove with evidence, such as a certificate showing what you studied, when and for how long, usually with learning outcomes and an assessment. Many bodies require a minimum share of your hours to be verifiable.
Will my professional body accept accredited CPD hours?
Most bodies accept any relevant, verifiable learning, and accredited activities make that easy to show. Your professional body always decides what counts for you, so check its rules if you are unsure.