National Boards and Ahpra announce fees for 2023/24

20 Sep 2023

National Boards and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) have announced annual registration fees for 2023/24.

In almost all cases, the National Boards this year have been able to limit any fee increases to below indexation and in some cases, Boards have been able to freeze fees. This is despite compounding factors that have increased regulatory costs in the last year, including a sharp increase in inflation and the need to respond to health workforce pressures.

‘Ahpra and the National Boards recognise that many Australians are under financial strain. Registered health practitioners are no exception.

‘We have worked closely together to keep fees as low as possible while ensuring the National Scheme is appropriately funded so we can perform our vital public protection work,’ Ahpra CEO Martin Fletcher said.

Registration fees fund the work of the National Boards and Ahpra to keep the public safe by:

• managing applications for registration, including for some boards managing complex applications from internationally qualified practitioners
• developing professional standards that guide the profession and set expectations
• investigating and managing concerns about registered health practitioners, including taking immediate action and referring matters to tribunals
• criminal prosecutions for breaches in advertising and use of title
• accrediting or approving programs of study that lead to registration and endorsement
• funding the work of the Health Ombudsman in Queensland and the National Health Practitioner Ombudsman.

The National Scheme is self-funded with each Board responsible for meeting the full costs of regulating their profession. The fees for each National Board must also reflect the risk and complexity of the individual professions, as well as the resources needed to address them.

The National Boards work closely with Ahpra to keep fees as low as possible while continuing to meet regulatory obligations and the expectations of the public and practitioners. There is no government funding.

National registration fees for 2023/24 (excluding NSW)

The fees are:

• The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Board of Australia has frozen its registration fee for 2023/24 at $154. The annual renewal fee will apply from 20 September 2023 and for most practitioners covers the registration period of 1 December 2023 to 30 November 2024.
• The Chinese Medicine Board of Australia has frozen its registration fee for 2023/24 at $492. The annual renewal fee will apply from 20 September 2023 and for most practitioners covers the registration period of 1 December 2023 to 30 November 2024.
• The Chiropractic Board of Australia has frozen its registration fee for 2023/24 at $451. The annual renewal fee will apply from 20 September 2023 and for most practitioners covers the registration period of 1 December 2023 to 30 November 2024.
• The Dental Board of Australia has set its registration fees for 2023/24 at $755 for dentists and specialists (limiting the increase below indexation (5%) and lowered the fee to $257 for dental prosthetists and $237 for dental hygienists, dental therapists and oral health therapists. The annual renewal fee will apply from 20 September 2023 and for most practitioners covers the registration period of 1 December 2023 to 30 November 2024.
• The Medical Board of Australia has set its registration fee for 2023/24 at $995, an above indexation increase of 14%, necessary to meet growth in costs and regulatory demand. The annual renewal fee is effective from 9 August 2023 and for most practitioners covers the registration period of 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024.
• The Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia has set its registration fee for 2023/24 to $209 limiting the increase below indexation (3%). The annual renewal fee will apply from 20 September 2023 and for most practitioners covers the registration period of 1 December 2023 to 30 November 2024.
• The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia has set its registration fee for 2023/24 at $185 limiting the increase below indexation (2.8%). The annual renewal fee will apply from 14 September 2022 and for most practitioners covers the registration period of 1 June 2024 to 31 May 2025.
• The Occupational Therapy Board of Australia has set its registration fee for 2023/24 at $127, limiting the increase below indexation (3%). The annual renewal fee will apply from 20 September 2023 and for most practitioners covers the registration period 1 December 2023 to 30 November 2024.
• The Optometry Board of Australia has set its registration fee for 2023/24 to $347 limiting the increase below indexation (3%). The annual renewal fee will apply from 20 September 2023 and for most practitioners covers the registration period of 1 December 2023 to 30 November 2024.
• The Osteopathy Board of Australia has set its registration fee for 2023/24 at $411 limiting the increase below indexation (3%). The annual renewal fee will apply from 20 September 2023 and for most practitioners covers the registration period of 1 December 2023 to 30 November 2024.
• The Paramedicine Board of Australia has frozen its registration fee for 2023/24 at $240. The annual renewal fee will apply from 20 September 2023 and for most practitioners covers the registration period of 1 December 2023 to 30 November 2024.
• The Pharmacy Board of Australia has set its registration fee for 2023/24 at $452, limiting the increase below indexation (3%). The annual renewal fee will apply from 20 September 2023 and for most practitioners covers the registration period of 1 December 2023 to 30 November 2024.
• The Physiotherapy Board of Australia has set its registration fee for 2023/24 at $194, limiting the increase to indexation (7.8%). The annual renewal fee will apply from 20 September 2023 and for most practitioners covers the registration period of 1 December 2023 to 30 November 2024.
• The Podiatry Board of Australia has set its registration fee for 2023/24 at $397, limiting the increase below indexation (5%). The annual renewal fee will apply from 20 September 2023 and for most practitioners covers the registration period of 1 December 2023 to 30 November 2024.
• The Psychology Board of Australia has set its registration fee for 2023/24 at $436, limiting the increase below indexation (5%). The annual renewal fee will apply from 20 September 2023 and for most practitioners covers the registration period of 1 December 2023 to 30 November 2024.

Indexation

The National Boards consider a range of factors when setting the level of indexation, including the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) target for inflation of two to three per cent and the Consumer Price Index (CPI). To find out more about this process, please see the Ahpra Fee setting policy.

Variation in fees payable by NSW-based practitioners

The fees schedule for each profession is published on National Board websites. Any variation to the fees payable by NSW-based practitioners is announced by the NSW Health Professional Councils Authority and detailed in the published fee schedules on National Board websites.

Health profession agreements

The health profession agreement between each of the National Boards and Ahpra details the fees payable by health practitioners, the annual budget of the National Board and the services provided by Ahpra that enable the National Boards to carry out their functions under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, as in force in each state and territory.

Help for financial hardship

Information about consideration of financial hardship can be found on the Ahpra website.

Contact us

• For registration enquiries, make an online web enquiry or phone 1300 419 495 (within Australia) or +61 3 9285 3010 (overseas callers)
• Media enquiries (03) 8708 9200 or [email protected]