New Zealand Applicants

Applying for Registration

To practise as an osteopath in New Zealand you must be registered with the Osteopathic Council. You must also have a current Annual Practising Certificate (APC).

Please allow a minimum of 5 - 7 working days for the Council to process a fully completed application for registration, or for your APC. Note that the fee for registration is a one-off fee, but the APC must be paid for on an annual basis. The APC year runs from 1 April to 31 March of the following year.

• You have a Master of Osteopathy, conferred by Unitec Te Whare Wananga o Wairaka; OR
• You have passed the OCNZ qualifications assessment process; OR
• You are registered with an equivalent Australian registration authority

Trainee Scope of Practice

Applicants holding NZ qualifications

Applicants who have a Master of Osteopathy conferred by Unitec should complete:

You must complete a request and consent form. The information on the form is used to perform a search using the New Zealand Police electronic vetting services.

For practitioners applying from overseas they must provide a certified police report from the country of residence. The certified report must be no older than six months at the time the application for registration is submitted.

A certified copy is a copy of the original that has been certified by a solicitor or notary public. 

Please note that registration is not automatically granted. The Osteopathic Council must be confident that you are competent and fit for registration. The information you give us in your application form will assist the Council in our decision-making process.

Appeals

Appeal provisions are set out in part 5 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003.

Rights of appeal to the District Court

Practitioners may appeal to a District Court against a decision of the Osteopathic Council to:

• decline registration
• decline an application for change to the existing scope of practice
• decline an annual practising certificate application
• suspend the practitioner's practising certificate or registration
• cancel registration
• include conditions in the practitioner's scope of practice or proposed scope of practice
• vary any conditions in the practitioner's scope of practice.

Rights of appeal to the High Court

Practitioners may appeal to the High Court against:

• a finding by the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal under s.100
• an order made by the Tribunal under s.92(4) or s.101
• a decision made by the Tribunal on an application by the person under s.94
• any order, or refusal to make such an order, by the Tribunal under s.95
• a decision of the Tribunal on an application under s.99.

An appeal must be brought to the appropriate court by way of notice of appeal in accordance with rules of the court and must be lodged within 20 working days after the notice of the authority decision or order is communicated to the appellant.

It is normal for practitioners seeking to exercise a right of appeal to seek the advice and services of a lawyer to act on their behalf.

Osteopaths Registered Overseas

NZ REGISTRATION

In order to work legally as an osteopath in New Zealand, it is necessary to:

• be registered by the Osteopathic Council of New Zealand (OCNZ), which is the regulatory body governing the practice of osteopathy AND
• hold a current practising certificate.

RECOGNISED QUALIFICATIONS

Osteopaths who are registered with the General Osteopathic Council of the United Kingdom (GOsC) and hold a qualification from a recognised institution can apply directly for registration.

ANNUAL PRACTISING CERTIFICATE

Registration, by itself, does not allow a practitioner to lawfully practise osteopathy.  In addition to registration, an annual practising certificate (APC) is required.  Prior to commencing practice you will need to apply for an APC if you have not already done so. Your APC will have the “Preceptorship” condition on the scope of practice. Please click here to read more about this condition. 

Schedule of Qualifying Overseas Institutions

 SUMMARY OF REQUIREMENTS AND FORMS FOR APPLICANTS WITH RECOGNISED QUALIFICATIONS

1. Registration application form
2. Annual Practising Certificate (APC) application form
3. Payment form

Please note that as original documents need to be sighted, it is not possible to register by email.

NON-RECOGNISED QUALIFICATIONS

Osteopaths who have undertaken their training overseas and whose qualifications are NOT recognised by the OCNZ, will have their qualifications considered on a case-by-case basis. The OCNZ does not accredit overseas osteopathic qualifications. Applications are submitted to the OCNZ’s assessors who consider the comparability of qualifications to New Zealand standards and osteopathic capabilities.

Applicants must submit a capabilities assessment application along with their registration application. The capabilities assessment application is a self-assessment in which applicants are asked to describe how they have demonstrated the six capabilities in their current or previous osteopathic practice and relevant life experiences.

Please note that as original documents need to be sighted, it is not possible to register by email.

ANNUAL PRACTISING CERTIFICATE

Registration, by itself, does not allow a practitioner to lawfully practise osteopathy.  In addition to registration, an annual practising certificate (APC) is required.  Prior to commencing practice you will need to apply for an APC if you have not already done so. Your APC will have the “Preceptorship” condition on the scope of practice. Please click here to read more about this condition. 

SUMMARY OF REQUIREMENTS AND FORMS FOR APPLICANTS WITHOUT RECOGNISED QUALIFICATIONS

1.Read: Registration Information for Overseas Trained Osteopaths Without Recognised Qualifications.

2.Complete: Capabilities Assessment Application.

3.Complete: Registration Form.

4.Complete: Annual Practising Certificate Form.

5.Complete: Payment Form.

 Note: Australian registered osteopaths may seek registration in New Zealand under the Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition Agreement.

Fees

The Council has set various charges, which have been published in the New Zealand Gazette in accordance with section 130 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. These charges apply to applications relating to 1 April 2015 onwards, and are in $NZ including GST (Goods and Services Tax).

1. If you will not be practising immediately during the year (1 April to 31 March) you may apply for registration and, once registered, must pay the inactive registrant's annual fee.  If you apply later for a practising certificate, the inactive registrant's fee that you have already paid for that year will be deducted from the normal APC fee.  Please note that if you are registered and have not held a practising certificate for some years and have not paid the annual inactive registrant's fee during those years, the outstanding fees will be a debt due to the Council before a practising certificate will be issued. 
2. We are unable to process your application until it is complete, and your payment has been cleared.
3. You can click here for the payments form to pay the charges.

 Please click here to see the full range of fees.