The CPD regulation map.
25 New Zealand professions: their regulator, what they must do, who controls the content and whether online learning counts. “UNVERIFIED” means it could not be confirmed on a primary source.
| Profession | Regulator | Mandatory | Hours or cycle | Online, self-paced | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teachers, incl. ECE | Teaching Council | Yes, PD needed to renew every 3 years | No hours. "Satisfactory professional development in the past three years", endorsed by the professional leader | Yes, no format rule | renewal, stats, PLD |
| Teacher aides | None | No | None | n/a | None reachable |
| Real estate | REA | Yes | 20 h/yr: 10 verifiable + 10 non-verifiable, due 31 Dec | Verifiable: online and webinar allowed. Non-verifiable: videos count only "as part of a structured training session" | requirements, providers, annual report |
| Doctors | MCNZ | Yes | General scope: PDP, 20 h CME, 10 h peer review, 1 audit, 4 collegial meetings per year. GPs: 96 credits per 3 years in Te Whanake | Yes. bpacnz online articles earn 2 RNZCGP credits per hour | general scope, providers, Te Whanake, bpac, report |
| Nurses | Nursing Council | Yes | 60 h PD + 450 practice hours per 3 years | Yes. "Online learning" is listed | competence, annual report, Mar 2026 |
| Pharmacists | Pharmacy Council | Yes | No hours. Per year: 2 learning goals, 1 critical reflection, 2 peer group meetings, 1 cultural safety action, 1 keeping-up-to-date log, 2 verifier conversations | Yes (inferred from open log) | requirements, annual report |
| Dental | Dental Council | Yes | No hours quota. Peer, PDP, activities, reflection | Yes (inferred) | notice Nov 2023, OAG |
| Physiotherapists | Physiotherapy Board | Yes | 100 h per 3 years, rolling. No annual minimum | UNVERIFIED | Board, OAG |
| Vets | Vet Council | Yes | No hours since 2021. Plan, do, record, review | Yes. Council's own AMR e-learning counts | CPD, workforce |
| Social workers | SWRB | Yes | 20 h/yr. At least 1 activity on working with Māori | Webinars listed | CPD, workforce |
| Psychologists | Psychologists Board | Yes | No hours. Annual CCP with supervisor and logbook | Yes (inferred) | CCP, annual report |
| Lawyers | NZ Law Society | Yes | 10 h/yr + written plan. Year ends 31 Mar | Yes if verifiable, structured and interactive or assessed | providers, numbers |
| Chartered engineers | Registration Authority (Engineering NZ) | Yes for CPEng | 40 h/yr. Plus 15 h per extra practice field. Checked at 6-yearly reassessment | Likely yes | CPEng CPD, EngNZ |
| Chartered accountants | CA ANZ (body, not statute) | Yes for members | 120 h per 3 years. 90 verifiable. Min 20 h/yr. 6 h ethics | Likely yes (verifiable needs evidence) | CA ANZ |
| CPA Australia, NZ members | CPA Australia | UNVERIFIED | UNVERIFIED | UNVERIFIED | None reachable |
| Financial advisers | FMA, Code Standard 9 | Yes | No minimum hours. Annual plan. Principles-based from 1 Nov 2025 | Yes. Structured and informal both recognised | FMA, MinterEllison, snapshot |
| Immigration advisers | IAA | Yes | 20 h/yr incl. IAA-notified mandatory activities | UNVERIFIED | CPD, stats, 2021 |
| Licensed building practitioners | MBIE | Yes | Every 2 years: MBIE Codewords articles and quizzes, 2 on-the-job items, 12, 15 or 18 elective hours by class | Compulsory part is online. Electives UNVERIFIED | LBP, PGDB fees review |
| Electrical workers | EWRB | Yes | Competence Programme every 2 years: first aid, update, written test, practical test | Partly. E-learning modules plus in-person practical | programme, providers |
| Plumbers, gasfitters, drainlayers | PGDB | Yes | One CPD course a year to renew | Yes, Board's own course | CPD, fees review |
| Security staff | PSPLA | No | "You only need to train once" | n/a | PSPLA |
| Addiction practitioners | DAPAANZ (body) | Yes for registered members | 100 points before full registration. 75 points/yr for peer support workers. Practitioner annual figure UNVERIFIED | DAPAANZ runs its own online hub | registration |
| Counsellors | NZAC (voluntary) | Membership condition only | Hours UNVERIFIED | UNVERIFIED | NZAC |
| HR | HRNZ (voluntary) | No statute | UNVERIFIED | UNVERIFIED | HRNZ |
| Health and safety | None | No statutory CPD | HASANZ register is voluntary. CPD set by each member body | n/a | HASANZ |
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