Within the College, there are six classes of registration available to members: General, Temporary, Extended, Retired, Special Assignment and Transitional.

General Class

This is the most common class of registration, and it is held for the majority of a member’s career in nursing. An annual membership fee is required to maintain a valid Certificate of Registration.

Temporary Class

The Temporary Class is for individuals who have met all requirements for the General Class as a Registered Nurse (RN) or Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) except the successful completion of the national registration exam. Temporary registration is granted for a limited time period (no longer than six months) and restricts practice to a specific employment setting. Temporary Class members are eligible to join the General Class when they successfully complete the exam and meet all other requirements for registration.

• Fact Sheet: Temporary Class Registration
• Temporary Class Registration Guide

Extended Class

Only RNs who have obtained advanced education and passed the Extended Class examination can join this class.
RN(EC)s, also known as Nurse Practitioners, have an expanded scope of practice in the areas of assessment, diagnoses, prescription of tests and treatments, and health promotion.

• Fact Sheet: Nurse Practitioners
• Practice Standard: Nurse Practitioners
• Becoming an NP in Ontario
• FAQs: NP Application

Retired Class

The Retired Class is an option for Ontario nurses aged 65 or older who have permanently retired from nursing practice. This class allows members to use the title "Registered Nurse (Retired)" or "Registered Practical Nurse (Retired)" even though they are no longer in active practice.

• Fact Sheet: Retired Class
• Retired Class: Questions & Answers

Special Assignment Class

This is a short-term, non-renewable registration for individuals (usually from outside Canada) who have an appointment or assignment as an RN or RPN with an approved facility and who do not plan to stay in Ontario for more than one year. Individuals in this class can only practice within the scope of their appointment and only under defined terms, conditions or limits. Nurses from other jurisdictions who are brought in on an interim basis to assist during an emergency can also be registered as part of the Special Assignment Class.

• Fact Sheet: Special Assignment Class
• Fact Sheet: Emergency Situations

Transitional Class

The Transitional Class is a special designation for those nurses registered in another Canadian province or territory who may require skills upgrading to join the General Class.

• Fact Sheet: Transitional Class