Nurses pay fees so that CNO can continue its regulatory functions in the public interest, maintaining public confidence and safety, while remaining financially sustainable.

In Ontario, legislation identifies certain professions that are self-regulated to ensure public safety. Nursing is one of these self-regulated professions, along with 25 other health care professions in the province. Members of these professions pay a regulatory body to set and enforce standards and entry requirements. Paying a fee renews a nurse’s ability to practice in Ontario and makes them a contributor in nursing regulation and public protection. It allows nurses to collectively fulfill the profession’s regulatory mandate to protect the public and ensures the public continues to trust nurses.

The fee increase will be incremental from 2024-2026. 

The 2026 renewal fee for nurses in the General and Extended classes is $415.84 (including HST).  

The renewal fee for nurses in the Non-Practising class is $77.97 (including HST). 

Learn more about the prices for renewal and application fees.

After accounting for the increase, CNO’s annual fees are still the lowest of any regulated health care profession in Ontario. They are also comparable to, and on the low end of, other nursing regulatory colleges in Canada.

CNO is funded by fees, including renewal fees, to conduct its regulatory functions in the public interest. That includes work like processing applications, providing practice support and customer service, and conducting investigations when necessary. Fees also support initiatives like registration, the Supervised Practice Experience Partnership, modernizing applicant assessment and transforming the Quality Assurance Program.