Non-Practising Class

The Non-Practising Class is for registrants who want to keep their membership at times when they are not practicing in Ontario.

The main difference between the Non-Practising Class and the other classes is that registrants in this class cannot practice nursing in Ontario, either paid or unpaid. They also cannot present themselves as qualified to practice nursing anywhere in Ontario.

Registrants in the Non-Practising Class :

pay a reduced annual fee
do not take part in CNO’s Quality Assurance Program
are not eligible to run for CNO Council, serve on committees, or vote in CNO elections
do not have to hold professional liability protection.

Registration Requirements

Registrants can join the Non-Practising Class if they are (or ever have been) a member of the General or Extended Class.

All other certificates of registration (including any specialty certificates) automatically expire when a registrant enters the Non-Practising Class.

It is not mandatory for registrants to join the Non-Practising Class when they retire, leave the nursing profession or choose to practice outside Ontario.

Membership Obligations

Use of protected titles

Registrants in the Non-Practising Class can identify themselves by the following:

“Registered Nurse, Non-Practising” or “RN, Non-Practising” in the case of members registered as RNs
“Registered Practical Nurse, Non-Practising” or “RPN, Non-Practising” in the case of members registered as RPNs.

Non-Practising Class registrants can also use their title without the “Non-Practising” qualifier so long as they make it clear at the time they are using their title they are not qualified to practice nursing in Ontario.

Terms, conditions and limitations

Registrants in the Non-Practising Class must not practice nursing in Ontario. A registrant is not in breach of this condition if they are:

engaging in continuing education or remediation as directed by a committee or a panel of a committee of CNO to regain membership in the General or Extended class and
maintaining professional liability protection in line with the requirements, if any, as set out in the by-laws.

Returning to practice

Registrants in the Non-Practising Class can apply for reinstatement of their previously held General and/or Extended Class certificate(s). All requirements for reinstatement are non-exemptible.

When applying to return to the General or Extended Class, registrants in the Non-Practising Class must:

not be considered ineligible for reinstatement based on past conduct
pay all fees required under the by-laws
provide evidence of practice as an RN, RPN or NP (as applicable) within three years prior to the date of meeting all other requirements for reinstatement. CNO may extend this timeframe if it is in the interest of public safety.
complete either the RN/RPN Jurisprudence Examination or RN(EC) Jurisprudence Examination within the five years before they apply for reinstatement
show language proficiency in either English or French (i.e., be able to communicate and comprehend effectively, both orally and in writing) within two years (or such longer period of time approved by the Executive Director).

Reporting requirements

Every Non-Practising Class registrant must tell the Executive Director about any of the following:

a finding of guilt in any jurisdiction relating to any offence
a charge in any jurisdiction relating to any offence
a finding of professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity or any similar finding, in relation to the practice of nursing or another profession in any jurisdiction
a current investigation, inquiry or proceeding for professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity, or any similar investigation or proceeding, in relation to the practice of nursing or another profession in any jurisdiction.

Also, the registrant must provide any information requested by the Executive Director under the authority of the Nursing Act, 1991, the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, regulations under those acts or CNO by-laws.

View the Terms, Conditions and Limitations for the Non-Practising Class