Medical Council Announces Phased Increase to Annual Registration Fees for Doctors

Tuesday, 28^th April 2026: The Medical Council has today announced a phased increase to annual retention fees for registered doctors, effective from the 2026 annual retention process, which opens in late May 2026. This is the first change to annual retention fees since 2015.

Under the phased approach, a 10% increase will apply in 2026, followed by a further 10% increase in 2027. For the majority of registered doctors, this brings the annual retention fee from €605 to €665 in 2026, and €732 in 2027.

Rationale
Strong, effective regulation is essential for patient safety and upholding the integrity of medical practice in Ireland. The fee structure has remained unchanged for over ten years, during which time the cost of medical regulation has grown considerably.

Since the last change to annual retention fees in 2015, the demands on regulatory infrastructure have grown substantially. Medicine is now more complex than ever, with increasing registration volumes, advances in technology, rising operational costs, and new ethical challenges placing fresh demands on regulation.

To future-proof regulatory capacity and ensure it remains fair, responsive, and effective for patients, doctors, and the public, the Medical Council requires sustainable funding. This increase in registration fees is therefore a necessary investment that will strengthen and secure a system that continues to serve well into the future.

Specific cohorts
The Medical Council has designed the fee structure to reflect the circumstances of different cohorts:

• Doctors who have qualified in the last three years will see no increase in either 2026 or 2027, with fees remaining at €560.
• Doctors aged over 70 will see a modest increase of €5 in 2026, with no further increase in 2027, resulting in a fee of €75 for both years.
• Doctors on maternity, adoptive, surrogacy or sick leave will continue to benefit from a 50% refund of retention fees paid within the current registration year.
• Doctors with international protection or refugee status will continue to benefit from a nominal registration fee of €5 for their first year.

Revised fee structure

Efficiencies and service improvements
The Medical Council noted that despite the fee freeze, it has continued to invest in service improvements. Registration processing times have substantially reduced recently, and legislative reforms to the complaints process have introduced more timely resolution mechanisms and enhanced powers to address vexatious or unsubstantiated complaints at an early stage. These improvements strengthen patient safety while supporting a fairer process for doctors.

Dr Maria O’Kane, CEO, Medical Council said, “This phased adjustment to doctors’ registration fees is necessary to sustain the highest standards of medical regulation that doctors and the public rightly expect. We have been deliberate in designing protections for newly qualified doctors and other specific cohorts, and we remain committed to using doctors’ fees efficiently and transparently.

“Effective regulation is the cornerstone of patient safety. We’re satisfied that a phased adjustment is both proportionate and necessary to sustain a robust and effective regulatory system. It ensures we can continue to deliver the regulatory framework that underpins public confidence in the medical profession, while reflecting the real cost pressures that have built over a decade”, Dr O’Kane concluded.

Further information, including a full list of fee changes and FAQs, is available on the Medical Council website.