Plab overview

Written & Compiled by Medindia Content Team

Medically Reviewed by The Medindia Medical Review Team on Apr 03, 2014

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Fee structure / Refund

PLAB Fees	Effective from 31st March 2018
Part 1 of the PLAB test	£230
Part 2 of the PLAB test	£840
Request for clerical check of results for the PLAB test	£45

Registration Fees	Effective until 31st March 2016	Effective from 1st April 2016
Full registration with a licence to practise for doctors who hold, or have previously held, provisional registration	£200 ¹	£200 ¹
Full registration with a licence to practise for doctors who submit their application within two years of passing a primary medical qualification (and do not hold, or have not previously held, provisional registration)	£200 ^1,	£200 ¹
Full registration with a licence to practise for doctors not covered by the scenarios above	£420 ^1,2	£425 ^1,2
Full registration with a licence to practise for a temporary period for a visiting eminent specialist	£420 ¹	£425 ¹
Provisional registration with a licence to practise	£90 ^1,3	£90 ^1,3
Restoration fee	£325 ⁴	£325 ⁴
Scrutiny fee	£90	£90
Specialist or GP Registration Fees	Effective until 31st March 2016	Effective from 1st April 2016
Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT)	£420	£420
Review of an application or a reapplication for a CCT	£235	£235
Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR)	£1600	£1600
Certificate of Eligibility for GP Registration (CEGPR)	£1600	£1600
Application for a CEGPR through the Approved Programme (AP)	£1600	£1600
Review of an application or a reapplication for a CESR or a CEGPR	£695	£695
Application for a CESR or a CEGPR through the combined programme (CP)	£420	£420
Application for sub-specialty recognition	£295	£295
Certificate of GP acquired rights	£295	£295
Review of an application or a reapplication for a Certificate of GP acquired rights	£150	£150
Reassessment of a CESR or CEGPR application that was assessed through the General System of assessment	£695	£695
Specialist and GP registration appeals fees	Effective until 31st March 2016	Effective from 1st April 2016
Application to an Appeal Panel (written appeal)	£1600	£1600
Application to an Appeal Panel (oral appeal)	£2420	£2420
Annual Retention Fees	Effective until 31 March 2016	Effective from 1 April 2016
Annual retention fee for registration with a licence to practise	£420 ²	£425 ²
Annual retention fee for registration without a licence to practise	£150 ²	£152 ²
Revalidation for doctors without a prescribed connection	Effective until 17 January 2016	Effective from 18th January 2016
Annual return	N/A	£250*
Revalidation assessment	N/A	£1100

This includes a non-refundable scrutiny fee should your application be refused, closed or withdrawn.

Doctors whose gross annual worldwide income from all sources is below the specified income threshold may be entitled to a 50% discount on the value of their annual retention fee. Further information can be found on our income discount page.

The fee for provisional registration is for three years and 30 days.

A restoration fee is charged to doctors restoring to the Register following administrative erasure.

From 25 June 2014, European doctors granted registration without a licence due to insufficient evidence that they have the necessary knowledge of English language to practise safely in the UK, will receive a refund of the licence part of their fee.

*Any annual return submitted on or after 18 January 2016 will be charged a new fee.

**Any PLAB tests booked on or after 1 February 2016 will be charged the new fee.

If you cannot cancel using the online system, you can download a cancellation form (pdf).

If you want to change the date of your examination you must first cancel your place, pay the cancellation fee and book again. You may not cancel your place once you have attempted the examination. The cancellation fees are:

Part 1

Period of notice	Cancellation fee For tests booked on or before 31 January 2016	Cancellation fee For tests booked on or after 1 February 2016
Over 83 days before the exam	No cancellation fee	No cancellation fee
Between 83 and 57 days before the exam	£77.50 (50%)	£115
Less than 57 days before the exam	£155 (100%)	£230

Part 2

Period of notice	Cancellation Fee For tests booked on or before 31 January 2016	Cancellation Fee For tests booked on or after 1 February 2016
Over 83 days before the exam	No cancellation fee	No cancellation fee
Between 83 and 43 days before the exam	£232.50 (50%)	£420
Less than 43 days before the exam	£465.00 (100%)	£840

For change of test date cancellation fee will be charged as shown above.

Please Note: Cancellation of a confirmed examination place will count as one of your free attempts

Applying for PLAB exam

On deciding which route of registration applies to the candidate, he/she should obtain the relevant application form. The application form can be downloaded from the website: http://www.gmc-uk.org or will be sent to you on payment by a debit or credit card.
The application form should be completed giving all the information required. Failure to do so will delay the processing of the application for registration. Please follow the instructions in the application form carefully. The candidate will be duly intimated incase further information is required for the application. This may include certificates and other documents.
Before submission of the application form please check that all details have been provided and all the information and documents asked for are enclosed.
The application form can be submitted by post or in person to:

General Medical Council,
North Entrance,
350 Euston Rd,
London, NW1 3JN. UK

Once the application forms have been received it will be checked for the details that have been provided.
In some cases applications will need to be referred to the Registration Committee for a decision on the candidates eligibility for registration , the candidate will however be informed regards the same.
Once the application has been processed a certificate of registration will be sent to the candidates registered address.

However one should not assume that they are registered until they have received the registration certificate or confirmation via telephone helpline that registration has been granted. Please note that registration will be granted on the date that it is processed.

Download PLAB 1 Application Form

Download PLAB 2 Application Form

Taking the PLAB exam

The test is in two parts:

There are two parts to the PLAB test. The first – known as Part 1 – is a written test of knowledge applied to the care and treatment of patients.
The second – known as Part 2 – is an assessment of clinical and communication skills. Only candidates who have passed Part 1 can take Part2.

Part 1

If you pass you can immediately apply to take Part 2 of the test using GMC Online. See our list of PLAB test dates. If you fail, you can book another Part 1 place provided the evidence of your proficiency in English is still current. You may not apply for Part 2 or re-apply for Part 1 before the results have been issued. You must pass Part 2 of the test within three years of the date you passed Part 1.

Part 2

If you pass, you can apply for registration with a licence to practise.

For more information on applying for registration with a licence to practise, please see our registration applications guidance.

You must pass Part 2 of the test within three years of the date you passed Part 1. You must be granted registration with a licence to practise in the UK within three years of passing Part 2 of the test. Otherwise you will have to provide further evidence of your proficiency in English and take Part 1 and Part 2 again.

One cannot enter Part 2 until they have passed Part 1. Part 2 must be taken within three years of passing Part 1. Because there is a high demand for places. Hence the candidate must make sure he / she applies in time. Since November 2002 there has been a time limit for the validity of a pass in the PLAB test.

whichever is later. The candidate will have to work under limited registration within three years of passing the test if not they will have to take both parts of the test again.