Registering a health or care service in England

Regulation requires

CQC registration attaches to the legal person carrying on a regulated activity. The activity, who delivers it, the setting and any exemption matter more than the label used to market the business. A clinic, care agency or online service can involve several activities, while some services sit outside CQC's registration scope.

Before committing to an application, record what will actually happen: assessment, diagnosis, treatment, prescribing, personal care, accommodation and transport. Identify the responsible legal entity and each relevant location. Check the current scope guidance and the proposed conditions of registration. A website checker can organise these questions; it cannot settle every fact-sensitive boundary.

Use the current application route

As reviewed on 1 November 2026, new provider and manager applications use CQC's downloadable forms and email. The provider portal is not the route for a new registration. CQC requires related manager applications and supporting documents to arrive together. Use its current instructions, including the separate address for event TDDI applications.

The applicant must complete and take responsibility for the application. Independent support can help analyse scope, review documents and prepare for discussions, but should not replace the provider's understanding of its proposed service.

CQC looks for

Current guidance expects the proposed service to be ready, including staff and suitable premises where applicable. The evidence needs to explain how care will be safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. Documents should describe the actual service and agree with each other.

Depending on the application, assessment may include a fit-person interview, nominated-individual discussion or site visit. Missing or incorrect material can lead to rejection; a resubmission counts as a new application and does not retain the original queue position.

Scope changes to check before submission

• ADHD and autism diagnosis without treatment is outside the current registration scope described in CQC's March 2026 guidance. Its 9 October 2026 announcement proposes future regulation once new regulations are in place.
• Applications for relevant event healthcare opened on 7 September 2026. CQC advises applying by 1 March 2027; regulatory monitoring and enforcement under the new requirements begin on 6 December 2027.
• An Ofsted-registered children's home may still need separate CQC registration for healthcare activities. Do not infer a complete exemption from the setting alone.

Our recommendation

Create one controlled application index linking each answer to its supporting evidence. Have the proposed manager and nominated individual explain the arrangements in their own words. Record unresolved scope questions and resolve them before presenting the service as ready to operate.

Keep application preparation separate from permission to begin a regulated activity. CQC describes registration as potentially taking a few months; this is not a delivery promise or an individual decision date.

Evidence checklist

• Written activity, exemption, legal-entity and location analysis.
• Current provider forms and related manager applications, checked together.
• Statement of purpose consistent with the application and proposed services.
• Sector-specific policy and supporting-document index.
• Recruitment, management, premises and operational-readiness evidence.
• Submission record, current contact details and a log of CQC questions.

Common questions

Sources and review record

1. cqc.org.uk — Register provider↗ (opens in a new tab)
2. cqc.org.uk — Provider application forms↗ (opens in a new tab)
3. cqc.org.uk — Changes to how you register cqc↗ (opens in a new tab)
4. cqc.org.uk — Diagnostic and screening procedures↗ (opens in a new tab)
5. cqc.org.uk — Cqc regulate autism and adhd diagnostic assessments↗ (opens in a new tab)
6. cqc.org.uk — Registration applications now open event healthcare providers↗ (opens in a new tab)
7. cqc.org.uk — Types service provider or legal entity↗ (opens in a new tab)

Content version: 1 November 2026 · Next scheduled content review 1 December 2026. This is a content review date, not a monitoring service or a guarantee that a source will remain unchanged.