PROVISIONAL AND RETIRED CLASSES OF REGISTRATION: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Amendments to O. Reg. 865/93: Registration under the Medicine Act, 1991 establish a provisional class of registration and a retired class of registration. The provisional class will take effect on January 1, 2026 and the retired class on April 1, 2026. These FAQs are intended to help physicians understand how these two new classes may affect their registration status and their practice.

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Why was the provisional class of registration established?

Before the provisional class, certificates of registration of any class that were subject to any terms, conditions, or limitations imposed by CPSO were deemed to be “restricted” certificates. The restricted class included physicians with restrictions relating to registration pathways and restrictions relating to practice concerns or disciplinary action. The “restricted” designation therefore led to confusion among the profession and the public because of its broad application and potentially negative connotation.

A key benefit of the provisional class is that it is distinct from the restricted class. The new provisional class will capture physicians whose certificates of registration have only limitations related to registration pathways. This could include, for example, scope of practice limitations or limitations requiring a physician to practise under supervision while they complete outstanding certification requirements.

Going forward, the restricted class will be limited to physicians whose certificates of registration have restrictions due to practice concerns or disciplinary action.

I currently hold a restricted certificate of registration. What does the new provisional class of registration mean for me?

Once the new class takes effect, all individuals holding a restricted certificate with no terms, conditions, or limitations relating to practice concerns or disciplinary action will automatically be transferred into the provisional class.¹ There will be no other impact.

As a member of the provisional class, do I have a route to an independent practice certificate?

Yes. Under the new regulations, you may apply for an independent practice certificate where:

• you have held a provisional certificate of registration continuously for at least five years;
• during that five-year period, the only term, condition, or limitation on your certificate authorized you to practise independently limited to your scope of practice; and
• during that five-year period, you have practised continuously in Ontario.

If you have held an eligible restricted certificate for over five years in Ontario with only a scope of practice limitation, you may be immediately eligible to apply for an independent practice certificate.

Physicians registered in the retired class cannot “engage in the practice of medicine and/or provide any health-care services.” What activities are captured by the term “health-care services?”

Physicians registered in the retired class are prohibited from providing any type of health-care services, regardless of whether they involve direct patient care. This means that activities such as practising administrative medicine, performing independent medical examinations, and providing medical-legal consultations or opinions are all prohibited for physicians registered in the retired class.

I am a semi-retired physician. Can I apply for the retired class?

No. The retired class of registration is only available to physicians who are no longer practising medicine or providing any health-care services.

Can I return to practice after entering the retired class?

If a physician holding a certificate in the retired class wishes to return to practice (even if only on a limited basis), they are able to transfer back into independent practice provided they have been in the retired class for less than two years, are not the subject of an investigation, have no restrictions related to their practice, and meet all other requirements for registration.