FROM A-LEVELS OR AN OVERSEAS DEGREE TO PRACTISING IN THE UKSearch the guide
← The PLAB route for overseas-qualified doctors
STEP 8 OF 13 · ROUTE B · OVERSEAS GRADUATES (PLAB)

After PLAB: registration, licence and GMC number

The steps from a PLAB 2 pass to a doctor’s ID, and what “licence to practise” means.

  • ⏱ 6 min read
  • Route B · overseas graduates (PLAB)
  • Step 8 of 13
  • Reviewed 24 October 2026
  1. Pass PLAB 2.
  2. Apply to the GMC for registration with a licence to practise, with your passport, qualifications, English evidence, certificates of good standing and any internship evidence.
  3. Attend the GMC’s identity check (in person or as the GMC currently allows).
  4. Receive your GMC reference number.
  5. Complete the GMC’s welcome and induction information before starting work.
  • Provisional vs full registration. If you have not completed an internship, you may be given provisional registration and have to complete supervised training.
  • Licence to practise. Only licensed doctors can prescribe, sign certificates and work as a doctor in the NHS.
  • Revalidation. You join the five-year revalidation cycle and need an appraiser and a Responsible Officer or Suitable Person.

Before your first shift

  • Complete the GMC’s “Welcome to UK Practice” sessions if available to you: they are free and cover ethics, law and how the NHS works.
  • Join a defence organisation and arrange indemnity if your employer does not provide it.
  • Complete occupational health, DBS and right-to-work checks with your employer.
  • Read Good Medical Practice and your trust’s induction material.

Fees, English-test scores and dates were last checked against official sources on 24 October 2026.

This page is general education, reviewed 24 October 2026. Rules, fees and dates change: always confirm with the official sources below. It is not medical, legal or immigration advice.