What am I required to disclose to the RCVS?

Disclosing convictions, cautions and adverse findings

As a member of the veterinary profession, you must be open and honest with the RCVS about certain convictions, cautions and adverse findings.  

If you are unsure, it’s safer to disclose. You can contact the RCVS for guidance Monday to Friday, 11am-4pm on 020 3821 1142.

What you must disclose

You must tell the RCVS if you receive:

• Any criminal conviction (unless specifically excluded, see below)
• Any police caution (including youth cautions)
• Any conditional caution
• Any adverse finding – this means a formal decision made against you by a veterinary school or university fitness to practise procedure, a veterinary regulator overseas, or a healthcare regulator in the UK or overseas

What you do not need to disclose  

There are two main exclusions from disclosure requirements:

Minor offences

You do not need to disclose minor motoring or fixed penalty offences, such as:

• Parking offences
• Speeding offences that did not lead to disqualification
• Using a mobile phone while driving, unless it led to a more serious penalty

You must disclose more serious driving offences, including:

• Drink-driving or drug-driving offences
• Any motoring offence that resulted in a driving ban, community order or prison sentence

Protected spent convictions

Some convictions become ‘spent’ after a period of time, meaning you do not need to disclose them. Certain spent convictions are also legally ‘protected’, and you do not need to declare them even if asked.

A conviction is usually protected if it:

• Was for a less serious offence
• Did not result in a custodial sentence
• Happened long enough ago (the time period depends on your age and the type of sentence)

If you are unsure whether a conviction is protected, you should seek independent legal advice.

When to disclose

You must tell the RCVS about convictions, cautions and adverse findings:

• When you first apply to register with the RCVS
• Within three months of the conviction, caution or adverse finding if it happens while you are on the Register

The relevant date is the date of the conviction or finding, not the date of the incident. You do not need to disclose convictions or adverse findings dated before January 2006.

What happens if you do not disclose

If you do not disclose when required, this may be treated as serious professional misconduct. Depending on the circumstances, we may:

• Carry out an investigation  
• Refer the case to the Disciplinary Committee
• Decide on suspension or removal from the Register

Being open and transparent from the outset gives you the best chance of a fair outcome and helps protect your professional standing.

Closed cases

If a case is closed, the conviction, caution or adverse finding will still be recorded against your name. No further action will be taken by the RCVS at that stage. However, the record may be considered again if future concerns, convictions, cautions or adverse findings arise and it is relevant to do so.