PMDC License Renewal
Complete Guide 2026 —
Fee, Steps & Deadlines

Your initial PMDC registration does not grant you a permanent, indefinitely valid licence to practise. Instead, PM&DC requires all registered doctors to renew their registration periodically to confirm they remain active practitioners in good standing. Furthermore, renewal keeps your contact details, address, and speciality information current in the national database.

Unfortunately, many doctors miss their renewal deadline — not because they are negligent, but because they do not know one is coming. Consequently, their registration expires without warning, and they suddenly cannot prove they are licensed to practise. This causes problems with employers, international exam boards, and hospital credentialing departments.

The Two Most Common Reasons Doctors Miss Renewal

First, doctors often use an old email address when they register — one they no longer check regularly. As a result, they miss the renewal reminder PMDC sends automatically. Second, many doctors assume their registration is permanent once issued, and therefore never think to check its expiry date. Neither assumption is correct, and both lead to the same outcome: an expired licence at the worst possible time.

The solution is simple. After completing this guide, log into your PMDC portal, check your registration expiry date, and set a personal reminder six months before that date. Moreover, update your email address in the portal right now if it has changed since you first registered.

PMDC registration renewal follows a fixed cycle. However, the specific duration can vary depending on the type of registration and any updates PM&DC makes to its policy. Therefore, always verify the current renewal cycle on the official portal — do not rely solely on information from older sources or social media.

General Renewal Timeline

As a general rule, PMDC registration requires renewal every five years. Additionally, you can begin the renewal process up to three months before your expiry date — which means you do not need to wait until the last minute. In fact, starting early is strongly recommended. Renewal processing takes 2 to 4 weeks on average. Consequently, if you wait until the expiry date itself, you risk a gap in your active registration status during processing.

Furthermore, renewing early does not shorten your next renewal cycle. Your new expiry date is calculated from your current expiry date — not from the date you submit the renewal. Therefore, there is no disadvantage to renewing early, and there are several advantages to doing so.

The entire PMDC renewal process can be completed online through the official PM&DC portal. Therefore, you do not need to visit the PMDC office in Islamabad in most cases. Follow these six steps carefully — missing any one of them can delay your renewal by weeks.

The PMDC renewal fee is set by PM&DC and is subject to change. Therefore, always verify the current fee on the official portal before making any payment — do not rely on fees mentioned in older guides, WhatsApp groups, or social media posts, as these are frequently outdated.

General Fee Structure

As a general guide, renewal fees depend on your registration category — MBBS (general practitioner), specialist, or dentist. Additionally, late renewal fees are higher than on-time renewal fees. Furthermore, doctors who allow their registration to lapse for an extended period may face a restoration fee rather than a standard renewal fee, which is typically significantly higher.

An expired PMDC registration has serious consequences that affect your career immediately. However, the situation is fixable — the key is acting quickly rather than hoping the problem resolves itself.

First, log into your PMDC portal account and check whether a late renewal option is available for your registration. If your registration expired recently — within the past year — late renewal is typically possible through the standard portal process with an additional late fee. However, if your registration has been expired for a longer period, the process becomes more complex. In that case, contact PMDC directly to understand the specific restoration requirements for your situation.

Furthermore, do not attempt to practise during the period between expiry and renewal completion. Additionally, inform your employer proactively rather than waiting for them to discover the expired status — proactive communication demonstrates professionalism and may prevent disciplinary action.

Many doctors confuse a Good Standing Certificate with their standard registration certificate. However, they are two different documents that serve different purposes. Understanding the difference saves significant time when applying for international exams or overseas employment.

Standard Registration Certificate vs Good Standing Certificate

Your standard PMDC registration certificate confirms that you are registered with PM&DC. By contrast, a Good Standing Certificate is a separate official document that additionally confirms your registration is active, your licence has not been suspended or revoked, and there are no disciplinary actions recorded against you. Furthermore, several international bodies specifically require the Good Standing Certificate — not just the registration number or standard certificate.