A returned CQC application goes back to the start of the queue. This checklist helps you send a complete pack the first time.
Our free CQC registration checklist for 2026 lists every document CQC asks for, for seven types of service, with tick-box checks for each form and policy. It is a 13-page PDF and there is no sign-up. Download it, work through it in order, then send everything together to HSCA_Applications@cqc.org.uk.
Download the free CQC registration guide (PDF, 13 pages)
We first published this checklist in November 2025. This edition is rewritten for 2026. It takes in the changes CQC made to its forms and document lists this year, and the reasons we have seen CQC give for returning applications in 2026.
It covers home care, supported living, care homes, GP practices, online GP services, dental practices and ambulance services.
What is in the free CQC registration guide?
- A table showing which documents each of the seven service types needs.
- Eight tick-box checklists: before you start, the application forms, the Statement of Purpose, the business plan, premises, insurance, the key policies and the final checks.
- The ten reasons CQC most often sends applications back.
- The registration process in nine steps, from choosing your scope to CQC’s decision.
The tick boxes work on screen in any PDF reader, and the guide prints cleanly on A4.
Which documents does CQC ask for?
Every new provider sends the provider application form, the registered manager application form and a Statement of Purpose. After that, the list depends on the service.
| Service | Main extra documents |
|---|---|
| Home care and supported living | Business plan with a 24-month forecast, service user guide, staff training plan, and the additional form for providers of personal care |
| Care homes | Business plan, service user guide, training plan, fire and Legionella risk assessments, floor plan, gas and electrical certificates, and planning permission |
| Online GP services | Online health additional form, financial viability statement, medical emergency policy, inclusion and exclusion criteria policy, and medical indemnity |
| Dental practices | Oral health additional form, financial viability statement, X-ray equipment reports and HSE registration, and a radiography risk assessment with local rules |
| Ambulance services | Additional form for ambulance services, vehicle details, bariatric patient, incident reporting, restraint and medical emergency policies, staffing structure, training plan, fire, health and safety and Legionella risk assessments, and a business plan |
| GP practices | Financial viability statement, and anything CQC’s supporting documents page lists for your service on the day |
All services also need the core policies: safeguarding, consent, complaints, recruitment, equality, governance, infection prevention and control, and medicines. The guide lists each one with the content CQC looks for inside it.
What changed for CQC registration in 2026?
- Since 9 February 2026, CQC rejects an application that is incomplete when it arrives, instead of asking for what is missing. A resubmitted application counts as a new one and loses its place in the queue.
- From 5 May 2026, dental applications need extra evidence for X-ray equipment, fire, Legionella and health and safety.
- From 17 August 2026, ambulance services send an additional form and eleven extra documents. Our ambulance registration guide explains each one.
- From 5 May 2026, a building that needed building regulations approval must have its final certificate before CQC will register the location.
- The additional form for providers of personal care has a January 2026 issue. Older versions are returned.
- Home care providers have not needed a statement of financial viability since 1 July 2025.
- The National Living Wage rose to £12.71 an hour on 1 April 2026. CQC notices business plans that still quote last year’s rate.
Why does CQC send applications back?
In our work on 2026 applications, the same few problems come up again and again:
- An old version of a form, or a form with rows deleted.
- A required document missing, or one document attached twice under different names.
- Market research that does not name local competitors, their prices and their CQC ratings.
- A yearly forecast where CQC wants 24 monthly figures.
- A consent policy that mentions the Mental Capacity Act 2005 but not its five principles.
- A council switchboard number where CQC expects the direct number for the safeguarding team.
The guide covers all ten reasons, with the check that catches each one.
How to use the checklist
- Download it at the start of your planning, not the week before you submit.
- Find your service in the table and list the documents you need.
- Write the Statement of Purpose first, then write everything else to match it.
- Tick a box only when the item is final. Check again after every change.
- On the day you submit, look at CQC’s supporting documents page for your service once more.
How Cura Compliance can help
If you would like us to check your pack against this list, or build it with you, see our CQC registration support or our fixed-price home care registration package. You can also book a free 30-minute consultation.
Registering with Ofsted, or in Scotland or Wales? We have free guides for those too: the Ofsted registration guide, the Care Inspectorate registration guide and the CIW registration guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is the CQC registration checklist really free?
Yes. It is a free PDF download with no email sign-up. You can print it and share it with your team, as long as you do not change it.
What documents do I need for CQC registration?
Every provider needs the provider and registered manager application forms, a Statement of Purpose, the core policies, insurance, ICO registration and evidence that you can use the premises. Home care, supported living and care homes also need a business plan, a service user guide and a staff training plan. The guide has a table for seven service types.
Does CQC charge a fee to register?
CQC does not charge to apply. Once you are registered, you pay an annual fee, which depends on the type and size of your service.
Where do I send my CQC application?
Send the provider form, the manager form and every supporting document together in one email to HSCA_Applications@cqc.org.uk. Attach each document on its own rather than in a zip file.
How long does CQC registration take?
CQC does not promise a time for new registrations. Plan for several months, and remember that a returned application goes back to the start of the queue.
Sources
- CQC: supporting documents for your application, checked September 2026
- CQC: provider application forms, checked September 2026
- The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014
- The Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009
- GOV.UK: National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates