Everyday health and NHS services, explained
How to Register with a GP Practice in England
8 November 2026
Need help now?In an emergency, call 999. If you need medical help and aren't sure where to go, use NHS 111 online or call 111. This site shares general information only, not medical advice.
If you want to know how to register with a GP practice, the good news is that the NHS says everyone in England can register with a GP surgery, or change surgery, for free. Most surgeries let you register online. This guide follows the NHS page Register with a GP surgery step by step.
Quick answer: Find a surgery near you on the NHS website, choose one that offers online registration and fill in the form, which takes about 15 minutes per person. You'll usually be told you're registered within 5 days of the surgery getting your details. You don't need ID, proof of address, proof of immigration status or an NHS number.
Key Takeaways
Everyone in England can register with a GP surgery for free, including as a temporary patient.
You can register online, through the NHS App if you're already registered somewhere, or on a paper form.
You'll be asked for basic details: your name, date of birth and address.
If a surgery refuses to register you, it must write to you within 14 days to explain why.
Registering online
The NHS website sets out the online route in four steps:
Enter a postcode, or use your location, to look for GP surgeries in the area where you want to register.
Choose a surgery that offers online registration.
Fill in the registration form. The NHS says this takes about 15 minutes for each person you're registering.
Wait to hear back. You should be told when you've been registered, usually within 5 days of the surgery getting your details, though it may take longer.
You can start with the NHS Find a GP search. Most people need to register near where they live, but some surgeries accept patients from further away.
If you already have the NHS App, you can use it to change GP surgery. You must already be registered with a GP surgery to use the app for this.
You don't need to tell your current surgery that you're moving. The NHS says they'll be told automatically once your new surgery has registered you.
Other ways to register
If you'd rather not register online, the NHS lists three other options:
go to the surgery and fill in a paper form
download the paper registration form, fill it in and take it to the surgery
use a form on the surgery's own website, where it offers one
What you'll need
The NHS says you'll only be asked for basic information, including your name, date of birth and address. You'll also be asked for:
the name and address of an emergency contact
the name and address of the GP you're registered with now, if you have one
the name and address of your carer, if you have one
You don't need ID, proof of address or proof of immigration status. An NHS number can make it easier to find your medical records, but you don't need one to register.
Sometimes a surgery may ask for extra documents, for example to help find your records, or to prove you're the parent or guardian of a child you're registering. If you don't have a permanent address, the NHS says you can register using a temporary address or the address of the GP surgery.
Registering someone else
Children under 16 usually need to be registered by a parent or guardian, using a separate form. The NHS says you may need to be registered at the same surgery as the child, and you may be asked for proof of ID and address for the child, such as their birth certificate. Their red book (personal child health record) can help, if you have it.
You can also register someone you care for, whether you're a paid, unpaid, foster or young carer.
Registering outside your area
You can register permanently with a surgery outside your local area, for example near where you work. Not all surgeries accept out-of-area patients, so the NHS suggests filtering for "Accepts out of area registrations" in the search, checking the surgery's website or contacting the surgery.
The NHS warns that registering outside your area may affect the services you can use, including home visits, urgent and out-of-hours care from your GP, and community services like physiotherapy. Ask the surgery to explain what happens for these services before you register.
Registering as a temporary patient
If you're living away from home for a while, or visiting from abroad, you can register with a surgery as a temporary patient for up to 3 months. You fill in a temporary services form at the surgery. After 3 months you can re-apply as a temporary patient or apply to become a permanent patient.
If your temporary registration is refused, the NHS says you can still get any treatment you need immediately for up to 14 days.
If a surgery says no
The NHS says a surgery may refuse your registration if it isn't taking new patients, if you live outside its area, or if you've been removed from its list before. If it refuses, it must write to you within 14 days to explain why.
If you have problems registering, the NHS suggests contacting your local integrated care board (ICB), Citizens Advice or your local Healthwatch.
While you wait to register
You can still get help if you need it before your registration goes through. Our guide on when to use NHS 111, A&E or your GP explains what each service is for, and urgent treatment centres don't need you to be registered with a GP.
If you need medical help right now and aren't sure where to go, use NHS 111 online or call 111. In an emergency, always call 999.
Living in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?
The NHS page above covers England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own health services, so check the official health service website for your nation for how to register there.
Once you're registered
Once you're registered, you can contact your surgery about any health problem that isn't urgent. For everyday wellbeing, our round-up of NHS tips for better sleep sets out what the NHS suggests.
If you work at a screen, our guide on setting up a desk to avoid back and neck pain sets out the HSE advice.
Our page on where to get NHS help shows how the GP fits with the other NHS services.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need proof of address to register with a GP?
No. The NHS says you don't need ID, proof of address or proof of immigration status to register with a GP surgery. You'll be asked for basic details like your name, date of birth and address.
Do I need an NHS number to register?
No. The NHS says an NHS number can make it easier to find your medical records, but you don't need one to register.
How long does it take to register with a GP?
The online form takes about 15 minutes per person. The NHS says you'll usually be told you're registered within 5 days of the surgery getting your details, but it may take longer.
Do I need to tell my old GP surgery that I'm changing?
No. The NHS says your current surgery will be told automatically once your new surgery has registered you.