Annual fees: What am I paying for?

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The 2025 annual renewal for physicians and physician assistants is now open! Make sure to complete your 2025 annual renewal on your CPSA Portal by December 31, 2024. Ever wondered what your annual renewal fees cover? Look no further.

What do my annual renewal fees cover?

Your annual fee allows CPSA to cover operational costs associated with the programs and initiatives that support you throughout your career and help us promote safe, quality care for Albertans. Every year, annual fees are determined based on the funding required to meet the needs of the profession and deliver CPSA’s programming, as per our strategic objectives and business plan approved by Council and as mandated by the Health Professions Act.

As mentioned in last month’s Messenger, due to higher than forecasted regulated member numbers and lower than budgeted operating costs in 2024, CPSA has accumulated a surplus to support a one-time contribution to reduce 2025 annual fees by 10%. Annual fees may increase again in 2026; however, this one-time fee reduction in 2025 allows for reduced cumulative dues over time.

Physician annual fees for 2025 as compared to the last 5 years are outlined as follows:

History of CPSA physician annual fee

2022 saw the subsidization of annual fees from CPSA’s Building Fund Reserve toward CPSA operations. In 2025, CPSA will again subsidize annual fees, this time drawing down on surplus funds and operating at a deficit for the year. As a result, annual fees will be only $2,000 compared to the $2,220 per physician that would be required to break even. The 2025 CPSA Budget can be reviewed here.

2025 annual renewal fee changes

For 2025, physicians will pay $2,000 to maintain registration with CPSA. This is a $200 decrease from the $2,200 annual fee in 2024. Physician assistants renewing this fall will pay $500 to maintain registration with CPSA.

Physicians and physician assistants who have active practice permits but are not engaged in any clinical work for at least six consecutive months may qualify for CPSA’s non-clinical register and reduced fees. Physicians and physician assistants renewing on the non-clinical register for 2025 will pay $500 and $125 respectively to maintain registration with CPSA.

How are fees used in each department?

CPSA supports high-quality care with many valuable programs in areas ranging from quality assurance and improvement (Physician Practice Improvement Program, MD Snapshot, etc.), innovative research (Analytics, Innovation & Research team) and resolution options for complaints received by regulated members. Annual fees make it possible for us to support high-quality medical practice across Alberta. In the 2025 Budget, member annual fees are allocated between programs as follows:

2025 allocation of regulated member annual fee

Read Medical Matters: how is your CPSA annual fee used? to learn more about how your annual fee supports the practice of medicine in Alberta.