Members’ Notice • Final Reminder • For Immediate Release
Lusaka, Thursday 24 September 2026 · Veterinary Association of Zambia
The deadline to upload your professional credentials has passed. The 2027 registration cycle opens on 1 October 2026, and it runs on the new online platform. If your records are not on the portal, you may not be able to register or renew on time. Practising without registration or a valid practising certificate is a criminal offence.
Time left until the 2027 registration cycle opens
Opens: Thursday, 1 October 2026 at 00:00 (Zambia time). The upload deadline of Sunday, 20 September 2026 has already passed.
On 18 August 2026 the Veterinary Council of Zambia (VCZ) directed all veterinary surgeons and veterinary para-professionals to upload or update their professional credentials and personal records on the new VAZ/VCZ Digital Registration Portal by 20 September 2026. The purpose is to make sure the Council's records are complete and accurate before registration moves from the manual system to the online platform.
That deadline has passed, and many profiles are still incomplete. The Veterinary Association of Zambia is therefore issuing this final reminder. If you have not yet completed your profile, do it today. Do not wait until the registration cycle opens.
What the law says
Registration is a legal requirement under the Veterinary and Veterinary Para-Professions Act No. 45 of 2010, not an administrative courtesy. The portal is now the channel through which the Council registers and certifies veterinary professionals. The following provisions apply directly to you:
| Section | What it requires | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| s. 12 | No person may practise as a veterinary surgeon or veterinary para-professional unless registered under the Act. | Offence: fine of up to 500,000 penalty units, imprisonment of up to 5 years, or both. |
| s. 19 | Every registered person must notify the Registrar of any change in their registration particulars within seven days of the change. | Outdated phone numbers, e-mail addresses or physical addresses breach this duty. |
| s. 21 | No person may practise as a veterinary surgeon without a practising certificate issued by the Council. | Offence: fine of up to 700,000 penalty units, imprisonment of up to 7 years, or both. |
| s. 24 | A practising certificate must be renewed every year. A certificate that is not renewed is void. | Practising on a void certificate is an offence: fine of up to 100,000 penalty units, imprisonment of up to 1 year, or both. |
| s. 20(1)(a) | The Council must cancel a registration obtained through fraud, misrepresentation or concealment of any material fact. | Cancellation and removal from the Register. |
What you must upload or update
Make sure your portal profile contains the following, as applicable:
- Academic and professional qualifications and certificates;
- Your VCZ Index Number;
- A current profile photo;
- Your current professional registration details;
- National Registration Card (NRC), or a valid passport or other identification document;
- Current contact details: an active phone number, an active e-mail address, and valid physical and postal addresses;
- Any other professional credentials or information the portal asks for.
Accuracy is a legal duty
Everything you upload must be accurate, complete and consistent with the records you have already submitted to the Council. If anything has changed, such as your name, qualifications, employer, place of practice or contact details, update it now. Under section 19 you should have done so within seven days of the change. Incorrect or misleading information is not a small error: under section 20(1)(a) it can lead to cancellation of your registration.
Do this today: five steps
- Log in to the VAZ/VCZ Digital Registration Portal.
- Open your profile and check every field against your original Council records.
- Scan or photograph each document clearly, then upload it. Make sure every page is complete and easy to read.
- Correct any contact details that are out of date, especially your phone number and e-mail address, which the Council will use to reach you during registration.
- Save your changes, and keep a copy of what you submitted.
Why this matters to every member
Moving to online registration is part of the joint VAZ/VCZ digital transformation. It will make registration, licensing and records management quicker and more transparent for everyone. It only works if every professional's data is on the platform before the cycle opens. Late uploads will cause queues, delays and lapsed certificates in October. A lapsed certificate puts both your livelihood and your legal standing at risk.
Issued by the Veterinary Association of Zambia in support of the Veterinary Council of Zambia.
Reference: VCZ Memorandum, Upload of Professional Credentials in Preparation for the 2027 Online Professional Registration, issued by Dr Simakechula Gelly Chikuni, CEO & Registrar, 18 August 2026.
Legal summary for information only. The authoritative text is the Veterinary and Veterinary Para-Professions Act No. 45 of 2010. Penalty amounts are stated in penalty units as set out in the Act.