Services must pay fees to be registered with us. The maximum limit is set by Scottish Ministers. The fees we collect contribute to our operating costs.
We charge a fee for registering a new service and an annual continuation fee. The annual continuation fee licenses a care service to operate.
Download our fees table here.
Annual continuation of registration fee
We will send an invoice each year for all your registered services. The date of when we send the invoice depends on the date you first registered. The table below helps you work out when your continuation fee will be due each following year:
| Date of first registration | Annual continuation fee due from |
| Between 1 April and 30 June | 1 April |
| Between 1 July and 30 September | 1 July |
| Between 1 October and 31 December | 1 October |
| Between 1 January and 31 March | 1 January |
If a service cancels part way through its fee year, we do not give a refund or discount.
Combined service discount
Separately registered services that operate from the same premises, sharing staff, management, policies and so on, are often referred to as ‘combined services’. Combined services can be cheaper for us to administer. If they are, we give a 15% discount on the smaller of their continuation fees.
The discount isn’t automatic and we must be confident that we can make a saving on their administration. Combined service discounts will show on the smaller service’s continuation fee invoice. If you think you may be entitled to a combined service discount, but there is no discount shown on your smaller service’s invoice, please contact your inspector.
We don’t normally give combined service discounts to fostering and adoption services. We don’t give discounts to services where the continuation fee is less than £500.
Variation, addition or removal of condition(s) – No fees charged
Although we have set this fee at zero, you must still complete an application to add, vary or remove a condition of registration. You can apply online through the digital portal. If this is not possible, call our Contact Centre on 0345 600 9527 for an application form.
New certificate fees – no charge
If we grant a variation to your registration, we will issue you with a new certificate of registration. There is no charge for sending your certificate.
Cancellations – no charge
Like variation fees, we have set the cancellation fee at zero. You can apply to cancel online through the digital portal. If this is not possible, call our Contact Centre on 0345 600 9527.
Unless we agree a shorter timescale, you must give us 3 months’ notice of your proposed cancellation. We will consider your cancellation completed when you have returned all the necessary documentation and we have confirmed your cancellation. If you are voluntarily cancelling a service in the period leading up to your annual continuation fee due date, make sure you don’t delay the process unnecessarily.
If you do not cancel your service before the annual continuation fee is due then it becomes payable in full. The annual continuation fee is not discounted for services that only operate for part of a year.
How to pay Care Inspectorate fees
Credit/Debit Card
You can pay by credit or debit card online through the following link: https://www.gov.uk/payments/care-inspectorate/continuation-fee
Direct Debit
You can pay by direct debit, either as a single payment or by 10 equal monthly instalments (only available if the fee is more than £100).
Direct Debits are normally collected at these times:
|
Annual continuation due date |
Single payment by |
10 equal instalments |
| 1 April | 31 May | from 31 May to 28 Feb |
| 1 July | 31 August | from 31 Aug to 31 May |
| 1 October | 30 November | from 30 Nov to 31 Aug |
| 1 January | 28 February | from 28 Feb to 30 Nov |
We do not fully control when the fees are set. We decide this in consultation with Scottish Government. Because of this, collection dates and number of instalments may change. If they do, we will let you know.
If you wish to pay by Direct Debit, please download, print and complete the Direct Debit instruction adding your customer number and return it to us.
BACS
Royal Bank of Scotland, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh
Sort Code: 83-06-08
Account Number: 11580052
Account Name: Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland
Cheque/Postal Order
You may pay by either cheque or postal order, made payable to The Care Inspectorate, including the remittance advice on the foot of your invoice, at any Care Inspectorate office or by posting to:
Care Inspectorate, Finance – Income Section, Compass House,
11 Riverside Drive, Dundee, DD1 4NY.
Contact us
Please contact us if you have an enquiry about your invoice. Call us on 0345 603 6979 Monday to Friday 9am – 4pm, or write to us at: Care Inspectorate, Finance – Income Section, Compass House, 11 Riverside Drive, Dundee, DD1 4NY or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Fee Information
This can be found within the fee section of our website
Inactive services
Please note that although your service may be inactive, you will still be due to pay annual continuation fees.