NABH accreditation: what it costs, how long it takes, and two deadlines this autumn

Updated 27 September 2026: We have rechecked the approaching deadlines and corrected our earlier statement that larger hospitals would automatically lose certification on 1 October. The notice distinguishes applications from certificate validity.

NABH's 21 April 2025 notification gives fresh and renewal HOPE entry-level applicants a pricing rebate until 30 September 2026. From 1 October 2026, it stops accepting those applications from hospitals above 300 beds, subject to exceptions.

Government-owned hospitals remain eligible. New hospitals commissioned on or after 1 October 2026 remain eligible for one entry-level cycle. These are NABH programme conditions; assess payer empanelment requirements separately.

Check the fee against the sanctioned bed count

The current entry-level programme page still lists the 30 September rebate. Its two-year fee for 21–50 beds is ₹48,000 instead of ₹80,000; for 51–100 beds, ₹96,000 instead of ₹1,60,000; and for 101–300 beds, ₹1,20,000 instead of ₹2,00,000. The 6–20-bed fee is ₹30,000 instead of ₹40,000. Up to five beds remains ₹21,000. The page adds 18 per cent GST.

As of this review, we have not verified an extension. A hospital intending to apply should confirm the required submission and payment steps with NABH and retain its acknowledgement. A saved application or a consultant's assurance should not be treated as evidence of acceptance.

The hospital accreditation programme's published fee schedule, effective 1 April 2024, lists:

• Up to 100 beds: ₹40,000 application and ₹2,00,000 annual fee.
• 101–300 beds: ₹75,000 application and ₹3,00,000 annual fee.
• 301–500 beds: ₹1,00,000 application and ₹4,00,000 annual fee.
• 501 beds and above: ₹1,50,000 application and ₹5,00,000 annual fee.

GST is 18 per cent extra. SHCO accreditation has its own schedule for up to 50 beds: ₹25,000 application and ₹1,50,000 annually, plus GST. Keep SHCO accreditation and entry-level certification as separate options in the budget. Our accreditation service page explains how we can help assess the route; AYUSH hospitals should also read the separate AYUSH programme changes.

Keep the certificate's own dates in view

NABH's assessment policy specifies a four-year hospital accreditation cycle, with surveillance at 24 months. It requires renewal requests at least six months before expiry. If no renewal application is made by three months before expiry, accreditation ends on the certificate's stated validity date. Programme-specific later notices must also be checked.

Put the current certificate, its scope, the planned application route and any payer conditions in one management note. Assign an owner to confirm each date. This avoids treating a fee deadline, an application cutoff and an insurer's contracting condition as the same decision.

Budget for the work behind the assessment

The assessment policy makes pre-assessment optional and provides for corrective action before the accreditation decision. Fees use sanctioned beds; the application fee and first-year annual accreditation fee are non-refundable. The separate timeline document sets approximate intervals for individual stages, including committee review within 30 days of closure of final-assessment corrective actions.

Those stage intervals are not a guaranteed completion date for your hospital. Ask for a readiness assessment before committing to a payer or expansion timetable. A useful project schedule identifies operational gaps, the staff responsible for fixing them and the evidence needed to show that changes work.

For full hospital accreditation, the sixth-edition standards require at least 80 per cent overall compliance and a score of at least four for every Core objective element, alongside other decision criteria. An overall percentage alone is insufficient. Review patient safety, records, staffing and facility requirements against the applicable standards before deciding that an application is ready.

What hospital leaders should do now

For an eligible hospital already preparing an entry-level application, reconcile the final payable amount and submission status immediately. For a larger hospital, check whether an exception applies and confirm how the current certificate and next application fit together. Keep the written answer in the accreditation file.

Build the transition budget around staff time, training and necessary operational improvements as well as fees. The approaching date is a reason to resolve an outstanding decision. It should not become a promise of certification before the hospital has demonstrated readiness.