NABH Accreditation for Hospitals and Nursing Homes
NABH accreditation shows that your hospital meets the national quality and patient-safety standards set by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers. Full accreditation runs for four years, with a surveillance visit in year two. We check eligibility, organise the paperwork and manage the application on the NABH portal.
What it is
NABH is the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers, a constituent board of the Quality Council of India (QCI). It sets quality standards for healthcare providers and accredits those that pass an on-site assessment.
Accreditation is voluntary. No law makes it compulsory for a private hospital. But patients, insurers and government health schemes recognise it. Hospitals with more than 50 beds are assessed against the Hospital Accreditation Standards, 6th Edition, effective 1 January 2025. Smaller hospitals have their own Small Healthcare Organisations (SHCO) programme, and there is a lighter entry-level certification for those starting out. Applications are made online on portal.nabh.co.
Who it applies to
You run a hospital above 50 beds
Public or private, single-specialty or multi-specialty. These come under the full Hospital Accreditation Programme and the 6th Edition standards.
You run a nursing home of up to 50 beds
Hospitals, day-care centres and specialty centres with up to 50 sanctioned beds apply under the SHCO programme. Polyclinics, diagnostic centres and standalone eye or dental clinics are outside it and have separate NABH programmes.
You want a first step before full accreditation
Allopathic hospitals from 6 beds up can begin with entry-level certification, valid for two years. Think of a 30-bed Faridabad nursing home already on the Ayushman panel: entry level is the natural first move.
Why it matters
Earn better rates under government schemes
Under AB-PMJAY, the government announced in July 2021 that entry-level hospitals are paid 10% above standard package rates and fully accredited ones 15% above.
Give patients a reason to trust you
The standards cover patient rights, infection control and medication safety. Accreditation shows an independent assessor has checked them.
Tighten your own systems
Preparing for NABH means written policies, trained staff and quality indicators that someone actually tracks.
Documents required
Licences and registrations
- Clinical establishment registration, where the state law applies
- Biomedical waste authorisation
- Fire NOC and building approvals
- Pharmacy drug licence, AERB licences for X-ray, PCPNDT registration for ultrasound
Quality system
- Self-assessment toolkit, filled in
- Policies and SOPs mapped to each chapter of the standards
- Quality indicator data and internal audit records
- Committee minutes: infection control, pharmacy, quality
Hospital profile
- Sanctioned beds and list of services at the location
- Bed occupancy data for the last six months
- Staff list with qualifications and registrations
- Ownership and legal-entity documents
Which NABH programme fits you
| Full accreditation (HCO) | SHCO accreditation | Entry-level certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beds | More than 50 | Up to 50 | 6 beds and above |
| Standards | 6th Edition (from 1 January 2025) | 3rd Edition (August 2022) | 2nd Edition |
| Validity | 4 years | 4 years | 2 years |
| Surveillance | In year 2 | In year 2 | None; renew before expiry |
| Minimum occupancy | 30% average over the last 6 months | 30% average over the last 6 months | 20% in the last 3 months for the final assessment |
The full 6th Edition has 10 chapters, 100 standards and 639 objective elements. Entry-level standards are a much smaller set. In practice, a 120-bed Gurugram hospital with patchy records may find it easier to take entry level first and move up once its systems hold.
How it works
Confirm the programme and eligibility
We check your bed count, occupancy and operating history against the programme rules.
Close the licensing gaps first
Assessors check statutory compliance too. Here is the catch: a lapsed fire NOC or biomedical waste authorisation can hold up an otherwise ready hospital. We list missing or expiring licences and get them sorted.
Prepare the self-assessment and documents
Your quality team, with its clinical consultant where you have one, implements the standards. We organise the self-assessment toolkit and supporting documents for submission.
Apply on the NABH portal
We file the online application and pay the application fee. If NABH finds gaps in the documents, it gives 30 days to fix them.
Face the assessment and close non-conformities
A pre-assessment is optional. After the final on-site assessment, the hospital closes the non-conformities raised, and the Accreditation Committee decides. We track every deadline on the portal.
Timelines
Six months before you apply
Six months of operation, with occupancy data for that period, and at least three months of using the standards.
Surveillance in year two
Full and SHCO accreditation run for four years. NABH conducts a surveillance assessment around 24 months into the cycle.
Renewal six months before expiry
Apply for re-accreditation at least six months before expiry. The same six-month rule applies to entry-level renewal.
What happens if you let it lapse
You lose the scheme benefit
The higher package rates tied to NABH status under government schemes depend on a valid certificate.
You start from scratch
Miss the renewal window and the hospital may have to apply afresh, with a new application fee and a full assessment.
You cannot claim the status
Without a valid certificate, the hospital can no longer present itself as NABH-accredited on its boards, letterheads or website.
Frequently asked questions
Is NABH accreditation mandatory for hospitals?
No, NABH accreditation is voluntary for private hospitals. No central law makes it compulsory. In practice, though, it brings benefits: under AB-PMJAY, the government announced in July 2021 that entry-level hospitals get 10% above standard package rates and fully accredited hospitals 15% above. Start with entry-level certification if full accreditation feels too big a step.
How long is NABH accreditation valid?
Full hospital accreditation and SHCO accreditation are valid for four years. NABH carries out a surveillance assessment in the second year to check that standards are still being followed. Entry-level certification is valid for two years. For every programme, apply for renewal at least six months before expiry. Diarise that date the day the certificate arrives, and renewal stays routine.
What is the NABH fee for a hospital?
For full accreditation, NABH’s fee schedule from 1 April 2024 sets the application fee at ₹40,000 for up to 100 beds, rising to ₹1,50,000 above 500 beds, plus an annual fee of ₹2,00,000 to ₹5,00,000. SHCOs pay ₹25,000 to apply and ₹1,50,000 a year. GST at 18% is extra. Check the current schedule on the NABH website before budgeting, as fees are revised from time to time.
What is the difference between NABH entry level and full accreditation?
Entry-level certification uses a smaller set of standards, is valid for two years and has no surveillance visit. Full accreditation uses the complete 6th Edition, with 639 objective elements, runs for four years and includes a year-two surveillance. Entry level is designed as a stepping stone. Many hospitals start there, build their systems, and move to full accreditation once those systems are stable.
Can a small nursing home get NABH accreditation?
Yes. Hospitals and nursing homes with up to 50 sanctioned beds apply under the Small Healthcare Organisations (SHCO) programme, which uses its own 3rd Edition standards. The application fee is ₹25,000 and the annual fee ₹1,50,000, plus GST. Accreditation runs for four years. Smaller units can also begin with entry-level certification, which starts at 6 beds.
What are the eligibility conditions?
The hospital must have been operational for at least six months and have implemented NABH standards for at least three months. For full and SHCO accreditation, average bed occupancy must be at least 30% over the preceding six months. The application must cover all services offered at that location. Sitting near the 30% mark? We help you time the application so the six-month average works.
How long does the NABH process take?
It depends on how ready your systems are. The minimum is about three months of implementing the standards before you can apply, after six months of operation. After that come the document review, an optional pre-assessment, the final assessment and the closure of non-conformities. Good records shorten every one of these steps.
Which standards apply to hospitals now?
Hospitals with more than 50 beds follow the Hospital Accreditation Standards, 6th Edition, effective 1 January 2025. It places stronger focus on patient safety and digital health. SHCOs follow their 3rd Edition, and entry-level certification its 2nd Edition. Download the right edition from the NABH website before your gap analysis, and the rest follows.
Does Taxhint implement the clinical standards?
No. The hospital’s own quality team, often with a clinical quality consultant, implements the standards on the ground. We handle the regulatory side: eligibility checks, licence gaps, the self-assessment and document file, the portal application, fee payments and deadline tracking through assessment and renewal. Your clinical team stays with patients.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
NABH’s own fees (schedule effective 1 April 2024; GST at 18% extra):
| Programme and size | Application fee | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| SHCO, up to 50 beds | ₹25,000 | ₹1,50,000 |
| Hospital, up to 100 beds | ₹40,000 | ₹2,00,000 |
| Hospital, 101–300 beds | ₹75,000 | ₹3,00,000 |
| Hospital, 301–500 beds | ₹1,00,000 | ₹4,00,000 |
| Hospital, above 500 beds | ₹1,50,000 | ₹5,00,000 |
Entry-level certification is a single fee for two years: ₹40,000 for 6–20 beds, ₹80,000 for 21–50, ₹1,60,000 for 51–100 and ₹2,00,000 for 101–300 beds, plus GST.
Ready to begin?
Tell us your bed count and the services you run, and we will map the right NABH programme and the licences to fix first.