# CTO and Section 3 (renewal dates)

**URL:** <https://forum.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/t/cto-and-section-3-renewal-dates/4283>\
**Category:** Mental Health Act\
**Created:** [18 September 2025 11:38 UTC](https://forum.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/t/cto-and-section-3-renewal-dates/4283 "2025-09-18T11:38:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ECl](https://forum.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/c5a1d2/32.png) [@ECl](https://forum.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/u/ECl)\
**Post date:** [18 September 2025 11:38 UTC](https://forum.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/t/cto-and-section-3-renewal-dates/4283/1 "2025-09-18T11:38:37Z")

</div>

Hello, I wonder if anyone can help…  
When a patient is on a CTO and is in and out of hospital settings how do the dates with the Section3 work out?  
EG,  
If a S3 began in January and the person goes back to the community with CTO in place,then returns to Hospital in the November, would the S3 then need renewing in January again ? (assuming its annual renewal)  
Or would a new S3 begin in the November, changing The renewal dates?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ZacSussex](https://forum.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/e8c25b/32.png) [@ZacSussex](https://forum.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/u/ZacSussex)\
**Post date:** [18 September 2025 11:55 UTC](https://forum.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/t/cto-and-section-3-renewal-dates/4283/2 "2025-09-18T11:55:47Z")

</div>

Hi Emily,

The period resets when a CTO is made or revoked (which makes sense as each time there’s oversight of a doctor & AMHP).

In your example, the client’s detention (and eligibility period) runs for 6 months from the revocation of the CTO (e.g. if the CTO was revoked on 15.11.25, the “resurrected” Section 3 would run until 14.05.26).

Hope this helps!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lkerosevic](https://forum.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@lkerosevic](https://forum.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/u/lkerosevic)\
**Post date:** [23 September 2025 15:48 UTC](https://forum.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/t/cto-and-section-3-renewal-dates/4283/3 "2025-09-23T15:48:34Z")

</div>

In other words, the s3 starts a fresh 6 months each time the CTO is revoked.