Your MedSpa Could Be Illegal- And You Don't Know It
đź 1. Is Your Corporate Structure Legal in Your State?
This is the most important foundation of your entire practice.
If you skip this step, or get it wrong, youâre putting your license and business at serious risk.
A medical spa is a medical practice, it must be owned by a medical corporation, not a generic LLC or S-corp.
You may also need to form a Management Services Organization (MSO) to handle operations, branding, and staffâbut this must be done in alignment with state law.
All patient revenue must flow into the medical corporation, not your personal or business account.
Youâll also need a medspa-specific accountant to help manage payment flow, taxes, and ensure financial compliance.
Work with an attorney who is deeply familiar with your stateâs medical board requirements and aesthetic lawânot just any business lawyer.
đ Tip: Discuss structure with both your attorney and medical director from day one. Working with Dr. C includes access to her vetted network of attorneys, CPAs, insurance agents, practice managers, etc.
đ 2. Do You Have a Legally Valid Contract With Your Medical Director?
Donât rely on templates-or worse, collaborative agreements-especially if you're in California.
California does not recognize âcollaborative agreementsâ for NP, PA, or RN-run medspas.
Instead, you need a complete, board-compliant practice agreement that outlines supervision, protocols, scope of practice, and responsibilities.
Whether youâre a nurse, PA, or NP, the law treats this as a medical practice, and the contract must reflect that.
A qualified attorney, not your friendâs PDF, should draft and review this agreement. Be cautious: without a legal, updated agreement, you and your medical director are both at risk.
đ¨ Contracts protect everyone! Donât go without one.
â ď¸ 3. Are You Documenting Supervision and Compliance Properly?
âYou donât know what you donât knowâ is not a defense if the Board comes knocking.
Most medspas that get investigated had no idea they were out of compliance until it was too late.
The Board will ask:
How often does your supervising physician visit the site?
Are protocols signed and up to date?
Are chart reviews being documented?
Is there a record of meaningful oversight?
If you canât prove this on paper, they may view your practice as operating without appropriate medical supervision.
đ Documentation is your best legal defense. Donât treat it as optional.
Ready to Protect Your License and Build Legally?
If you're unsure about any of the above, itâs time to get expert support.
đŠââď¸ Book a call with Dr. C to get clarity and avoid costly mistakes
đ Or check out the Launch Your MedSpa to learn exactly how to set up your medspa the right way.
Because in this industry, compliance isnât optional, itâs survival.