Ownership rules
Physician-owned or physician-controlled MSO; non-physicians cannot own
Corporate Practice of Medicine
Strict; Corporate Practice of Medicine doctrine enforced—non-physicians cannot own or control medical decisions
The medical-director angle
Required; supervising physician must be on-site or on-call and responsible for all injections Ownership and the medical-director requirement are usually two sides of the same compliance coin.
What to verify in California
Ensure a California-licensed physician is the controlling owner or medical director with clear supervisory authority over all injectors.
Primary source: Medical Board of California; California Board of Registered Nursing
General business information for California medical-spa owners, current as of 2026 — not legal advice. State boards update rules often; confirm specifics with the California board (and your own counsel) before you act.