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Who Can Own a Veterinary Practice? By State

Which states restrict who may hold equity in a veterinary practice, which bar lay control of clinical judgment instead, and which write no restriction at all — summarized from each state’s own practice act and professional-entity statute.

Each page carries its own citations and a “last verified” date, and describes the mechanism the text uses rather than a verdict on any deal.

The doctrine itself, and the PC/MSO structures built around it, are explained in the national guide to who can own a veterinary practice; how each state defines the veterinarian-client-patient relationship is covered in VCPR and telemedicine rules by state.

Rules change — confirm current text with the board before relying on it.

AlabamaEquity restricted to licensed veterinariansAlaskaNo ownership restriction in the practice actArizonaLay ownership allowed behind a facility permitArkansasNo ownership restriction in the practice actCaliforniaLay ownership allowed behind a facility permitColoradoLay ownership allowed — lay clinical control barredConnecticutNo ownership restriction in the practice actDelawareNo ownership restriction in the practice actFloridaLay ownership allowed behind a facility permitGeorgiaLay ownership allowed — lay clinical control barredHawaiiNo ownership restriction in the practice actIdahoEquity restricted to licensed veterinariansIllinoisNo ownership restriction in the practice actIndianaNo ownership restriction in the practice actIowaEquity restricted to licensed veterinariansKansasLay ownership allowed behind a facility permitKentuckyLay ownership allowed behind a facility permitLouisianaNo ownership restriction in the practice actMaineNo ownership restriction in the practice actMarylandLay ownership allowed behind a facility permitMassachusettsNo ownership restriction in the practice actMichiganNo ownership restriction in the practice actMinnesotaEquity restricted to licensed veterinariansMississippiNo ownership restriction in the practice actMissouriLay ownership allowed — lay clinical control barredMontanaNo ownership restriction in the practice actNebraskaNo ownership restriction in the practice actNevadaLay ownership allowed behind a facility permitNew HampshireEquity restricted to licensed veterinariansNew JerseyEquity restricted to licensed veterinariansNew MexicoLay ownership allowed behind a facility permitNew YorkEquity restricted to licensed veterinariansNorth CarolinaEquity restricted to licensed veterinariansNorth DakotaNo ownership restriction in the practice actOhioLay ownership allowed behind a facility permitOklahomaNo ownership restriction in the practice actOregonLay ownership allowed behind a facility permitPennsylvaniaNo ownership restriction in the practice actRhode IslandNo ownership restriction in the practice actSouth CarolinaNo ownership restriction in the practice actSouth DakotaNo ownership restriction in the practice actTennesseeLay ownership allowed behind a facility permitTexasLay ownership allowed — lay clinical control barredUtahNo ownership restriction in the practice actVermontNo ownership restriction in the practice actVirginiaLay ownership allowed behind a facility permitWashingtonNo ownership restriction in the practice actWashington, DCNo ownership restriction in the practice actWest VirginiaLay ownership allowed — lay clinical control barredWisconsinNo ownership restriction in the practice actWyomingNo ownership restriction in the practice act

A state missing from this list has not been researched and written up yet.

It is not a statement about that state’s requirements.

Non-Veterinarian Owner? When You Need a Medical Director

Each state page above says who may own a veterinary practice and, where lay ownership is open, what the state ties to it: a facility permit naming a responsible veterinarian, a bar on lay control of clinical judgment, or nothing written at all. Check your state before you sign a lease, then hire the licensed veterinarian the rule calls for.

Hiring a veterinary medical director →Staffing a new veterinary clinic →
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