District of Columbia med spa questions, answered from statute
Every question below is answered from District of Columbia law, with the statute or board rule linked and the date we verified it. 21 of the 27 questions we ask have a verified District of Columbia answer today, most recently checked Sep 8, 2026. The rest are not listed, because we would be guessing.
Organized by The Practice Perimeter — the decisions every state makes about an aesthetic practice.
Ownership
Who is allowed to own this business, and in what corporate form?
- Can a non-physician own a med spa in District of Columbia?D.C. Code §29-505(a) (Purpose for organization; powers authorized)
- What business structure does a med spa need in District of Columbia?D.C. Code §29-505(a) (Purpose for organization; powers authorized)
- In District of Columbia, may a non-clinical owner or manager be paid a share of revenue?D.C. Code §3-1205.14(a)(14)
Oversight
Which physician relationship does the state require, and what must that physician actually do?
- Does a med spa in District of Columbia need a medical director?D.C. Code §3-1201.02(7)(A)(iv)
- What must the supervising physician actually do in District of Columbia?D.C. Code §3-1201.02(6D)
- Who may operate a cosmetic laser in District of Columbia?17 DCMR § 3799.1 (Definitions — “Practice of basic esthetics”)
- Can a medical assistant give injections in District of Columbia?D.C. Code §3-1201.02(6D)
- May an esthetician or laser technician perform microneedling in District of Columbia?17 DCMR § 3799.1 (Definitions — “Esthetics”; “Master esthetics”)
Intake
What has to happen before a patient can be treated, and can any of it be remote?
- Is an exam required before a patient can be treated in District of Columbia?D.C. Code §3-1201.05(b)
- Can the pre-treatment exam be done by telehealth in District of Columbia?D.C. Code §3-1201.05(b)
- Can a med spa in District of Columbia offer compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide?22-B DCMR § 1999.1 (Pharmacies — Definitions: “Compounding”)
Who treats
Which license may perform which treatment, and under whose order?
- Can a registered nurse inject Botox or filler in District of Columbia?D.C. Code §3-1201.02(17) (“Practice of registered nursing” defined)
- Can a nurse practitioner treat without a supervising physician in District of Columbia?D.C. Code §3-1201.02(7)(C)
- Can a physician assistant inject or prescribe in District of Columbia?D.C. Code §3-1201.02(7)(B)
Facility
Does the premises itself have to be registered or licensed?
Marketing
What may this practice claim about its services, its staff, and their credentials?
Enforcement
What happens when one of the six above is crossed?
- What happens if a med spa in District of Columbia operates without the right license?D.C. Code §3-1210.01 (Practicing without license, registration, or certification)
- Can District of Columbia shut down a med spa that is operating unlawfully?D.C. Code §3-1205.14(c)(6)-(9)
- What can a practitioner in District of Columbia be disciplined for?D.C. Code §3-1205.14(a)(1) (Revocation, suspension, or denial of license)
What is not here, and why
We ask 27 questions of every state we cover. District of Columbia answers 21 of them from primary sources we have verified. Where a question is missing it is because the District of Columbia record we hold does not address it — not because the answer is no. We would rather publish a shorter list than a page that looks like an answer and is not. As the District of Columbia record grows, questions appear here on their own.
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← District of Columbia overview · Regulatory monitoring and reference, not legal, medical, or compliance advice. Legislative data via LegiScan (CC BY 4.0).