Can a non-physician own a med spa in Kentucky?

Ownership · part of The Practice Perimeter

⛔ KENTUCKY'S LICENSING PROHIBITION REACHES THE PREMISES AND THE HOLDING OUT, NOT ONLY THE TREATMENT. No person shall engage or attempt to engage in the practice of medicine or osteopathy within the state, OR OPEN, MAINTAIN, OR OCCUPY AN OFFICE OR PLACE OF BUSINESS within the state for engaging in practice, or IN ANY MANNER ANNOUNCE OR EXPRESS A READINESS to engage in practice, unless the person holds a valid and effective license or permit issued by the board. Violating or attempting to violate, directly or indirectly, or assisting in, abetting or conspiring to violate any provision of the medical practice act — including the code of conduct promulgated by the board — is itself a ground for discipline. These claims survey the Medical Practice Act; Kentucky's business-entity and professional-service-corporation statutes are NOT surveyed here, so confirm the entity form with counsel.

The rest of what Kentucky says on this

Every other rule we have verified under ownership & corporate practice of medicine, each linked to its primary source.

  • No person shall engage or attempt to engage in the practice of medicine or osteopathy within this state, or open, maintain, or occupy an office or place of business within this state for engaging in practice, or in any manner announce or express a readiness to engage in practice within this state, unless the person holds a valid and effective license or permit issued by the board as hereinafter provided.

    Ky. Rev. Stat. §311.560(1) · verified Sep 3, 2026

  • The board may deny, probate, suspend or revoke a license where the licensee has violated or attempted to violate, directly or indirectly, or assisted in or abetted the violation of, or conspired to violate any provision or term of any medical practice act, including but not limited to the code of conduct promulgated by the board under KRS 311.601.

    Ky. Rev. Stat. §311.595(12) · verified Sep 3, 2026

  • The provisions of subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to commissioned medical officers of the Armed Forces of the United States, or medical officers of the United States Public Health Service, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and other agencies of the government of the United States of America, while said persons are engaged in the performance, within this state, of their official duties under federal laws.

    Ky. Rev. Stat. §311.560(2)(a) · verified Sep 3, 2026

  • ⛔ KENTUCKY BANS THE KICKBACK AND THEN NAMES WHO MAY DIVIDE A FEE, WHICH IS WHAT ANSWERS A NON-CLINICAL OWNER. It is a ground for discipline to have Given or received, directly or indirectly, from any person, firm, or corporation, any fee, commission, rebate, or other form of compensation for sending, referring, or otherwise inducing a person to communicate with a person licensed under KRS 311.530 in his or her professional capacity or for any professional services not actually and personally rendered. The carve-out that follows reaches LICENSED practitioners only, permitting those who hold valid licenses and practice together under KRS Chapter 274 from pooling, sharing, dividing, or apportioning the fees and moneys received by them. A share of revenue is therefore something licensees may divide among themselves, not something a lay owner may be paid out of.

    Ky. Rev. Stat. §311.595(19) (⛔ fee, commission or rebate for a referral — and the sharing carve-out is licensees only) · verified Sep 7, 2026

  • KENTUCKY NAMES THE PERMITTED STRUCTURE INSIDE THE KICKBACK BAN. The referral-fee ground carries a carve-out for people who hold current licenses under the medical practice act: it does not prohibit them from practicing “in partnership or association or in a professional service corporation authorized by KRS Chapter 274, as amended”, nor “from pooling, sharing, dividing, or apportioning the fees and moneys received by them or by the partnership, corporation, or association in accordance with the partnership agreement or the policies of the board of directors of the corporation or association”. The carve-out runs to licensees only, and names no route for an unlicensed shareholder.

    Ky. Rev. Stat. §311.595(19) (the partnership and professional-service-corporation carve-out) · verified Sep 8, 2026

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← All Kentucky rules and changes · MedSpaRadar is regulatory monitoring and reference, not legal, medical, or compliance advice. Verify against the linked primary source and consult qualified counsel before acting — rules change and turn on your specific facts. Legislative data via LegiScan (CC BY 4.0).