West Virginia ownership & cpom for med spas
Corporate-practice-of-medicine limits on who may own an aesthetic practice. Below are the West Virginia rules that govern it, each linked to its primary source. Monitoring and reference, not legal advice.
Ownership & corporate practice of medicine in West Virginia
West Virginia does not leave the corporate practice question to a general corporations statute — the Medical Practice Act itself makes it UNLAWFUL for any corporation to practice or offer to practice medicine, surgery or podiatric medicine, or to perform medical acts through one or more physician assistants, without a certificate of authorization issued by the Board of Medicine designating it an authorized medical corporation. To obtain one, an in-state applicant must furnish satisfactory proof that EACH SHAREHOLDER is a licensed physician under the Medical Practice Act article or under the two other articles the provision cross-references by citation. For a corporation formed outside the state, the claim on record here is the shareholder test: it may be designated a foreign medical corporation on furnishing proof that ALL its shareholders are licensed physicians, podiatric physicians or physician assistants in one or more states, with a complete list submitted. The section’s other conditions for foreign corporations are not surveyed by these claims.
It is unlawful for any corporation to practice or offer to practice medicine, surgery, podiatric medicine, or to perform medical acts through one or more physician assistants in this state without a certificate of authorization issued by the board designating the corporation as an authorized medical corporation.
W. Va. Code §30-3-15(a) · verified Sep 3, 2026
Eligible licensees may apply for a certificate of authorization by furnishing satisfactory proof to the board that each shareholder of the proposed medical or podiatry corporation is a licensed physician pursuant to this article, §30-3E-1 et seq., or §30-14-1 et seq. of this code.
W. Va. Code §30-3-15(b)(2) · verified Sep 3, 2026
A medical corporation formed outside of this state for the purpose of engaging in the practice of medicine, surgery, and/or podiatric medicine may receive a certificate of authorization from the board to be designated a foreign medical corporation by furnishing satisfactory proof to the board that all of the medical corporation’s shareholders are licensed physicians, podiatric physicians, or physician assistants in one or more states and submitting a complete list of the shareholders.
W. Va. Code §30-3-15(c)(4) · verified Sep 3, 2026
The board may issue a certificate of authorization for a medical corporation to one or more individuals licensed by the board. Licensees of the West Virginia Board of Osteopathic Medicine may join with licensees of the board to receive a certificate of authorization from the board.
W. Va. Code §30-3-15(b) · verified Sep 3, 2026
It is unlawful for any corporation to practice or offer to practice medicine, surgery, or podiatric medicine, or to perform medical acts through one or more physician assistants, without a certificate of authorization issued by the board designating it an authorized medical corporation; the board may issue the certificate to one or more individuals licensed by the board, and an applicant must furnish satisfactory proof that each shareholder of the proposed medical or podiatry corporation is a licensed physician under the medical, osteopathic or podiatry articles of the code.
W. Va. Code §30-3-15(a)–(b) · verified Sep 8, 2026
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