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Start a clinic / Georgia

How to start a medical clinic in Georgia.

What a founder needs to know in Georgia: who can own a practice, which state approvals apply, how nurse practitioners and PAs can work, and where to register. Every fact links to its source.

Updated October 2026Sources linked
GAGeorgiaStarting a clinic, at a glance
Corporate practice of medicine
No clear barNo clear statewide prohibition found
Certificate of need program
YesState review for some facilities or equipment
Nurse practitioner authority
Restricted practiceAANP classification
Register your business with
Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division
Checked October 2026

Ownership: Georgia has no statute banning the corporate practice of medicine; the Composite Medical Board has said the law is silent on it, though older case law (Sherrer v.

Certificate of need: Georgia's CON program (Department of Community Health, Office of Health Planning) covers hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, freestanding emergency departments, diagnostic and treatment centers and other facilities.

Nurse practitioners: AANP classifies Georgia as restricted; APRNs must practice under a written nurse protocol agreement with a delegating Georgia physician in a comparable specialty, filed with the Composite Medical Board within 30 days, and Schedule II prescribing is barred except a limited emergency hydrocodone or oxycodone authority (up to a five-day initial supply) added by HB 557.

Who can own a medical clinic in Georgia

Georgia has no statute banning the corporate practice of medicine; the Composite Medical Board has said the law is silent on it, though older case law (Sherrer v. Hale) is cited for the doctrine. A professional corporation must have a licensed president and at least one licensed director and may render care only through licensed staff, so investor-backed models usually pair a physician-owned practice with a management company.

Sources: medicalboard.georgia.gov, ndlegis.gov, law.justia.com

Business entity and registration

Physicians commonly form a professional corporation (P.C.) under the Georgia Professional Corporation Act (O.C.G.A. 14-7), which requires the president and at least one director to be licensed; professional LLCs are also used. Entities are filed with the Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division.

Sources: law.justia.com, law.justia.com

Certificate of need in Georgia

Georgia's CON program (Department of Community Health, Office of Health Planning) covers hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, freestanding emergency departments, diagnostic and treatment centers and other facilities. HB 1339 (effective July 1, 2024) removed the dollar thresholds and exempts imaging equipment bought or leased by a physician group; physician-owned single-specialty and qualifying joint-venture ASCs use an exemption or non-reviewability process rather than full review, while other ASC projects go through batched CON review.

Sources: ncsl.org, polsinelli.com, dch.georgia.gov

Licenses, registrations and state agencies

Private physician offices are exempt from Department of Community Health facility permits, but ambulatory surgical treatment centers need a DCH permit (Rule 111-8-4). Pain management clinics (clinics advertising pain treatment or where over half of patients are treated for chronic non-terminal pain with Schedule II or III drugs) need a license from the Georgia Composite Medical Board, renewed every two years, with each location licensed separately.

Sources: dch.georgia.gov, medicalboard.georgia.gov

Georgia-specific requirements to know

Every prescriber with a Georgia license and DEA number must register with the Georgia PDMP and check it before first prescribing a benzodiazepine or Schedule II opioid, then at least every 90 days for continuing therapy. APRN protocol agreements and PA job descriptions are filed with the Composite Medical Board, and the delegating physician must practice in Georgia or within 50 miles of where the protocol is used (including telehealth). Pain clinics need a separate Medical Board license.

Sources: dph.georgia.gov, medicalboard.georgia.gov, medicalboard.georgia.gov

Agencies you will deal with

Nurse practitioners and physician assistants

Nurse practitioners: AANP classifies Georgia as restricted; APRNs must practice under a written nurse protocol agreement with a delegating Georgia physician in a comparable specialty, filed with the Composite Medical Board within 30 days, and Schedule II prescribing is barred except a limited emergency hydrocodone or oxycodone authority (up to a five-day initial supply) added by HB 557.

Sources: aanp.org, medicalboard.georgia.gov

Physician assistants: PAs practice under a supervising physician through a Board-approved job description, and since HB 1046 a physician may hold the combined equivalent of eight PA job descriptions and APRN protocol agreements at one time.

Sources: medicalboard.georgia.gov

Med spas, injectables and IV therapy in Georgia

Under the Georgia Cosmetic Laser Services Act, the Composite Medical Board licenses assistant and senior laser practitioners; laser hair removal and IPL can be done without on-site supervision, but other cosmetic laser treatments need a prior exam by a physician, PA or APRN and an on-site consulting physician or senior practitioner. A non-office facility must have a consulting Georgia physician who files protocols with the Board. Confirm the details with the state board and a healthcare attorney.

Sources: rules.sos.ga.gov, americanmedspa.org

Planning an aesthetic or IV business? See how to start a med spa and how to start an IV therapy business.

Step-by-step checklist in Georgia

  1. Choose your structure and check ownership rules. Decide who will own the practice and confirm it fits Georgia’s corporate practice of medicine rules. Georgia has no statute banning the corporate practice of medicine; the Composite Medical Board has said the law is silent on it, though older case law (Sherrer v.
  2. Form the entity with the Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division. Physicians commonly form a professional corporation (P.C.) under the Georgia Professional Corporation Act (O.C.G.A. 14-7), which requires the president and at least one director to be licensed; professional LLCs are also used.
  3. Get federal numbers. Apply for an EIN from the IRS, then a Type 2 NPI for the practice and Type 1 NPIs for each clinician through NPPES.
  4. Confirm licenses with the Georgia Composite Medical Board. Every physician needs a Georgia license. Check the board’s rules for any practice registrations, supervision agreements or office requirements before opening.
  5. Check certificate of need and facility licensing. Georgia's CON program (Department of Community Health, Office of Health Planning) covers hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, freestanding emergency departments, diagnostic and treatment centers and other facilities.
  6. Register to prescribe. Register with the DEA for controlled substances and complete any Georgia controlled substance registration and prescription monitoring program enrollment. Every prescriber with a Georgia license and DEA number must register with the Georgia PDMP and check it before first prescribing a benzodiazepine or Schedule II opioid, then at least every 90 days for continuing therapy.
  7. Set up lab, safety and privacy basics. Get a CLIA certificate if you will run any lab tests, including waived tests, and put HIPAA privacy and security and OSHA policies in place.
  8. Enroll with Medicare, Medicaid and insurers. Enroll in Medicare through PECOS, enroll with Georgia Medicaid (Department of Community Health, GAMMIS) and start commercial credentialing early, because payer enrollment often takes months.
  9. Plan staffing around NP and PA rules. AANP classifies Georgia as restricted; APRNs must practice under a written nurse protocol agreement with a delegating Georgia physician in a comparable specialty, filed with the Composite Medical Board within 30 days, and Schedule II prescribing is barred except a limited emergency hydrocodone or oxycodone authority (up to a five-day initial supply) added by HB 557.
  10. Launch your marketing before opening day. Claim your Google Business Profile, publish a website with online booking and start ads and content four to eight weeks before you open, so the schedule is not empty on day one.

The national steps are explained in more detail in our guide to how to start a medical clinic, and costs are broken down in how much it costs to start a clinic.

Marketing a new clinic in Georgia

New clinics usually fail on cash flow before they fail on care. The fastest fix is patients booked before opening day: a complete Google Business Profile, a website with online booking, local search ads and a few weeks of social content showing the team and the space. We run that launch for new clinics and keep it going once the doors open.

Plan your Georgia launch with us →

Important. This guide is general information checked against official and professional sources in October 2026. It is not legal advice. Rules change and details depend on your services, so confirm your plan with a healthcare attorney licensed in Georgia and with the agencies listed above.

Sources

  1. https://medicalboard.georgia.gov/document/document/october2012-minspdf/download
  2. https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/67-2021/testimony/SHUMSER-2128-20210125-3125-F-TRAYNOR_PAT.pdf
  3. https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-14/chapter-7/section-14-7-4/
  4. https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-14/chapter-7/
  5. https://www.ncsl.org/health/certificate-of-need-state-laws
  6. https://www.polsinelli.com/publications/modifications-to-georgia-certificate-of-need-statute
  7. https://dch.georgia.gov/document/document/amb-surg-center-batching-notice-april-1-2026/download
  8. https://www.aanp.org/advocacy/georgia
  9. https://medicalboard.georgia.gov/document/document/aprn-information-summary06242024pdf/download
  10. https://medicalboard.georgia.gov/document/document/gcmb-statement-pa-law-changes-2024pdf/download
  11. https://dch.georgia.gov/document/rules/astcschapter111-8-04pdf/download
  12. https://medicalboard.georgia.gov/document/document/georgia-pain-management-clinic-general-information-and-checklistpdf/download
  13. https://rules.sos.ga.gov/GAC/360-35
  14. https://www.americanmedspa.org/news/who-can-legally-fire-a-laser-in-georgia/
  15. https://dph.georgia.gov/pdmp

Nearby state guides

FloridaAlabamaTennesseeNorth CarolinaSouth CarolinaAll states
Georgia questions

Starting a clinic in Georgia, answered.

Can a non-physician own a medical clinic in Georgia?
Georgia has no statute banning the corporate practice of medicine; the Composite Medical Board has said the law is silent on it, though older case law (Sherrer v. Hale) is cited for the doctrine. A professional corporation must have a licensed president and at least one licensed director and may render care only through licensed staff, so investor-backed models usually pair a physician-owned practice with a management company.
Does Georgia require a certificate of need to open a clinic?
Georgia's CON program (Department of Community Health, Office of Health Planning) covers hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, freestanding emergency departments, diagnostic and treatment centers and other facilities. HB 1339 (effective July 1, 2024) removed the dollar thresholds and exempts imaging equipment bought or leased by a physician group; physician-owned single-specialty and qualifying joint-venture ASCs use an exemption or non-reviewability process rather than full review, while other ASC projects go through batched CON review.
Can nurse practitioners open their own practice in Georgia?
AANP classifies Georgia as restricted; APRNs must practice under a written nurse protocol agreement with a delegating Georgia physician in a comparable specialty, filed with the Composite Medical Board within 30 days, and Schedule II prescribing is barred except a limited emergency hydrocodone or oxycodone authority (up to a five-day initial supply) added by HB 557.
Who can perform Botox, laser or IV therapy in Georgia?
Under the Georgia Cosmetic Laser Services Act, the Composite Medical Board licenses assistant and senior laser practitioners; laser hair removal and IPL can be done without on-site supervision, but other cosmetic laser treatments need a prior exam by a physician, PA or APRN and an on-site consulting physician or senior practitioner. A non-office facility must have a consulting Georgia physician who files protocols with the Board. Confirm the details with the state board and a healthcare attorney.
Where do I register a medical practice in Georgia?
Physicians commonly form a professional corporation (P.C.) under the Georgia Professional Corporation Act (O.C.G.A. 14-7), which requires the president and at least one director to be licensed; professional LLCs are also used. Entities are filed with the Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division.