How to Start a Cosmetic Clinic in Australia: A 2026 Guide for Doctors

Short answer: To start a cosmetic clinic in Australia you need clinicians registered with Ahpra and trained for each procedure, a prescriber who consults every injectable patient in real time, devices used within their ARTG intended purpose, any state laser licence that applies, GST registration for cosmetic income, and marketing that follows Ahpra and TGA advertising rules. Doctors can open a standalone clinic, buy into a franchise, or add a cosmetic division inside an existing practice.

This guide explains how to start a cosmetic clinic step by step, with the regulator dates, costs and licensing rules that apply in 2026. It is written for GPs, specialists and practice owners who want to add aesthetic medicine without guessing at the rules.

Key Takeaways

Ahpra’s guidelines for non surgical cosmetic procedures apply from 2 September 2025 to every registered practitioner, doctors included.
A prescriber must consult the patient in person or by video each time a cosmetic injectable is prescribed.
Registered nurses need at least one year of full time general nursing experience before cosmetic work.
Cosmetic laser use is licensed in Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia; cosmetic IPL use only in Tasmania.
Cosmetic procedures with no Medicare benefit generally attract 10% GST.
Adding a division to an existing practice avoids a new lease and fit out, which is the slowest part of a new clinic.

What Do You Need to Start a Cosmetic Clinic in Australia?

Every cosmetic clinic, whatever its size, rests on the same six building blocks:

Building block	What it involves	Who regulates it
Clinicians	Registered doctors, nurses or nurse practitioners trained for each procedure	Ahpra, Medical Board of Australia, Nursing and Midwifery Board
Prescribing	Real time consultation before every cosmetic injectable prescription	Ahpra guidelines, state poisons laws
Devices	Lasers, IPL and other devices used within their ARTG intended purpose	TGA, state radiation regulators
Premises	Treatment rooms, infection control, laser safety signage and eye protection	Local council, state health departments
Tax and billing	GST on cosmetic items, separate from GST free medical services	ATO
Marketing	Advertising without Schedule 4 product names, testimonials or influencers	Ahpra, TGA

Can a GP or Doctor Start a Cosmetic Clinic?

Yes. Medical registration allows a doctor to own and run a cosmetic clinic, and many GPs start one inside the practice they already run. What registration does not do is make a doctor competent in every procedure. Each doctor must hold training for each treatment, keep cosmetic specific records and consent, and complete ongoing CPD in cosmetic procedures.

GPs hold a real advantage here: patient trust, clinical assessment skills and the ability to prescribe. The usual gaps are procedure training, equipment, cosmetic software and compliant marketing.

Which Ahpra and TGA Rules Apply in 2026?

Ahpra published new guidelines for non surgical cosmetic procedures that took effect on 2 September 2025. They apply across all regulated health professions. Medical practitioners who perform cosmetic surgery also follow the Medical Board of Australia’s guidelines in place since 1 July 2023. According to Clayton Utz’s summary, the rules that shape daily practice are:

Prescribing: an in person or video consultation each time a cosmetic injectable is prescribed. Text, email or online prescribing is not acceptable.
Consent: a verbal consent discussion plus plain language written information that does not overstate outcomes.
Under 18s: a mandatory seven day cooling off period between the first consultation and any procedure, and no advertising aimed at them.
Nurses: at least one year of full time general nursing experience plus cosmetic specific training.
Advertising: influencer testimonials are banned, and higher risk procedures advertised on social media must be marked as adult content.
CPD: ongoing education specific to cosmetic procedures.

On top of Ahpra’s rules, the TGA does not allow Schedule 4 prescription only medicines to be advertised to the public, and devices must only be used within the intended purpose listed on their ARTG entry.

How to Start a Cosmetic Injection Clinic

An injectables service is the most common first step because it needs a single treatment room and little equipment. It is also the most tightly regulated part of cosmetic medicine. To start a cosmetic injection clinic you need:

A prescriber, either an in house doctor or nurse practitioner, or a cosmetic nurse scripting service that meets the real time consultation rule
Injectors with cosmetic injectable training, including complication management
A Schedule 4 medicine storage and record system that follows your state poisons law
Emergency protocols and equipment for complications
Consent forms, before and after photo records and treatment notes for every session

Registered nurses who want to run injectables should read how to become a cosmetic injector for the training pathway.

Do You Need a Laser Licence to Open a Cosmetic Clinic?

It depends on your state. ARPANSA confirms that lasers for cosmetic purposes are regulated only in Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia, and cosmetic IPL only in Tasmania.

State	Requirement
Queensland	Possession licence before buying a laser and a use licence before any cosmetic laser service; apparatus and rooms certified under the Radiation Safety Act 1999
Tasmania	Laser and IPL users licensed by the Department of Health
Western Australia	Cosmetic laser use licensed through the Radiological Council
NSW, Victoria, SA, ACT, NT	No state cosmetic laser licence; laser safety training expected for standards and insurance

Laser safety training is still worth completing in every state. Our IPL training, pico laser training and CO2 laser training cover device safety and protocols.

What Equipment and Software Does a New Cosmetic Clinic Need?

Start with the treatments your patients already ask about. Laser hair reduction and IPL are common first devices because they run as courses of repeat sessions. Resurfacing, pico laser and skin analysis can follow once demand is clear. Our aesthetic devices range covers each of these categories.

Software is the part most new clinics underestimate. Cosmetic work needs photo records, consent per treatment, course bookings, packages and memberships, which general practice billing systems were not built for. A dedicated clinic management software keeps cosmetic records complete and audit ready.

Floor space ranges from under 30 square metres for a single room service to over 100 square metres for a full skin and laser clinic.

How Does GST Work for a Cosmetic Clinic?

The ATO states that medical services are not GST free when they are cosmetic procedures for which no Medicare benefit is payable. In practice, laser hair reduction, cosmetic injectables and skin rejuvenation usually carry 10% GST. A GP practice adding cosmetic services should set cosmetic items as taxable in billing, register for GST if it is not already registered and crosses the threshold, and report cosmetic income correctly in the BAS. Speak with your accountant before the first booking.

How Much Does It Cost to Start a Cosmetic Clinic?

Cost depends on the route you choose. These are the three common routes in Australia:

Route	Typical cost	What you carry
Standalone clinic you build	Lease, fit out, devices, software, training and marketing, each quoted separately	Every setup task, compliance and patient acquisition from zero
Retail franchise	SILK quotes $185,000 to $325,000 for a part share; Cosmetic Avenue quotes $550,000 for a turn key clinic	A new site and team, usually 3 to 6 months to open
Division inside your practice	CDSHC partnership: $220,000 plus GST, at least $5,290 a month fixed costs and a 10% partnership fee	Clinicians, consumables and wages; brand, six devices, software, training and marketing supplied

A standalone clinic looks cheapest on paper, but the practice owner carries all the setup work. A cosmetic clinic partnership inside your existing practice uses rooms and patients you already have.

What Are the Risks of Starting a Cosmetic Clinic?

GPs who have moved into aesthetics are candid about the downsides. One Sydney GP writing in Medical Republic described indemnity costs far above a non procedural GP’s, demanding patients and closer regulator attention. Plan for:

Higher medical indemnity premiums once procedures are added
Patient expectations that do not match realistic outcomes
Regulator scrutiny of advertising and prescribing
Fixed monthly costs that run whether rooms are busy or not
Clinician time taken away from general practice sessions

How to Market a New Cosmetic Clinic Within the Rules

Start with your own patient base and local search before paid ads. A complete Google Business Profile and one service page per treatment usually bring the first enquiries. Keep every message inside these limits:

Promote consultations and services, never Schedule 4 medicine names or brands
No testimonials about clinical care and no influencers
No advertising aimed at people under 18
Name the practitioner who performs the procedure
No images or wording that trivialise or sexualise a procedure, and no offers that pressure a quick decision

How to Start a Cosmetic Clinic: Step by Step

Decide the route: standalone clinic, franchise or a division inside your practice
Confirm clinician registration, scope of practice and indemnity cover
Choose first treatments from what patients already ask for
Complete training for every clinician and every device
Check state laser licensing before buying or leasing equipment
Set up rooms, infection control, consent forms, photo records and cosmetic software
Configure GST and cosmetic item codes in billing
Launch to existing patients, then the local area, within advertising rules
Review bookings, repeat courses and room use at 30, 60 and 90 days

For a planned launch with professional support, see our new clinic setup consultancy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a GP start a cosmetic clinic in Australia?

Yes. A registered medical practitioner can open a cosmetic clinic or add cosmetic services to a general practice, provided each procedure is within their training and scope of practice and they follow Ahpra’s guidelines for non surgical cosmetic procedures in force since 2 September 2025.

Can a registered nurse start a cosmetic injection clinic?

A registered nurse can run cosmetic injectable services after at least one year of full time general nursing experience and cosmetic specific training. Every cosmetic injectable still needs a prescriber who consults the patient in real time, in person or by video, each time it is prescribed.

How much does it cost to start a cosmetic clinic in Australia?

It depends on the route. Retail franchise models quote from about $185,000 for a part share to $550,000 for a turn key clinic. A division inside an existing practice, such as the CDSHC Doctor Partnership Program, starts at $220,000 plus GST with fixed monthly costs from $5,290.

Do I need a laser licence to open a cosmetic clinic?

Only in some states. ARPANSA lists cosmetic laser regulation in Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia, and cosmetic IPL regulation only in Tasmania. Queensland requires a possession licence before you buy a laser.

Do cosmetic treatments attract GST?

Usually yes. The ATO says medical services are not GST free when they are cosmetic procedures for which no Medicare benefit is payable, so most cosmetic treatments carry 10% GST.

Can a cosmetic clinic advertise prescription medicines or brand names?

No. Schedule 4 prescription only medicines cannot be advertised to the public. Promote consultations and services instead, and follow Ahpra’s rules on testimonials, influencers and advertising to under 18s.

Start a Cosmetic Division Inside Your Practice

If your practice already has a spare room, clinicians and patients, the CDSHC Doctor Partnership Program trains your team, installs six devices, clinic software and treatment protocols, and stays in the division as your partner for an initial five year term. See the partnership terms and check your eligibility.

This article is general information for medical practices, not legal, tax or clinical advice. Last reviewed: October 2026.