Physiotherapy, osteopathy and chiropractic clinic registration

Most clinics staffed only by physiotherapists, podiatrists, osteopaths and chiropractors do not register with a health regulator for treatment. The answer changes if another type of professional treats patients or you offer certain services. Check before you open, and again before you add a service.

This matters when you set up a clinic, hire someone who is not on one of those professional registers, or add imaging or foot surgery. Registering the clinic's services is separate from checking each practitioner's own registration. For that, see Check practitioners before they treat in your clinic.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates these services in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have their own regulator, covered after the England checks.

Check your clinic in England

Registration triggers in England

The table shows the Schedule 1 position in the 2014 Regulations for each team and service.

When your team includes a listed professional

If a nurse, doctor, paramedic or other listed professional delivers or supervises treatment, the whole treatment activity needs registration. This catches a physiotherapy clinic that employs a nurse or a GP.

Physiotherapists, podiatrists, osteopaths and chiropractors are not on that list. A clinic where only they treat patients stays outside registration for treatment.

Imaging and foot surgery

The imaging exceptions name a profession and its register. They do not extend to a different profession, to someone not on that register, or to MRI. If your set-up does not match a row in the table exactly, ask the CQC before you start.

The chiropractor X-ray exception removes CQC registration. It does not remove your duties under the radiation regulations. For those, see Register and run X-ray equipment in a chiropractic clinic.

Letting rooms to other providers

Where you make rooms available so another provider can carry on a regulated activity, the provider carrying on the activity registers, not you. The CQC advises hosts to set out each side's responsibilities in a written agreement, because a host can be held responsible where roles are unclear.

Sports grounds and events

The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 remove the exclusions for treatment at sports grounds, gyms and sporting or cultural events. The change has applied to registration applications, variations and appeals since 7 September 2026, and applies for all other purposes from 6 December 2027. A team of physiotherapists alone stays outside registration. A team that includes a listed professional does not.

Check your clinic in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

The CQC does not regulate clinics outside England. In each other nation, a clinic staffed only by these professions usually does not register, but the test differs.

In Scotland, the test turns on who provides the service. In Wales, it turns on the service you offer.

Northern Ireland combines the Scottish and Welsh tests, with its own regulations.

What to do next

If your clinic needs registration, follow Set up and run a regulated health practice. If it does not, follow the rest of the path in Start a physiotherapy, osteopathy or chiropractic clinic.

Repeat this check each time you hire someone from another profession or add a service.

Who to ask

Ask the CQC in England, Healthcare Improvement Scotland in Scotland, HIW in Wales and the RQIA in Northern Ireland. Their contact details are linked below.