Veterinary Services UK-wide

Which veterinary regulations apply to your practice

Veterinary practices — small-animal clinics, equine practices, farm-animal practices, referral hospitals and emergency services — share a workplace-safety foundation, then face profession-specific registration, medicines, waste and controlled-drugs duties that other businesses do not.

Guide summary

Register your practice with the RCVS and comply with veterinary medicines, waste, and controlled drugs rules. Follow the universal workplace safety duties under HASAWA 1974. Use the compliance checklist to confirm you have covered everything.

  • Register with RCVS for veterinary surgery and medicine supply
  • Comply with Veterinary Medicines Regulations – different rules in GB and NI
  • Dispose of clinical waste through a registered carrier
  • Follow controlled drugs rules if you stock them
  • Meet HASAWA 1974 – protect staff and visitors from harm
  • Control risks from anaesthetic gases, chemicals, and fire
  • Get employers' liability insurance – it is a legal requirement
  • Protect patient data under data protection law
  • Use the 'Veterinary practice compliance checklist' to check you are done
On this page

Related guides in Compliance & Legal

Running a veterinary practice means holding the right professional registration, managing medicines and controlled drugs safely, disposing of clinical waste lawfully, and — if you have imaging equipment — complying with ionising-radiation controls. On top of that, every business that employs people must meet workplace health and safety, COSHH, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection obligations.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) registers veterinary surgeons UK-wide, and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is the UK medicines regulator — but veterinary medicines law is not identical across the UK: Great Britain applies the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013 (as amended in 2024), while Northern Ireland follows EU Regulation 2019/6 under the Windsor Framework. Workplace health and safety is enforced by HSE in Great Britain and HSENI in Northern Ireland. Waste and environmental duties are devolved across the four nations.

What you need to do

Identify the description that best fits your practice, then follow the guides in order.

  1. 1

    Every veterinary practice

    Start with the universal workplace duties. Follow "Set up and run a safe veterinary practice" for your health and safety, COSHH controls on anaesthetic gases and chemicals, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection obligations.

  2. 2

    You practise veterinary surgery, supply medicines, handle controlled drugs, dispose of clinical waste or use X-ray equipment

    You must be RCVS-registered, comply with the Veterinary Medicines Regulations, manage clinical waste through registered carriers, and — if you stock controlled drugs or use imaging equipment — meet those specific duties. Follow "Meet your veterinary practice regulatory duties".

  3. 3

    Confirm you have covered everything

    Work through the "Veterinary practice compliance checklist" to confirm your obligations are met.

Official sources

Authoritative starting points for veterinary practices.