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License and Registration Requirements
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You state may require two licenses. First, you must hold a state veterinary license. Second, a state business license is required in some states. Call your state’s department of revenue to find out if you need a state business license.
State regulation of house call practices
Read your state practice act to find any mention of mobile clinics or house call practice. States vary in how specific their Acts are with regard to house call veterinarians.
For example, many states require that you have “an association with” a specific back-up facility that can provide full-service medical and surgical care. (You may have more than one, but you need to have at least one.) Some states regulate the use of mobile clinics, requiring a certain level of sanitation, availability of hot and cold running water, and adequate lighting. Many specify that clients must be notified of the limitations of service that the mobile or house call practitioner can offer.
Some, but not all, states specifically note the difference between a house call veterinarian (presumably using a vehicle that is not a mobile clinic) and a mobile veterinary clinic. Indiana requires that every practice has a “published address and telephone facilities.” Arizona requires that you have a “house call license” in contrast to the “premise license” required for fixed practices.
Look in your state’s practice act for provisions regarding:
- Procedures that may be done (by you and by your assistant / technician) in the home and/or in a mobile clinic.
- Client notification that is required regarding your services.
- Required association with a full-service facility.
- Need for specific waste disposal methods. Links to state regulations may be found at http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/index.htm
- Drug security requirements.
Keep your license and registration numbers in your wallet for easy reference. Since most states require the veterinarian’s license to be prominently displayed at the place they work, many house call veterinarians keep a copy of their licenses with them.
Apply for the following licenses and registrations:
- Veterinary Accreditation: to write health certificates.
- Drug licenses: you will need to apply to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for a controlled substance registration. Write to: Controlled Substance Registration, United States Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington, DC 20537; or see http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugreg/index.html
- Your state may require a pharmacy license. Contact your state veterinary board for information.
- You may want to apply for an employer identification number through the department of taxation and revenue (EIN; also called a federal employer identification number, FEIN). This is only strictly required if you have employees; it may also be required when you set up certain types of retirement plans (you are going to do that immediately, right?). Apply for an EIN on IRS form SS-4; for more info, read IRS pub # 1635 (see Appendix).
- City or county business license. You need this license for each different city or county in which you see clients, since each wants to collect its share of any applicable taxes.
Be sure your local zoning code allows for home offices or home-based business. Some areas require that you obtain a city business license or premise permit. House call veterinarians often must have a license in each city in which they serve clients. Contact the business license department in each city in which you have (or will have) clients. Then, decide how many city licenses you want or need. Remember, this is a cost of doing business, and you must recoup costs through your fees.
Also check zoning requirements for your home office. Call the city or county government and ask what type of zoning your home lies in (examples are rural, commercial, residential, agricultural, and industrial). A residential zone will have the most restrictions on business. Find out exactly what those restrictions are.
When applying for a license, stress that you have a home office only, there is no walk-in traffic, and you won’t be treating animals in your home. This will help you avoid zoning hassles. (Some zoning does not allow any home-based business that increases traffic, parking, or noise. Even if zoning allows that, businesses with clients coming to a home office might be required to have extra liability insurance, designated parking spaces, and more, depending on the area’s zoning requirements).
What if home offices aren’t allowed in your neighborhood? You can apply for a variance or a special permit to have a home office. First meet with all your neighbors and tell them about your business, reassuring them that there won’t be any traffic or noise. Then apply for the variance or permit. You will likely be required to post notice of your request in the newspaper for a few weeks (thus the wisdom of consulting your neighbors first), and if no objections are heard your request will likely be granted.
License Checklist
- Some or all may, or may not, apply in your region.
- Veterinary state license.
- City business license.
- County business license.
- State business license.
- Pharmaceutical license.
- DEA registration.
Get access to all handy features included in the IVIS website
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- Get access to a global catalogue of meetings, on-site and online courses, webinars and educational videos.
- Bookmark your favorite articles in My Library for future reading.
- Save future meetings and courses in My Calendar and My e-Learning.
- Ask authors questions and read what others have to say.
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