Scottish aesthetics premises may need licensing review new rules
New data suggests 352 premises across Scotland offering non-surgical cosmetic procedures may need to be assessed for local authority licensing, Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) registration or other compliance action in preparation for the incoming framework for non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
The analysis, conducted by TreatCompare, highlights an operational challenge for regulators and local authorities to identify which premises fall under the new licensing route and which must operate within healthcare-regulated settings.
The Scottish Parliament has passed the Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill at Stage 3, and the Scottish Government has laid draft secondary legislation, the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Non-surgical Procedures) Order 2026. Together, the measures create a split system with some procedures delivered in licensed premises, while higher-risk activity and settings expected to fall within healthcare regulation.
Peter Langdon of TreatCompare, said:
“The policy direction is now clear. The harder question is operational readiness. If hundreds of premises may need to be reviewed against Scotland's new framework, regulators and local authorities will need far better licensing intelligence and local compliance detection than a static list or complaints-led model can provide.”
“This is not just about whether the law exists on paper. It is about whether Scotland can identify who is operating, where they are operating, and whether they fall into the licensed side of the framework or the healthcare-regulated side.”
The legislative provisions in the Bill and the associated Order are expected to come into force in September 2027.
