The CMA’s Vets Order: What Independent Practices Need to Do, and When

From final report to binding Order

The CMA published its final report on veterinary services for household pets on 24 March 2026. On 22 September 2026 it published the Order that makes its remedies legally binding, together with undertakings from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons to support and monitor compliance (CMA: the Order and RCVS undertakings).

The Order treats businesses with 15 or more first opinion practices as large and those with fewer as small, and smaller businesses generally have longer to comply (CMA: what veterinary businesses need to do). Most independents fall in the small category.

The key dates for practices with 14 or fewer sites

The CMA’s guidance for small veterinary businesses, published on 13 October 2026, sets out the timetable (CMA: small veterinary businesses complying with the Order):

• By 30 November 2026. Send your business details, including a compliance contact, to the RCVS.
• From the next working day after 22 March 2027. Display ownership and practice information; publish a standard price list for the services in Schedule 1 (36 in all) that you offer, and a parasiticide price list; publish clear pet care plan terms; adopt written policies on professional independence; set out cremation options and prices; and run a written in-house complaints process, with mediation available once it is exhausted.
• From the next working day after 22 September 2027. Give written estimates for treatment likely to cost £500 or more including VAT, provide itemised bills, tell owners they can ask for a written prescription, and keep prescription fees within the caps.

The caps are £21.40 for the first medicine prescribed and £12.70 for each additional medicine, both including VAT. They apply until 31 March 2028 and then rise each year with CPI. Larger groups face shorter deadlines, so their price lists are likely to be public well before most independents’.

What it costs to comply

Much of the work is administrative, but not all of it is free. Practices are likely to need updated websites and booking messages that link to the price list, practice management systems that can produce itemised bills and estimates, new signage and printed materials, and staff time to write policies and train the team. IT and software finance can spread the cost of new systems, and refurbishment finance covers reception and signage changes made alongside a wider refresh.

The prescription changes also matter for income. Where a practice earns a meaningful share of its margin from dispensing, capped fees and greater awareness of written prescriptions may change that mix. A clear view of cash flow, and headroom through working capital or an unsecured practice loan, helps a practice adapt on its own timetable.

Opportunities for independent practices

The Order also applies to groups, which must make their ownership clear online, on premises and in communications. For independents that compete on local ownership, service and clinical continuity, transparent pricing across the market is a chance to show value side by side.

The changes may also shape buying and selling decisions. Buyers will want to see how a practice’s income would look under the new rules, and sellers will want their price lists, policies and records in order. Our pages on practice acquisition finance, goodwill finance and succession and exit explain how deals are usually funded, and equipment finance covers clinical investment that sets a practice apart.

Practical steps for owners

• Register your details with the RCVS before 30 November 2026.
• Map your current prices against the Schedule 1 services.
• Model the effect of the prescription fee caps on your dispensing income.
• Budget for systems, website and training in this financial year.

We search the market across 300+ lenders and approach those that understand veterinary practices. Our guide to preparing a practice finance application explains what lenders usually ask for, and Instant Quotes shows your matches in minutes, with no credit check.

Common questions

Published 16 October 2026. Figures and dates are taken from the sources named and were correct on that date. This article is for general information only and should not be treated as legal, tax, accounting or financial advice. Funding availability and lender requirements depend on individual circumstances.