Veterinary advertising rules in Australia, and why Ahpra is not the regulator

Ahpra does not regulate vets. It works with 15 National Boards covering human health professions, and veterinary science is not one of them. Veterinary advertising is governed by each state and territory’s veterinary board, under that jurisdiction’s own Act, code and guidelines, and by the Australian Consumer Law, which the ACCC and state fair trading agencies enforce.

The confusion is understandable. Vets are registered health professionals in everyday language, many clinics sit next to dental or medical practices, and the Ahpra advertising rules are the ones most often discussed. This article sets out who regulates veterinary advertising, what the main codes say, and a short checklist a practice manager can use before a campaign goes out. It sits alongside our guide to AI for vet practices.

Why doesn’t Ahpra regulate vets?

Ahpra regulates registered health practitioners under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law. It works with 15 National Boards, from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practice to psychology, and the list does not include veterinary science (Ahpra: who we are). Veterinary registration sits outside that national scheme, with each state and territory running its own board.

The practical consequence is that Ahpra’s advertising guidelines, including the restriction on testimonials under section 133 of the National Law, do not apply to veterinary advertising. That does not leave vets without rules. It means the rules come from different places, and they differ in detail from one state to the next.

Who regulates veterinary advertising in each state?

Each state and territory has a veterinary board that registers vets and sets professional standards, including standards for advertising. The four largest are summarised below. South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory have their own boards and legislation, and a clinic in those jurisdictions should check its own board’s guidance.

New South Wales

The Veterinary Practitioners Board of NSW registers vets under the Veterinary Practice Act 2003. The Veterinary Practitioners Code of Professional Conduct sits in Schedule 2 of the Veterinary Practice Regulation 2013. It does not have a separate advertising section, but clause 6 says a veterinary practitioner must not mislead, deceive or behave in a way that has an adverse effect on the standing of any veterinary practitioner or the profession. An advertisement that overstates results or runs down a competitor sits squarely within that clause.

Victoria

The Veterinary Practitioners Registration Board of Victoria gives the most specific guidance of the four. Its Guideline 4 on communication explains that, under section 59 of the Veterinary Practice Act 1997, a practice must not advertise veterinary services in a way that is false, misleading or deceptive, must disclose the terms and conditions of any offer of a discount or gift, and must not unfavourably contrast its services with those of another veterinary practitioner or practice (Guideline 4: Communication). The same guideline notes that vets can use testimonials to advertise their business, provided the testimonials meet those standards, and that advertising must also comply with the Australian Consumer Law and Victoria’s Consumer Law and Fair Trading Act 2012.

Queensland

The Veterinary Surgeons Board of Queensland’s Code of Professional Conduct (April 2023) sets principles rather than advertising rules. It asks vets to act with integrity, to be open and honest with clients, and to avoid behaviour likely to bring the profession into disrepute. The board’s general policies also cover how vets may use the title “Dr” and additional qualifications, which matters for website biographies and social posts introducing the team.

Western Australia

The Veterinary Practice Board of Western Australia’s Code of Practice No. 1 of 2022 is the most direct on advertising. Clause 8 says an advertisement must not be false or misleading, vulgar or sensational, likely to harm the reputation of any veterinarian or the profession, or claim, expressly or by implication, that the veterinarian is superior to other veterinarians. The board’s Guidelines for Professional Conduct apply similar standards to articles, interviews and social media, and say a vet must not use a name or description implying a qualification or experience they do not have.

What does the Australian Consumer Law add?

The Australian Consumer Law applies to every business, including every vet clinic, whatever the state. The ACCC’s position is that any information or claim a business provides about its services must be accurate, truthful and based on reasonable grounds, and that a business must be able to prove any claim it advertises (ACCC on false or misleading claims). Fine print must not contradict the main message, so a “free” check that carries conditions has to make those conditions clear.

The Consumer Law also covers online reviews. A business must not write fake reviews or arrange for others to, must not suppress or edit genuine negative reviews, and must disclose any incentive offered for a review, which must apply whether the review is positive or negative (ACCC on online reviews).

Can a vet clinic use testimonials and reviews?

Generally yes, which is the biggest practical difference from dental and medical advertising. Victoria’s board says so directly, and none of the four codes above bans testimonials outright. The limits come from the general rules: the testimonial must be genuine, it must not mislead, and it must not be used to run down another clinic.

In practice that means using a review exactly as it was written, with the client’s permission, and not choosing one that implies a guaranteed outcome. A review saying “they saved my dog’s life” is genuine praise, but used in an advertisement it can suggest a result the clinic cannot promise every client. Keep the client’s surname and contact details out of it.

What are the rules on prices and offers?

Show the full price and the conditions of any offer. Victoria’s section 59 requires the terms and conditions of a discount or gift offer to be disclosed, and the ACCC lists false “sale” prices, “free” offers with hidden conditions and prices that leave out costs such as GST among the common pricing problems. A vaccination special should say what is included, who is eligible and when it ends.

Can a clinic compare itself with other clinics?

Comparisons need particular care. Victoria prohibits unfavourably contrasting a practice’s services with another’s, Western Australia prohibits claims of superiority over other veterinarians, and New South Wales prohibits conduct that adversely affects the standing of any practitioner. Words such as “best”, “leading” or “most experienced in the region” are hard to prove and easy to read as a comparison. Describe what the clinic does and leave the comparison to the client.

Who can call themselves a specialist?

Only a vet whose specialist status has been recognised can use the title. The Australasian Veterinary Boards Council explains that holding a fellowship or an overseas diploma is not enough on its own, and that terms such as “dermatologist” or “oncologist” should not be used without specialist registration; vets can instead describe a “particular interest in” an area (AVBC on titles and post-nominals). This applies to website team pages as much as to advertisements.

Where does the AVA fit?

The Australian Veterinary Association is the professional association for vets, not a regulator. Its members are expected to follow AVA policy and its Code of Professional Conduct, for example in its policy on veterinarians in the media (AVA: veterinarians in the media). A clinic whose vets are members should read its advertising alongside that code, but the enforceable rules remain the state board’s and the Consumer Law.

What should a practice manager check before a campaign goes out?

Every claim is accurate and the clinic could prove it if asked.
Prices are complete, and every offer states what is included, who is eligible and when it ends.
There is no comparison with other clinics and no “best” or “leading” claim.
Any testimonial or review is genuine, used as written, used with permission and free of identifying details.
Titles and qualifications in team introductions are accurate, and “specialist” is used only where it has been recognised.
The wording has been checked against your own state or territory board’s code and guidelines.

Trilbii was built in dental, where it checks marketing content against the Ahpra advertising guidelines and flags anything that may need attention for the practice to review. Its marketing and operations tools do the same jobs in a vet clinic, where the rules come from the state boards and the Consumer Law, so read more about AI for vet practices or book a demo.

Frequently asked questions

No. Ahpra regulates the human health professions through 15 National Boards, and veterinary science is not one of them. Vets are regulated by state and territory veterinary boards, and their advertising is also subject to the Australian Consumer Law.

Generally yes. The testimonial restriction in the National Law does not apply to vets, and Victoria’s board says vets can use testimonials. They must be genuine, must not mislead and must not unfavourably compare the clinic with others.

The ACCC enforces it nationally, and state and territory fair trading agencies enforce it locally. It applies to every business, whatever its size.

Yes, provided the offer is accurate and its terms and conditions are clear. Victoria’s Act requires the terms of a discount or gift offer to be disclosed, and the Consumer Law requires the overall message to match the fine print.

No. The Australian Veterinary Association is the professional association for vets. Its members follow AVA policy and its Code of Professional Conduct, but registration and discipline sit with the state and territory boards.