How to Open a Dietitian's Office: MoH Requirements for Facilities and Staff

Dietetics is one of the most promising areas in the Health & Beauty sector and is currently experiencing a real boom in Ukraine. However, for the state, it is considered healthcare, which means that a dietitian's office is subject to the same Ministry of Health (MOH) requirements as any other healthcare facility. Without a license, it is impossible to operate legally.

Operating under a medical practice license gives a business opportunities that cannot be obtained otherwise: the ability to advertise its services on social media without the risk of being blocked, cooperate with insurance companies, and attract clients for whom a doctor's official status is an important factor when choosing a provider.

This article explains the key requirements for opening a dietitian's practice in Ukraine, including the requirements applicable to the premises and medical staff, as well as the main steps involved in obtaining a medical practice license.

Dietitian vs. Nutritionist: Who Actually Needs a Medical Practice License?

Before turning to the MOH requirements, it is important to distinguish between two areas of practice that are often confused by those starting a business: nutritionist services and dietetics.

A nutritionist is a professional who provides guidance on nutrition and lifestyle. A person may complete a short training course and obtain a certificate, but this does not make them a physician under Ukrainian law. A nutritionist is not authorized to diagnose medical conditions, treat obesity or anorexia, order medical tests, or prescribe therapeutic diets. The Ministry of Health does not issue a medical practice license for nutritionist services because a nutritionist is not recognized as a medical specialty.

A dietitian is a physician with higher medical education and a valid specialty certificate in "Dietetics." A dietitian provides medical care, addresses metabolic disorders, and works with patients with chronic diseases.

The rule is straightforward: if your practice involves providing medical services, making diagnoses, or prescribing treatment, a medical practice license is required. Therefore, if you are opening a medical office or want a physician-dietitian to lawfully provide medical care at your facility, you will need a Ministry of Health license.

Please note! Attempting to present a physician as a nutritionist in order to operate without the required licensing may lead to regulatory issues, particularly following an inspection or a complaint. Practicing medicine without the required license may result in penalties. Read more here: Liability for Illegal Medical Practice.

Ministry of Health and State Building Standards (DBN) Requirements for a Dietitian's Office

If you think any comfortable room in an office building or an unused apartment will work for starting a dietitian's practice, there is a problem. A medical office cannot be located in just any premises. The Ministry of Health and the applicable State Building Standards (DBN) impose specific requirements on the premises, and failure to meet even one of them may result in the license application being refused.

Before signing a lease, the premises should be checked for the following:

1. Non-residential premises. A dietitian's office cannot be opened in an ordinary residential apartment. The premises must be converted to non-residential use and have an appropriate commercial designation.
2. Floor area. The minimum area for a dietitian's office should be at least 12 sq. m. If you plan to install additional diagnostic equipment, such as a body composition analyzer, it is advisable to allow approximately 14–15 sq. m.
3. Accessibility. This is one of the key requirements. To obtain a license, you must have an Accessibility Certificate confirming that the premises are accessible to persons with reduced mobility. This may involve ramps, lifts, appropriate door widths, and the absence of thresholds. The certificate must be issued by a qualified specialist. Our company can also assist with obtaining the required accessibility documentation.
4. Required utilities. The office must have hot and cold running water and a washbasin equipped with a hands-free faucet for the physician to wash their hands.
5. Lighting and finishes. The applicable requirements do not permit medical offices without windows. Wallpaper and carpet flooring are also unsuitable. All surfaces, including floors and walls, must withstand regular disinfection, for example, tiled surfaces, linoleum with raised skirting, or water-resistant paint.

A common mistake is to invest in an expensive renovation only to discover afterward that the building does not have a required ramp and that the office is legally classified as residential premises. Alterations to the premises and changes to their legal status can cost significantly more than reviewing the documents before signing the lease. We therefore strongly recommend having the property documents and floor plan reviewed by a lawyer before signing the lease agreement.

Staff Qualifications and Equipment Requirements for a Dietitian's Office

Even if you have ideal premises with a ramp, the MOH will not issue a license if you do not have a properly qualified physician on staff and the office does not contain the required minimum equipment. The state strictly regulates who may provide medical care and what equipment must be used to treat patients.

Staff Requirements

The key professional in a dietitian's office is the physician dietitian. The following qualification requirements apply:

• a higher medical education diploma in the field of General Medicine or Pediatrics;
• a valid specialist physician certificate in Dietetics or a certificate confirming the assignment or confirmation of a qualification category;
• current Continuous Professional Development (CPD) points.

If you are a physician dietitian, you can register as a sole proprietorship and obtain the medical practice license in your own name. More information about establishing your own medical practice: How to open a private medical practice as a Sole Proprietor?

If you are an investor without a medical education, you need to establish an LLC or hire a physician under your sole proprietorship and formally employ the physician under an employment agreement.

Equipment Requirements: What Must Be in the Office

You cannot equip a medical office with just a nice desk and two chairs. There is an official Equipment Requirements List approved by the MOH, and all equipment specified in this list must be available when the licensing documents are submitted. For a dietitian's office, the mandatory minimum includes:

• medical scales, often with a body composition analyzer or bioelectrical impedance analyzer;
• a stadiometer;
• a blood pressure monitor and a stethophonendoscope;
• a measuring tape for measuring body circumferences;
• a medical examination couch for examining patients;
• a physician's computer workstation for connection to the Electronic Health System (EHS), which is currently mandatory for all healthcare providers;
• disinfectants and a first aid kit for providing emergency medical assistance.

Medical equipment must have certificates of conformity and documents confirming its lawful origin and technical inspection. Once the premises, physician, and equipment are ready, the remaining step is to submit the licensing documents to the MOH.

Step-by-Step Procedure for Obtaining a Medical Practice License for a Physician Dietitian

If you decide to go through the process yourself, be prepared for the fact that it is not a simple task. The process consists of four main stages. Omitting a step or making an error at any stage can result in the process having to be restarted.

Step 1: Renting Premises and Obtaining an Accessibility Certificate

You find premises in a non-residential building, check the floor area, which must be at least 12 sq. m., and verify the availability of utilities. At this stage, you must also engage a certified expert to conduct an inspection and obtain a Certificate of Accessibility of the Premises for Persons with Reduced Mobility (inclusivity).

Without this document, there is no point in submitting an application to the MOH, as you will immediately receive a refusal.

Step 2: Hiring a Physician and Purchasing Equipment

You officially employ a physician dietitian.

The Ministry of Health has a strict requirement regarding staff documents: the most recent educational document, which may be a specialist physician certificate or a certificate confirming the assignment or confirmation of a qualification category, must be no more than five years old. If the document has expired even by one day, the physician is considered unqualified.

At the same time, you purchase the equipment specified in the Equipment Requirements List (scales, a stadiometer, an examination couch, etc.), while retaining the required certificates of conformity.

Step 3: Preparing and Completing the Document Package

This is the most difficult paperwork stage. The MOH requires a clearly defined set of documents:

• an application for a license to conduct business activities in medical practice;
• information on the condition of the material and technical facilities (a comprehensive document describing the premises, each medical device, and the physician's qualifications);
• an inventory of the documents attached to the application, in two copies.

Step 4: Submission and Waiting for the Decision

You can submit the completed package of documents to the MOH in three ways:

1. Electronically, through the Personal Account on the MOH's electronic services portal (using a qualified electronic signature).
2. By mail, by registered mail with a description of the enclosed documents.
3. In person, directly at the Unified Window Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.

The licensing authority reviews the application within 10 business days. After a positive decision is published on the Ministry of Health's website, you are required to pay the official administrative fee for the issuance of the license. The amount is fixed and equals one subsistence minimum for able-bodied persons applicable on the date the decision is made. In 2026, this amount is UAH 3,328. The payment must be made strictly within 10 business days from the date of publication of the decision.

Thus, the procedure appears logical and transparent. However, experience shows that most entrepreneurs lose both time and money precisely at this stage.

The Cost of a Mistake: Risks of Applying for a Medical License from the Ministry of Health Yourself

More than 70% of entrepreneurs and physicians who attempt to submit licensing documents to the MOH themselves receive a refusal or have their application left without consideration the first time. It is worth noting that the Ministry does not provide guidance on “what is wrong and how it should be corrected” and does not fix your mistakes. It simply returns the documents. The real cost of such mistakes includes:

• Wasted money on rent. The review of the documents takes 10 business days. If your application is rejected, you need to identify the error, revise the Information on the Material and Technical Facilities, and submit the application again, which means another 10 business days of waiting. While you remain stuck in this bureaucratic cycle, your office remains unused. Two or three refusals can mean effectively giving the landlord the equivalent of 1.5 to 2 months of rent for premises that generate not a single hryvnia in revenue.
• Losing the physician. Good specialists will not remain without work. If the launch of your office is delayed for months because of paperwork, the physician dietitian you hired may simply leave for competitors who already have a license. You will have to look for staff again.
• Human error in the Information. To be frank, the MOH scrutinizes every detail. An incorrectly stated specialty, an error in the date of issuance of the physician's certificate, or a description of the office that differs from the Accessibility Certificate by even a few centimeters can invalidate all the work.

Thus, while trying to save money on the services of specialized lawyers, business owners can lose several times more money due to idle premises and the correction of technical errors.

Successful case: How to Obtain a Medical Practice License After Three Denials from the Ministry of Health?

Legal Services for Medical Practice Licensing

You do not need to become an expert in medical law or spend dozens of hours completing paperwork. The main task of a business owner is to develop a marketing strategy, prepare the office to receive its first patients, and build customer service. We take care of all the routine paperwork and procedural work.

Our company provides comprehensive support and handles the licensing process and opening of your own medical business at every stage:

1. Preliminary audit of the premises and documents. We will review the real estate documents and verify your physician's qualifications before the process begins to completely eliminate the risk of refusal.
2. Obtaining the Accessibility Certificate. Our certified expert will promptly prepare a conclusion confirming the accessibility of the office for persons with reduced mobility.
3. Completing the Information and submitting the documents to the Ministry of Health. Our lawyers will accurately complete the application and the Information on the Material and Technical Facilities, submit the document package themselves, and monitor the review process.
4. Monitoring payment of the administrative fee. After the decision is published, we will provide you with the correct payment details for the administrative fee of UAH 3,328 and ensure that the license is entered into the official register on time.

Want to open a dietitian's office quickly and avoid paying rent for unused premises? Do not risk your budget by trying to navigate bureaucratic pitfalls on your own. Contact the medical lawyers at Prаvova Dopomoga.