How to Start a Physiotherapy Clinic in Pakistan: Registration, Licensing and Setup

Physiotherapy is one of the fastest-growing areas of private healthcare in Pakistan. More graduates are qualifying with the five-year Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, patients increasingly look for rehabilitation after injuries, surgery and strokes, and many people are choosing physiotherapy for back and neck pain instead of long courses of painkillers. For a qualified physiotherapist, opening a clinic is a natural step. It is also a step where the rules are less settled than for dentistry or general practice: the national regulation of physiotherapists has been changing, and some points, such as the exact registration route and independent practice, are still being debated. This guide explains how to start a physiotherapy clinic in Pakistan, what is confirmed, what is still unclear and how to plan the practical side. It is general information and not legal advice. Always confirm requirements with the regulators before you commit money.

Key takeaways

• The entry-level qualification is the five-year Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) from a recognised institution.
• Individual registration for physiotherapists is in flux. A 2026 notification under the Allied Health Professionals Council Act 2022 was reported to cover physiotherapy, with a registration deadline of 30 June 2026. It is unclear whether that deadline was extended, so check directly with the Council.
• Clinics themselves are licensed by provincial regulators. The Punjab Healthcare Commission explicitly lists physiotherapy clinics as healthcare establishments, and the Sindh and Islamabad regulators also license physiotherapy facilities.
• Independent practice and direct access without a referral are discussed in sources, but no official rule text was found, so do not assume either way.
• No reliable public figures exist for set-up cost or licence fees, so build your own worksheet from written quotes.

Step 1: Confirm who may start a physiotherapy clinic in Pakistan

The qualification

World Physiotherapy's profile of Pakistan describes the entry-level qualification as a professional doctorate, the DPT, equal to five full-time years. The degree should come from an institution recognised by the Higher Education Commission, and clinic owners should keep certified copies of degrees and transcripts on file.

Registration of the individual

Registration is where things are moving. For years, physiotherapists in Pakistan had no fully functioning national council of their own, and practice commonly relied on a recognised degree and membership of the Pakistan Physical Therapy Association. In 2022, the Allied Health Professionals Council Act created a Council for allied health professions. Trade press reported that a notification dated 16 January 2026 listed physiotherapy and rehabilitation among the covered disciplines and set 30 June 2026 as the registration deadline, with hospitals, laboratories and other institutions expected not to employ unregistered allied health professionals after that date. The Council licenses individuals, not facilities, and applications are made through its online portal.

The picture is not fully settled. The Pakistan Medical Association publicly objected to enforcing the Act and called for the deadline to be suspended, arguing in particular about autonomous clinics run by technicians and therapists. This guide could not confirm whether the deadline was extended, so the practical advice is simple: before opening, check the Council's current notices and register if you are required to, and ask your provincial healthcare commission whether it expects Council registration with a clinic application.

Independent practice and referrals

Some sources describe direct access, meaning treating patients without a doctor's referral, as recognised in principle in Pakistan, while others show that certain patient groups are commonly referred, such as stroke patients and post-operative fracture cases. No official regulation text was found. Until you have clarity, the careful approach is to work closely with referring doctors, record referral details when they exist and screen patients for conditions that need medical assessment before treatment.

Step 2: License the physiotherapy clinic with the provincial regulator

Private clinics are generally expected to register and obtain a licence from the healthcare commission for their territory.

• Punjab: the Punjab Healthcare Commission's licensing FAQ defines a healthcare establishment as including a "physiotherapy clinic", and licensing applies to public and private establishments. Registration comes first. Licensing is then provisional and later regular, after inspection against the Commission's Minimum Service Delivery Standards, and a regular licence is described as valid for five years. See this guide to Punjab Healthcare Commission registration.
• Sindh: the Sindh Healthcare Commission has described physiotherapy centres among the facilities it registers and licenses, and registration moved online in 2025. See this guide to SHCC registration.
• Islamabad: the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority registers healthcare establishments under its 2018 Act. Check with the Authority whether and how your clinic category is treated. See this guide to IHRA registration.
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other regions: this guide could not verify the process, so confirm directly with the regulator.

Fees, forms and standards change and were not available in a checkable form, so always take them from the regulator's current notice. A physiotherapy-specific standard was not found, which means asking the regulator which standard and checklist will be used to inspect your clinic.

Step 3: Plan the physiotherapy clinic premises and equipment

• Layout: reception, a waiting area, private treatment cubicles or rooms, an exercise area and a space for assessments.
• Equipment: typically treatment couches, exercise equipment and electrotherapy devices. Choose according to the conditions you plan to treat and buy from documented suppliers with warranty and servicing.
• Hygiene: surfaces and equipment need regular cleaning, couch covers or linen need a washing routine and hand hygiene stations should be accessible.
• Accessibility: patients with mobility problems need ground-floor access or a lift, and wide enough doors and corridors.
• Power: plan a UPS or generator for devices and computers during load shedding.
• Radiation: a physiotherapy clinic does not normally need an X-ray unit. If you plan to install one, check radiation licensing first.

Regulators set the standards that matter, so ask for the checklist before you design the space.

Step 4: Staff and roles

A typical small clinic has the lead physiotherapist or physiotherapists, perhaps assistants or rehabilitation aides working under supervision, a receptionist and cleaning staff. Write down who may do what, keep credentials on file for every clinician and agree how visiting therapists are paid. Because the rules on registration are changing, hiring only registered or registrable practitioners reduces risk. For pay and commissions, see this guide to clinic attendance and payroll.

Step 5: How physiotherapy clinics earn

Most revenue comes from assessments and courses of sessions, so how you structure and track those courses is central. Patients often pay per session or for a package of sessions in advance, which means you hold money for care you still have to deliver. Keep written terms for each package, record every session and track balances. See this guide to physiotherapy clinic software and this guide to pricing treatment packages. Home visits are common in some cities and carry their own pricing and scheduling needs.

Step 6: Build your budget honestly

Reliable public figures for physiotherapy clinic set-up costs and licence fees were not found, so this guide does not publish any. Build your own worksheet from written quotes:

• Premises deposit, advance rent and fit-out
• Couches, exercise equipment and electrotherapy devices, with servicing
• Registration and licensing fees from the regulator, and any council fees
• Salaries for the first six to twelve months while patient numbers build
• Utilities, backup power and internet
• Marketing within professional rules
• Software, linen, consumables and a cash reserve

Work out your monthly break-even from fixed costs and a realistic number of paid sessions. For ongoing tracking, see this guide to clinic expense tracking.

Step 7: Systems from day one

A physiotherapy clinic generates a steady stream of records: assessments, treatment plans, numbered sessions, payments, therapist commissions and follow-ups. Starting organised avoids unpaid balances and lost histories. CareTrack by CreativeIn Tek, supported from Karachi, provides patient records with MR numbers, visit records and attachments, treatment plans with auto-numbered sessions, billing with partial payments and receipts, WhatsApp reminders, therapist commissions, staff attendance and payroll, inventory and reports. It does not license clinics and does not certify that a clinic meets any regulation.

Common mistakes

• Opening before confirming individual registration requirements.
• Skipping clinic registration while "getting started".
• Assuming direct access without checking referral expectations.
• Selling packages without written terms or session tracking.
• Buying equipment before knowing what the inspection standard expects.
• Underestimating the first months of cash needs.

Pre-opening checklist

• DPT degree and registration status confirmed for every clinician, including any Allied Health Professionals Council requirement
• Regulator registration and licence applied for
• Inspection checklist or standard obtained from the regulator
• Referral and screening process written down
• Package terms, pricing and cancellation policy written down
• Records, reminders and backup systems in place
• Budget, break-even and cash reserve calculated

Frequently asked questions

What qualification do you need to open a physiotherapy clinic in Pakistan?

The entry-level qualification is the five-year DPT from a recognised institution. Check current registration requirements with the Allied Health Professionals Council and your provincial regulator.

Does a physiotherapy clinic need a healthcare commission licence?

The Punjab Healthcare Commission lists physiotherapy clinics as healthcare establishments, and the Sindh regulator has described licensing physiotherapy centres. Confirm how your region treats your clinic.

Can a physiotherapist treat patients without a doctor's referral?

Sources describe direct access as recognised in principle, but no official rule was found. Work with referring doctors and screen patients carefully until you have confirmation.

How much does it cost to start a physiotherapy clinic?

No reliable public figures exist. Build a worksheet from written quotes for premises, equipment, fees and staff.

Last reviewed: 6 November 2026. Rules on physiotherapist registration have been changing, so confirm every point with the regulator. This article is general information and not legal advice. To see how a new physiotherapy clinic can track sessions, packages and payments from day one, book a CareTrack demo.