Are vets now forced to publish prices?

The reforms require practices to publish standard price lists for the services they offer, but this is being introduced through legally binding Orders that are still being put in place. Many practices already publish some prices voluntarily; the reforms aim to make this more comprehensive and consistent. The exact timing depends on the final Orders, which are expected from late 2026 into 2027.

Does this mean vet prices are capped?

No. The reforms do not put a cap on vet prices in general. The only price cap is on the fee a vet can charge for writing a prescription. Practices remain free to set their own fees for consultations, treatments and procedures, which is why comparing prices still matters.

Are prescription fees capped?

Yes. The fee for a written prescription is being capped at £21 for the first medicine and £12.50 for each additional medicine. This cap is on the prescription-writing fee — it is separate from the price of the medicine itself.

Will all vet prices be the same?

No. Standard price lists are designed to make prices easier to find and compare, not to make them identical. Practices still set their own fees, so prices will continue to vary between clinics — sometimes significantly.

Is Petfair approved by the CMA or RCVS?

No. Petfair is an independent price comparison site. We are not approved, endorsed, or accredited by the CMA, the RCVS, or any government body.

Will Petfair use the new standardised data?

The reforms allow the RCVS ‘Find a Vet’ service to share standardised data with third-party comparison sites. If and when that data becomes available to approved third parties, we will aim to make it easier for pet owners to understand and compare. We do not currently have access to any official data feed, and any future access would depend on the final Orders and the arrangements the RCVS puts in place.

UK vet pricing · 2026

CMA vet pricing reforms: what UK pet owners need to know

The CMA’s 2026 reforms are set to make vet pricing more transparent, with standard price lists, prescription fee caps, ownership disclosure, and price comparison data.

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Petfair is an independent comparison site and is not approved or endorsed by the CMA or RCVS.

In plain English

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) — the UK’s competition regulator — investigated the market for veterinary services for household pets.

It found that pet owners often lacked clear information about prices, who owns their practice, and their treatment options — which made it hard to shop around and contributed to weak competition and high prices.

In response, the CMA set out a package of reforms designed to make it easier for pet owners to compare practices and understand costs before booking — rather than finding out the price only once treatment is underway.

What is changing?

Standard price lists

Practices will be required to publish a comprehensive price list for standard services they offer — covering things like consultations, common procedures, diagnostics, written prescriptions and cremation options. Today fewer than 40% of practices show any prices online, and those that do often cover only a few services.

Prescription fee caps

The fee a practice can charge for writing a prescription is being capped at £21 for the first medicine and £12.50 for each additional medicine. This is a cap on the prescription-writing fee only — not a cap on vet prices generally, and not a cap on the cost of the medicine itself.

Ownership transparency

Practices will have to make clear whether they are independent or part of a larger veterinary group, with common ownership shown on signage, at the premises and online. The CMA found fewer than half of people using a large group knew their practice was part of a chain.

Price comparison via RCVS ‘Find a Vet’

Price and ownership information is set to be made available to pet owners through the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) ‘Find a Vet’ service, giving a more central place to compare local practices than exists today.

Third-party comparison services

The reforms state that the RCVS ‘Find a Vet’ service will share its data with third-party comparison sites. The intention is to let independent services help pet owners compare practices — subject to the final Orders and the arrangements the RCVS puts in place.

Written estimates and itemised bills

Where a treatment is expected to cost £500 or more (including aftercare), practices will need to provide a written estimate in advance, plus an itemised bill — with emergencies the only exception for the written estimate. Pet owners must also be told they can ask for a written prescription, which can be cheaper to fill at an online pharmacy.

What prices will vets need to publish?

The reforms are built around comprehensive standard price lists. Based on the CMA’s remedies, the categories expected to be covered include the following — where a practice offers that service (not every practice offers every service):

Consultations
Out-of-hours consultations
Vaccinations
Written prescription fees
Admin fees
Neutering
Microchipping
Routine dentistry
Scans
Diagnostic tests
Common surgical procedures
Parasiticide products (flea and worm treatments)
Euthanasia and cremation

The precise list and format will be set by the CMA’s final Orders and the RCVS. Exact inclusions may change as the rules are finalised.

What this means for pet owners

It should become easier to compare local vets, because more practices will publish prices in a more consistent way, and price and ownership information should be easier to find.

Published prices still need context. A consultation fee at one clinic may include things that another charges for separately — so two prices that look different are not always comparing the same thing.

A low headline price may not include everything you will end up paying. Pre-operative tests, medication, follow-up appointments and aftercare can all add to the final bill.

For these reasons, it is still worth confirming the total cost directly with the clinic before booking. A published price is a much better starting point than a guess — but it is a starting point, not a guarantee.

What this means for Petfair

Petfair already helps pet owners compare publicly available vet prices — the fees clinics publish themselves. We show real published prices, not estimates, and we mark a clinic as “Not listed” rather than guess when it has not published a price.

To be clear: Petfair is independent and is not approved, endorsed, or accredited by the CMA, the RCVS, or any government body.

The reforms include sharing standardised price and ownership data through the RCVS ‘Find a Vet’ service with third-party comparison sites. If and when that data becomes available to approved third parties, Petfair will aim to make it easier for pet owners to understand and compare. We do not currently have access to any official data feed, and any future access would depend on the final Orders and the arrangements the RCVS puts in place.

See how we collect prices for more on our current method.

Timeline

March 2026
The CMA published its final report, concluding the market investigation into veterinary services for household pets.
From September 2026
The CMA has up to six months to put legally binding Orders in place — expected by 23 September 2026 — after which the remedies begin to take effect.
Into early 2027
Most remedies are expected to follow in the three to twelve months after the Orders are made. Timing is expected to depend on business size, with smaller practices generally given longer to comply than larger groups, and on the final Orders.

Dates are indicative and based on the CMA’s published timetable. Exact timing may change as the Orders are finalised.

Frequently asked questions

Are vets now forced to publish prices?: The reforms require practices to publish standard price lists for the services they offer, but this is being introduced through legally binding Orders that are still being put in place. Many practices already publish some prices voluntarily; the reforms aim to make this more comprehensive and consistent. The exact timing depends on the final Orders, which are expected from late 2026 into 2027.
Does this mean vet prices are capped?: No. The reforms do not put a cap on vet prices in general. The only price cap is on the fee a vet can charge for writing a prescription. Practices remain free to set their own fees for consultations, treatments and procedures, which is why comparing prices still matters.
Are prescription fees capped?: Yes. The fee for a written prescription is being capped at £21 for the first medicine and £12.50 for each additional medicine. This cap is on the prescription-writing fee — it is separate from the price of the medicine itself.
Will all vet prices be the same?: No. Standard price lists are designed to make prices easier to find and compare, not to make them identical. Practices still set their own fees, so prices will continue to vary between clinics — sometimes significantly.
Is Petfair approved by the CMA or RCVS?: No. Petfair is an independent price comparison site. We are not approved, endorsed, or accredited by the CMA, the RCVS, or any government body.
Will Petfair use the new standardised data?: The reforms allow the RCVS ‘Find a Vet’ service to share standardised data with third-party comparison sites. If and when that data becomes available to approved third parties, we will aim to make it easier for pet owners to understand and compare. We do not currently have access to any official data feed, and any future access would depend on the final Orders and the arrangements the RCVS puts in place.

Sources

This page summarises official information for pet owners. For the full detail, see the primary sources below.

This explainer is for general information only and is not legal advice. It is not affiliated with, approved by, or endorsed by the CMA or the RCVS.

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