Regulatory information current as at 06 October 2026. State and territory implementation is changing. Nurses should always confirm current legislation and health department guidance in the jurisdiction in which they practise.
Registered nurse prescribing is one of the biggest changes to Australian nursing in decades, but for cosmetic nurses, NMBA endorsement doesn't automatically mean you can prescribe in your clinic. Here's what each state and territory currently allows.
On 30 September 2025, a new national registration standard came into effect allowing suitably qualified registered nurses to become endorsed as designated registered nurse prescribers.
For cosmetic nurses, though, there is an important distinction.
Being endorsed by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia does not automatically give an RN legal authority to prescribe within a cosmetic clinic. State and territory medicines legislation still determines whether that endorsement can be used and under what conditions.
And right now, the answer is different depending on where you practise.
Under the new NMBA standard, eligible registered nurses can apply for an endorsement for scheduled medicines as a designated registered nurse prescriber.
To qualify, an RN must:
The endorsement covers Schedule 2, 3, 4 and 8 medicines, subject to the conditions of the prescribing model.
An endorsed RN must prescribe within their competence and scope of practice, work within an appropriate clinical governance framework, have an active prescribing agreement with an authorised health practitioner, such as a medical practitioner or nurse practitioner, and undertake the required six-month clinical mentorship.
Most importantly, the RN must also have legal authority to prescribe under the medicines and poisons legislation of the state or territory in which they practise.
There is no single regulator governing every aspect of cosmetic nursing.
AHPRA and the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia regulate the practitioner, including registration, professional standards, scope of practice, professional conduct and prescribing endorsement requirements.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration regulates therapeutic goods at the Commonwealth level, including restrictions on advertising prescription medicines to the public.
State and territory governments regulate the prescribing, possession, supply and administration of scheduled medicines through their own medicines and poisons legislation.
This creates three important regulatory layers for cosmetic nurses: professional regulation, therapeutic goods regulation and state or territory medicines law.
NSW is enabling designated RN prescribing from November 2026, but has specifically excluded cosmetic prescribing from the model.
For cosmetic nurses, obtaining the designated RN prescriber endorsement will not provide authority to prescribe medicines for cosmetic purposes in NSW.
This is an important distinction. NSW has chosen to expand RN prescribing across healthcare while specifically restricting its application to cosmetic practice.
Relevant legislation includes the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2022 and Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2026.
Advice: Cosmetic nurses considering designated RN prescribing should be aware that, under the NSW medicines legislation commencing 5 November 2026, the endorsement will not authorise them to prescribe cosmetic use medicines. Nurses considering postgraduate prescribing study for the purpose of prescribing within cosmetic practice should take this restriction into account before enrolling and review current NSW Health guidance.
Victoria is introducing designated RN prescribing in stages, with regulatory amendments expected in late 2026.
The first stage will permit designated RN prescribing in hospitals, residential aged care, palliative care, prisons and police gaols.
Private practice is not included, which means general practice and private cosmetic clinics will remain outside the initial model.
Relevant legislation includes the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 and Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Regulations 2017.
Advice: Cosmetic nurses should monitor Victorian Department of Health updates as the prescribing model expands beyond the initial healthcare settings.
Queensland has not yet implemented designated RN prescribing through its medicines framework in a way that enables cosmetic RNs to rely on the endorsement to prescribe in private aesthetic practice.
An RN may complete the approved postgraduate study and obtain national endorsement, but this does not automatically create prescribing authority under Queensland law.
Relevant legislation includes the Medicines and Poisons Act 2019 and Medicines and Poisons (Medicines) Regulation 2021.
Advice: Cosmetic nurses should monitor changes to the Medicines and Poisons (Medicines) Regulation 2021 and Queensland Health guidance to see how designated RN prescribers are incorporated and whether prescribing authority extends to private cosmetic practice.
Western Australia is actively preparing for designated RN prescribing, but it is not yet known how the final framework will apply to cosmetic nurses in private practice.
The WA Chief Nursing and Midwifery Office is leading implementation, supported by an advisory committee and working party. A phased rollout is proposed, with prescribing and clinical governance frameworks currently being developed.
Changes to the Medicines and Poisons Regulations 2016 are also being developed to accommodate designated RN prescribers.
Relevant legislation includes the Medicines and Poisons Act 2014 and Medicines and Poisons Regulations 2016.
Advice: Cosmetic nurses should keep a close eye on changes to the Medicines and Poisons Regulations 2016 to see how designated RN prescribing will operate in WA and whether it extends to private cosmetic practice.
South Australia is yet to confirm how the designated RN prescriber model will operate under its medicines legislation and whether it will extend to cosmetic nurses working in private practice.
An RN may complete the approved postgraduate study and obtain national endorsement, but prescribing authority will still depend on South Australian medicines legislation and any conditions introduced for designated RN prescribers.
Relevant legislation includes the Controlled Substances Act 1984 and Controlled Substances (Poisons) Regulations 2011.
Advice: Cosmetic nurses should monitor changes to the Controlled Substances (Poisons) Regulations 2011 and SA Health guidance for updates on designated RN prescribing and whether it will extend to private cosmetic practice.
Tasmania has already incorporated endorsed registered nurses into its medicines legislation.
Under regulation 7 of the Poisons Regulations 2018, a registered nurse whose registration is endorsed under section 94 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Tasmania) is recognised as an authorised health professional. An endorsed RN may, in the lawful practice of their profession, possess, sell, supply or prescribe a scheduled substance in accordance with their endorsement.
Tasmania therefore has a legislative pathway for designated RN prescribing. The provision does not appear to specifically exclude cosmetic practice.
Relevant legislation includes the Poisons Act 1971 and Poisons Regulations 2018, particularly regulation 7.
Advice: Cosmetic nurses should ensure prescribing remains within their endorsement, competence and scope of practice, and check with the Tasmanian Department of Health for any current or proposed restrictions specific to cosmetic practice.
The ACT has legislation in place that recognises endorsed health practitioners and allows them to deal with medicines in accordance with their endorsement.
Under section 490 of the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008, a health practitioner whose registration is appropriately endorsed under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (ACT) is authorised to deal with medicines in accordance with that endorsement.
This provides a legislative pathway for an NMBA-endorsed designated RN prescriber in the ACT. The provisions reviewed do not specifically exclude cosmetic practice.
Relevant legislation includes the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2008 and Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008, particularly section 490.
Advice: Cosmetic nurses should ensure prescribing remains within their endorsement, competence and scope of practice, and check with ACT Health for any current or proposed restrictions specific to cosmetic practice.
The Northern Territory also has a legislative pathway that recognises prescribing qualifications endorsed under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law.
Under section 86 of the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2012, an endorsed health practitioner may prescribe scheduled substances in accordance with their endorsed qualification.
Importantly, section 86 also allows additional conditions or restrictions to be imposed through the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulations 2014.
Relevant legislation includes the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2012, particularly section 86, and the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulations 2014.
Advice: Cosmetic nurses should confirm that no additional restrictions under the Regulations or NT Health guidance apply to designated RN prescribing or cosmetic practice before commencing prescribing.
The national endorsement is only one part of the prescribing equation.
Before investing in postgraduate prescribing education, cosmetic nurses should establish whether their state or territory has enabled designated RN prescribing and, critically, whether that authority extends to private cosmetic practice.
The approaches already being taken across Australia show why this matters. NSW has specifically excluded cosmetic prescribing. Victoria's initial model excludes private practice. Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia are still developing or clarifying how their frameworks will apply. Tasmania, the ACT and Northern Territory already contain legislative pathways recognising endorsed prescribing qualifications, but nurses should continue to check for jurisdiction-specific restrictions.
Registered nurse prescribing may significantly change the way healthcare is delivered in Australia. Whether cosmetic nursing will benefit from that change to the same extent as other areas of healthcare remains to be seen.
For now, the key message is simple: completing the qualification and obtaining NMBA endorsement does not, on its own, mean you can prescribe in your cosmetic clinic.
Your authority depends on your endorsement, your scope of practice, the medicines involved, your clinical governance arrangements and, critically, the law in the state or territory where you practise.
Cosmetic nursing regulation is moving fast, and prescribing is only one part of it. For plain-English guidance on staying compliant in your clinic, explore the Juv'ae Business and Compliance Series (#).
Regulatory information current as of 06 October 2026. Designated RN prescribing is being implemented progressively across Australia and legislation, regulations and government guidance may change. This article provides general information only and should not be relied upon as legal advice or confirmation of an individual nurse's prescribing authority. Nurses should check current NMBA and AHPRA requirements, relevant medicines and poisons legislation and health department guidance before prescribing.