Who can inject Botox and fillers in Georgia?
The Medical Board and the Board of Nursing have each answered this in writing. Read together, they draw a clear line — and a common med spa staffing model falls on the wrong side of it.
The short answer
Physicians; PAs and NPs working under Board-approved delegation; and RNs with training and an individualized order. The Georgia Composite Medical Board treats neurotoxin and filler injections as the practice of medicine.
Not LPNs, medical assistants, or estheticians. The Board of Nursing says injecting is outside LPN scope, and the Medical Board defines delegating these injections to a medical assistant as unprofessional conduct.
License by license
| License | May inject neurotoxins and fillers? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Physician (MD/DO) | Yes | Within the physician's own practice of medicine. |
| Physician assistant | Yes | Under a Board-approved job description (with an Additional Duty Request). |
| Nurse practitioner / APRN | Yes | Under a Board-approved nurse protocol agreement (with Form C), filed within 30 days. |
| Registered nurse | Yes, with conditions | Documented training and competency; an individualized order; a history and physical by a physician, NP or PA first. |
| Licensed practical nurse | No | Outside LPN scope of practice. |
| Medical assistant | No | Delegating these injections to an MA is unprofessional conduct. |
| Esthetician | No | Outside esthetician scope of practice. |
Scroll the table sideways →
Sources: GCMB FAQ; Board of Nursing position statement; Rule 360-32-.03.
What an RN needs before injecting
The Georgia Board of Nursing's Cosmetic/Aesthetic Procedures position statement covers neuromodulator and dermal filler injections. It is within RN scope — not LPN scope — when all of these are true:
- An individualized order from a physician, NP or PA with prescriptive authority.
- A history and physical performed by the physician, NP or PA. The RN does not perform the evaluation that decides whether the patient should be treated.
- No standing orders in place of the individualized order and H&P. The Board of Nursing says standing orders are not an appropriate substitute.
- Documented knowledge, skill and competency for the procedure.
- Written policies and procedures maintained on site by the business.
The statement also says it is not within RN or LPN scope to make a medical diagnosis. The Medical Board's FAQ adds that the physician should examine and prescribe, and does not need to be on site while the PA, APRN or RN injects under a written order.
Medical assistants: the statute and the Board say different things
O.C.G.A. § 43-34-44 allows medical assistants to perform certain medical tasks, including some injections, under physician supervision. That is why some owners assume an MA can inject Botox.
The Medical Board has answered the cosmetic question directly. Its FAQ says physicians may not delegate neurotoxin and filler injections to medical assistants, and that doing so is unprofessional conduct under Rule 360-3-.02(21). Other unlicensed individuals may not perform them either. The exposure lands on the physician's license.
Estheticians
The Board's FAQ states that injecting neurotoxins and fillers is not within esthetician scope. Georgia's definition of an esthetician in O.C.G.A. § 43-10-1(8) also excludes the diagnosis, treatment or therapy of any dermatological condition, and the use of lasers. An esthetician who wants to operate lasers needs a separate cosmetic laser practitioner licence — see Can an esthetician operate a laser in Georgia?
How Local Medical Directors helps
We provide the supervising physician, the filed delegation documents, and the physician, NP or PA evaluation your injectors need — and can supply qualified APP injectors for planned demand or a service line you are opening.
Can an LPN inject Botox in Georgia?
No. The Georgia Board of Nursing's Cosmetic/Aesthetic Procedures position statement says it is not within the scope of practice for an LPN to perform prescribed neuromodulator or dermal filler injections. It is within RN scope, with an individualized order and a history and physical by a physician, NP or PA.
Can a medical assistant inject Botox in Georgia?
No. The Georgia Composite Medical Board's FAQ says physicians may not delegate neurotoxin and filler injections to medical assistants and defines doing so as unprofessional conduct under Rule 360-3-.02(21).
Does the physician have to be on site when an RN injects Botox in Georgia?
Not according to the Georgia Composite Medical Board's FAQ, which says the physician does not need to be on site while a PA, APRN or RN injects under a written order. The RN still needs an individualized order and a history and physical performed by a physician, NP or PA.
Can an RN inject Botox under a standing order in Georgia?
No. The Georgia Board of Nursing says standing orders are not an appropriate substitute for the individualized order or prescription and the history and physical.