Dr. Maya Thompson built a solid career as a podiatrist in Santa Barbara, working for a well-established medical group. But after years, she wanted more freedom to focus on sports medicine and serve her community in a more personal way.
By summer of 2025, she already planned to leave the medical group, set up her own podiatry clinic in California, and establish an online platform that educates people on the science behind footwear.
She reached out to Incorporation Attorney with great questions as she planned to open her own clinic by spring of 2026. Maya wanted to know when’s the best time to set up her private podiatry practice and wondered, “What if I want a creative brand name instead of something clinical?”
In this article, we’ll walk you through how we made sure Maya’s was building a compliant private practice—from the perfect timing of filing paperwork to creative branding and exploring an educational website project.
The First Step: Knowing the Right Business Entity for a Podiatry Clinic in CA
Maya came to us with several questions but, overall, her goal was to transition to private practice correctly according to the law. So, first, we explained to her immediately that California podiatry practices cannot form a general corporation or LLC.
Incorporating a podiatry clinic in California means she’s required to form a Professional Corporation (PC) under the CA Corporations Code § 13400-13410, also known as the Moscone-Knox Professional Corporation Act.
This structure ensures that PCs remain compliant with the California Secretary of State and respective professional regulatory boards while providing key advantages:
- Liability protections from business debts and contracts
- Clear separation between personal and business finances
- Professional credibility with banks, landlords, and patients
With clarity on which business entity she could choose, working out the rest of the crucial details that concerned Maya the most became clearer as well. That includes, among others, the timing of filing for incorporation, choosing a compliant business name, and making sure she’s not violating her employment contract.
Perfect Timing: Setting Up Private Podiatry Practice Ahead of Business Opening
One of the first questions on Maya’s list was, “How soon should I set it up if I’m not opening until next year?” And it was a smart question, considering the potential tax obligations she might face before she even accepted her first patient as a private practitioner.
At the time, these were her options:
Form Her Corporate Podiatry Clinic Right Away
If you’re eager to start organizing your business foundation, forming your corporation immediately is a valid option. It gives you the advantage of being legally recognized early, which can be helpful for activities like negotiating a lease.
However, it also means your corporation becomes an active entity for tax purposes right away.
For example, in Maya’s case, if she had filed for her podiatry clinic in late 2025, she would have to submit a 2025 tax filing even if it doesn’t accept clients until spring 2026. While this doesn’t typically create a large tax bill, it does add a layer of administrative work before her clinic opens.
Register Her Podiatry Private Practice in January 2026
Registering her corporation in January of the same year the clinic officially begins operations will allow her to avoid the extra tax return from the previous year. It’s a straightforward, low-stress approach that would allow her to focus on preparing her new podiatry clinic in California for patients.
That said, forming her podiatry corporation in January means she would have a short window to finalize the filings, banking setup, and business agreements before opening.
Best of Both Worlds: Filing for Incorporation Ahead with ‘Future Effective Date’
The best compromise? File in November or December with a future effective date of January 1 the following year. That way, Maya could reserve her corporate name and complete legal filings early without paying taxes for a year she wasn’t operating.
This strategic step allowed her to open her clinic fully prepared, not prematurely burdened.
Creativity Within Compliance: Naming Your California Podiatry Corporation
Next came the fun part: naming her clinic.
Maya wanted something fresh and movement-inspired, like The Bubble Running Institute — a nod to her sports-focused approach. But California’s name rules for professional corporations are strict.
According to California Corporations Code § 202, a podiatric medical corporation must include words like “Podiatry,” “Podiatric,” or “Medical Corporation,” plus a corporate designation such as “corporation” or “incorporated.”
Can You Use a Fictitious Name (DBA) for Your Podiatry Clinic in California?
Truth be told, such strict naming rules can limit creativity when establishing your brand. But aside from the name in Articles of Incorporation filed with the Secretary of State, you can also apply for a Fictitious Name Permit from the Podiatric Medical Board of California.
Under the current CA Code of Regulations, Title 16, Division 13.9, § 1399.688(b), every podiatric corporation name must include a professional term such as “podiatry,” “podiatrist,” “foot,” or “ankle.”
Registering a compliant name in the corporate filings and applying for a fictitious name allowed Maya to keep her brand’s creative spirit while following state rules.
Setting the Corporate Stage: Why Your Lease Should Be in the Corporation’s Name
This is one area where the timing of your podiatry corporation’s formation will help. As soon as Maya’s private practice was established, she was ready to sign her lease and start designing her new space.
Before putting pen to paper, we made one crucial recommendation: Always sign your lease in the corporation’s name, not your own. Doing so will ensure that the corporation holds liability for the lease, which protects your personal assets in the long run.
Aside from expediting corporate filings for this purpose, we also helped set up her business bank account and prepare her organizational minutes. These small details might sound technical, but they’re crucial in building a strong “corporate veil” that protects owners from personal exposure.
Employment Contract Clarity and Leaving on the Right Terms
Even as her new corporation took shape, Maya faced another critical issue: building her private practice without breaching her employment agreement.
Our legal team guided her through key contract terms to avoid common exit pitfalls and advised her to:
- Review her employment agreement and any staff handbook for exit clauses.
- Watch for non-solicitation and non-compete clauses, though the latter are usually unenforceable in California.
- Understand the real-world dynamics, as some employers let physicians go immediately after notice is given.
We also offered to review her contract and flagged a 90-day notice clause linked to annual renewals, which was worth clarifying before tipping off her employer.
Armed with this knowledge, Maya planned her exit carefully and without legal clouds hanging over her new venture.
Building an Online Podiatry Platform Without Legal Risks
Part of Maya’s vision for her private practice included building an online podiatry platform that provides footwear education, product recommendations, quizzes or podiatry courses online, and possibly a podcast down the line.
She asked us: “Can my educational website fall under the same corporation as my clinic?”
It might seem like a harmless move, but we advised her against it because:
- Educational online platforms carry different liabilities from a professional podiatry corporation.
- Similarly, these ventures have different income structures.
That said, Maya can still legally provide clinical services through her podiatry corporation while running an online podiatry platform. To do so, we advised her to:
- Form a separate LLC or PC for the educational website
- Include clear disclaimers that the content is for educational purposes, not medical advice
This foresight would allow her online platform to complement her clinical practice, helping reach patients across California and beyond.
FAQs About Opening a Podiatry Clinic in California
How to start a podiatry practice in California?
To start your private practice with a podiatry clinic in California, you must first form a Professional Corporation (PC). State laws don’t allow podiatrists to operate their clinical practice under a general corporation or LLC.
How should I name my podiatry corporation in California?
California law requires that the corporate name include professional identifiers like “Podiatry,” “Podiatric,” or “Medical Corporation,” along with a corporate suffix such as “Incorporated” or “Corp.”
If you plan to use a brand name or trade name different from your legal corporate name, you’ll need a Fictitious Name Permit from the California Board of Podiatric Medicine.
How much does it cost to start a podiatry corporation in California?
Costs can vary based on filing fees, legal documentation, and local licensing requirements. Additional fees may also apply in specific cases, like when you’re applying for a Fictitious Name Permit.
On average, forming a podiatry corporation in California can range from $1,200–$3,000, depending on how much professional assistance you need.
Do I need a lawyer to incorporate a private podiatry practice in California?
While DIY filings are possible and are cheaper upfront, mistakes can lead to expensive corrections later. Forming a podiatry clinic in California involves multiple steps with government offices, state medical boards, licensing requirements, and name restrictions that can be confusing and lead to potential legal trouble later.
Moving Forward: Start Your Podiatry Private Practice with Expert Help
Dr. Maya Thompson’s journey proves that careful planning and right legal guidance make the transition to private practice easier and sets your career for long-term stability and growth.
If you’re also at the crossroads of being an employed podiatrist and owning a podiatry clinic in California, our team at Incorporation Attorney is here to help!
From corporate formation to compliance strategy, we’ll make sure every legal detail is handled so you can focus on patient care. Call Incorporation Attorney today at (714) 634-4838 to schedule your consultation.
