Veterinary businesses providing out-of-hours services to first opinion practices are required to submit a compliance report to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) by 11:59pm on 23 October 2026.
The requirement follows the publication of the Veterinary Services Market Investigation Order 2026 by the CMA in September 2026. The report must be submitted by a Chief Executive Officer, Managing Director, Senior Director, owner, or an individual with authority to make the declaration, depending on the business structure.
If a business becomes aware of non-compliance with Article 19 of the Order, which relates to out-of-hours contracts, they must inform the CMA within 14 calendar days. The CMA stated it considers possible enforcement action on a case-by-case basis.