How do you register a private clinic or license a private hospital under Act 586?
A private medical or dental clinic is registered with the Ministry of Health under section 4 of Act 586, through one application on myMedPCs, and the registration is not renewed. A private hospital or other section 3 facility needs approval to establish and then a licence, renewed every two years, and MSQH accreditation comes after either.
Registration or licence, and why the difference matters
Act 586 came into force on 1 May 2006 and is enforced by the Private Medical Practice Control Section, CKAPS, at Ministry headquarters and in every state and federal territory health department.1 Section 3 facilities, private hospitals, ambulatory care centres, haemodialysis centres, nursing and maternity homes, blood banks, hospices and community mental health centres, go through two stages before they operate, and renew their licence every two years. A private medical or dental clinic under section 4 goes through one stage and does not renew.2
Running either without its registration or licence is an offence under section 5, punishable by a fine of up to RM300,000 or six years in prison for an individual, and up to RM500,000 for a company.3
Registering a private medical clinic
The applicant must be a registered medical practitioner with a current Annual Practising Certificate, and a certificate of registration for a medical clinic is issued only to a registered medical practitioner.4 The person in charge, the OYB, must have completed compulsory service, may be in charge of one clinic only, and a specialist may be in charge only of a specialist clinic.4
- Check the premises. A commercial lot, not a residential one, with patient routes at least 1.2m clear and a ramp no steeper than 1 in 12.
- Draw the floor plan. At a scale of 1 to 100, drawn at least by a draughtsman, with one consulting room for each registered medical practitioner.
- Gather the documents. Certified copies of the APC showing the clinic's name and address, an original statutory declaration under two years old, the CF or assessment tax bill, and the signboard artwork.
- Apply on myMedPCs. Submit Borang A online, with the CKAPS checklist for private medical clinics, and pay the processing fee.
- Renovate after the STH. Start work only once CKAPS headquarters issues the no-objection letter, and finish within 3 months or ask in writing for an extension.
- Open on the certificate. Operate only once the certificate of registration is issued. The state CKAPS team inspects after the clinic opens.
- Applicant, name and MMC number ______ APC year ______
- Person in charge, name ______ Compulsory service completed ______
- Clinic name as on Borang A, APC and signboard ______
- Full address, lot, floor, postcode ______
- Floor plan 1 to 100, drawn by ______ Date ______
- Statutory declaration signed on ______
- STH received on ______ Renovation done by ______
- Certificate of registration number ______ Displayed where ______
Licensing a private hospital or centre
| Stage | Form | What it gives you | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approval to establish or maintain | Borang 1 | Borang 2, valid for 3 years | RM2,000 to RM4,000 to process, by number of beds, for a hospital |
| Licence to operate or provide | Borang 3 | Borang 4, after an inspection under section 16 | RM1,500 plus RM5 a bed to process, then RM3,000 to RM8,000 to issue, for a hospital |
| Renewal | Online, myBRP@CKAPS | A new licence for 2 years | Double the processing fee if filed less than 6 months before expiry |
Fees are paid by money order or bank draft to the Secretary General of the Ministry of Health, and an incomplete application is not processed and its fee is not refunded.5 When a licence is renewed, CKAPS focuses on process and outcome for each licensed service, including by reviewing the facility's records.5
Once you hold your registration or licence, the MSQH survey readiness guide takes you to accreditation. The MOH and MSQH hub sets out both, and the guide to clinic AI in Kuala Lumpur covers the city.
Questions
Does a private clinic registration need to be renewed?
No. A registered private medical or dental clinic does not renew its registration. Changes such as a new person in charge, a new address or a transfer of ownership each need their own application.
Can a clinic open once it has the no-objection letter?
No. The STH only allows renovation, and the clinic may operate once it holds its certificate of registration under Act 586.
How long does a new clinic registration take?
The Ministry's FAQ estimates that a clinic is established within 3 months of the application reaching CKAPS.
Can one doctor be the person in charge of two clinics?
No. A registered medical practitioner may be the person in charge of one private clinic only.
Sources
- 1Ministry of Health Malaysia, Medical Practice Division, 2026Pengenalan CKAPS, Private Medical Practice Control Section (Malay)Read source
- 2Ministry of Health Malaysia, Medical Practice Division, 2025Soalan-soalan lazim berkaitan penguatkuasaan Akta 586, 17 June 2025 (Malay)Read source
- 3Malaysian Society for Quality in Health, 1998Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 586)Read source
- 4Ministry of Health Malaysia, Medical Practice Division, 2024Garis panduan memproses permohonan pendaftaran klinik perubatan dan pergigian swasta, 2 September 2024 (Malay)Read source
- 5Ministry of Health Malaysia, Medical Practice Division, 2026Garis panduan pemprosesan permohonan pelesenan KPJKS berlesen bawah Akta 586, 6 April 2026 (Malay)Read source
- 6Ministry of Health Malaysia, Medical Practice Division, 2026Pendaftaran klinik perubatan swasta, forms, checklists and guidelines (Malay)Read source
Written by the wai team from the Ministry of Health Malaysia and the Malaysian Society for Quality in Health guidance, checked on 16 October 2026. This is guidance, not legal advice. Neither the Ministry of Health nor MSQH endorses wai or any software.