Med spa financing for owners usually means one of three things: equipment financing or leasing for lasers and body-contouring devices, an SBA loan to open, buy or expand a location, or short-term working capital. Aesthetic devices are expensive and hold their value for only a few years, so matching the loan term to the device’s useful life matters more here than in most businesses.
This page is about financing the business. Searches for “med spa financing” also return patient payment plans, which let clients pay for treatments over time; those are a separate product and are out of scope here. For related guides, see our medical practice financing hub and our page on cosmetic and aesthetic equipment financing.
Start with ownership: med spas are medical practices
Before a lender looks at your numbers, it will look at who owns the business, because state medical practice rules shape who can borrow. California is a clear example. The Medical Board of California says “the use of prescriptive drugs and devices, however, is the practice of medicine,” and that “laypersons or lay entities may not own any part of a medical practice.” It also says “the majority of stock in a medical corporation must be owned by California licensed physicians, with no more than 49% owned by other licensed health care professionals.”
Rules differ by state, and some owners use a management company alongside a physician-owned practice. Lenders will ask how your business is set up, who the medical director is and which entity owns the equipment and signs the loan. Get that structure reviewed by a healthcare attorney in your state before you apply; it affects which entity can borrow and who has to guarantee the debt.
Med spa financing options compared
The table shows terms as each lender or the SBA publishes them. Figures checked on September 21, 2026. An interest rate is the yearly cost of borrowing before fees; the APR (annual percentage rate) adds fees in, so it is the better number for comparing offers. Short-term products sometimes quote a factor rate, a multiplier on the amount borrowed rather than an annual rate. Only Kapitus and Celtic Bank publish any rate on the pages we checked, and neither states an APR, so ask each lender for one in writing.
| Option | Amounts | Term | Pricing as published | Minimums published | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment financing (Kapitus) | From $20,000; “No Maximum” | Up to 72 months | Interest rates “Starting at 7.5%” (APR not stated) | 660 FICO; 2 years in business | Lasers and devices for an established med spa |
| Equipment financing (National Funding) | Not published on the beauty and wellness page | 2 to 5 years, monthly payments | Not published | Not published | Smaller equipment purchases |
| Working capital (National Funding) | Not published on the beauty and wellness page | 4 to 24 months, daily or weekly payments | Not published | Not published | Short gaps: payroll, product, marketing |
| SBA 7(a) loan (Celtic Bank, general program) | Up to $5 million | Up to 25 years | “As low as prime +2.75%” | SBA eligibility plus lender standards; up to 90% loan-to-value | Build-out, acquisition, equipment plus working capital |
| SBA 504 loan | Up to $5.5 million | 10, 20 or 25 years | Fixed rate tied to 10-year Treasuries | SBA eligibility plus lender standards | Buying or building a facility |
Sources: Kapitus, National Funding, Celtic Bank SBA 7(a), SBA 504.
Equipment financing and leasing
Most med spa borrowing is for devices: lasers, radiofrequency and body-contouring systems, and skin-analysis equipment. With a loan or a lease with a buyout, the device is the collateral, which makes it easier to qualify for than an unsecured loan. Kapitus publishes a 660 FICO minimum and two years in business, with terms up to 72 months, and says up to 100% of the equipment cost can be financed. National Funding lists equipment financing with monthly payments over 2 to 5 years.
A true lease (where you return the device at the end) can make sense for technology that is likely to be replaced by a newer model within a few years. A loan or a lease with a nominal buyout makes more sense for equipment you plan to keep. We compare the two in equipment financing vs. leasing.
SBA loans
An SBA 7(a) loan can combine build-out, equipment and working capital in a single loan with a longer term. The SBA lists equipment, working capital, real estate and “changes of ownership (complete or partial)” among eligible uses, with a $5 million maximum. The SBA’s maximum terms are 10 years for equipment and working capital and 25 years for real estate (SBA 7(a) terms). SBA loans take longer and ask for more paperwork than equipment loans. The SBA’s updated program rules, SOP 50 10 8.1, take effect on October 1, 2026, so confirm current down payment requirements with the lender.
Working capital
Short-term loans can cover payroll, injectable and skincare inventory, or a marketing push. National Funding’s beauty and wellness working capital loans run 4 to 24 months with daily or weekly payments. Frequent payments on a short term usually cost more per year than a bank loan, so they suit a short, defined need. A business line of credit is often a better fit for recurring gaps.
Tax treatment of financed devices
Financed equipment can still qualify for accelerated write-offs. For tax years beginning in 2026, the IRS sets the Section 179 limit at $2,560,000, reduced once equipment placed in service in the year exceeds $4,090,000 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32). The IRS also says the One Big Beautiful Bill “provides a permanent 100‑percent additional first year depreciation deduction for qualified property acquired” after January 19, 2025 (IRS). Whether a lease qualifies depends on its structure, so ask your CPA before you sign.
What lenders look for
- Ownership and licensing. Which entity owns the practice, who the medical director is, and whether the structure fits your state’s rules.
- Revenue and cash flow. Recent tax returns, a year-to-date profit and loss statement and bank statements. Lenders want to see that current revenue covers existing debt plus the new payment. Our guide to how lenders analyze cash flow explains the math.
- Personal credit. Kapitus, for example, publishes a 660 FICO minimum for equipment financing.
- Time in business. Kapitus asks for two years. A new med spa is more likely to need an SBA loan, a larger down payment or equipment financing secured by the device.
- The device and its revenue. A vendor quote with make, model and price, plus a simple projection of treatments per month and price per treatment, strengthens the application.
Pitfalls to watch
- A term longer than the device’s useful life. If a newer model is likely to replace the device before it is paid off, you may be paying for two machines at once.
- Optimistic treatment projections. Base the payment on bookings you can support today, not a best-case forecast.
- Service contracts and consumables. Some devices need paid service plans or per-treatment consumables. Add them to the monthly cost before deciding what you can afford.
- End-of-lease terms. Know whether the buyout is fixed or at fair market value, and how much notice you must give to return the device.
- Stacking short-term debt. Several daily-payment advances at once can take a large share of each day’s deposits. Read factor rates vs. APR before accepting one.
FAQ
Can a non-physician get financing for a med spa?
It depends on your state’s rules and how the business is structured. In California, for example, the Medical Board says “laypersons or lay entities may not own any part of a medical practice.” Lenders will want to see a structure that complies with your state’s rules, so talk to a healthcare attorney first.
How long can I finance a laser or aesthetic device?
Kapitus publishes terms up to 72 months, National Funding 2 to 5 years, and SBA 7(a) equipment loans up to 10 years. Shorter is usually better for technology that ages quickly.
Can a new med spa get an SBA loan?
Some SBA lenders finance start-ups. Expect them to weigh the owners’ experience, the business plan, the ownership structure and how much cash you put in. Check current SBA down payment rules with the lender, since updated rules take effect on October 1, 2026.
Is offering patient financing the same as med spa financing?
No. Patient financing is a consumer product your clients use to pay for treatments. Business financing is money the med spa borrows and repays. Many med spas use both, but they are separate decisions.
Next step
Confirm your ownership structure, get a written quote for the device, and gather recent tax returns and bank statements. Our medical practice financing page explains how we compare equipment, SBA and working capital offers from the lenders we work with. Day spas without medical services may find spa business financing or salon equipment financing a closer fit.
Sources
- Medical Board of California: The Business of Medicine, Medical Spas
- U.S. Small Business Administration: 7(a) loans
- U.S. Small Business Administration: 7(a) terms, conditions and eligibility
- U.S. Small Business Administration: 504 loans
- U.S. Small Business Administration: Issuance of SOP 50 10 8.1
- IRS: Revenue Procedure 2025-32
- IRS: Guidance on the additional first year depreciation deduction
- Kapitus: Equipment financing
- National Funding: Beauty and wellness business loans
- Celtic Bank: SBA 7(a) loans
About this page. Written by Ezra Cabrera, Content Team Lead at SMB Compass. Figures were checked against the primary sources listed above on September 21, 2026; lenders change their terms, so confirm current terms before you apply, and let us know if you spot a figure that has changed. SMB Compass is a business financing broker: we don’t lend our own money, and we are paid by the lenders we place loans with. This page is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice.