The setting up of the regulatory system for Chinese medicine practitoners is to ensure the professional standard and conduct of Chinese medicine practitioners so as to safeguard public health and consumers' rights and to accord a statutory professional status for Chinese medicine practitioners. This regulatory system includes regulatory measures for registration, examination and discipline of Chinese medicine practitioners.

After full implementation of the Chinese Medicine Ordinance, all Chinese medicine practitioners should be registered before they can practise Chinese medicine in Hong Kong. Any person who wishes to be registered as registered Chinese medicine practitioner should undertake and pass the Licensing Examination. To be eligible to undertake the Licensing Examination, a person should satisfy the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board of the Chinese Medicine Council he has satisfactorily completed such undergraduate degree course of training in Chinese medicine practice or its equivalent as is approved by the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board.

According to the Chinese Medicine Ordinance, Chinese medicine practitioners who were practising Chinese medicine on 3 January 2000, can apply for registration of Chinese medicine practitioners under the transitional arrangements.

To ensure a high professional standard of registered Chinese medicine practitioners, according to the Chinese Medicine Ordinance, registered Chinese medicine practitioners must pursue continuing education in Chinese medicine as specified by the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board in order to improve their professional knowledge and keep themselves abreast of the latest development of the profession.

Registered Chinese medicine practitioners should comply with the professional code of practice compiled by the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board, the contents of which include regulation of the discipline, professional responsibility and ethics and practising criteria of Chinese medicine practitioners, etc. If a registered Chinese medicine practitioner is alleged to be guilty of misconduct in any professional respect, the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board may conduct inquiry against and impose punishment on the Chinese medicine practitioner concerned which may include removal of name from the Register of Chinese Medicine Practitioners.

The Chinese Medicine Ordinance also includes the system of limited registration. Specified educational or scientific research institutions intend to employ non-registered Chinese medicine practitioners to perform clinical teaching or research in Chinese medicine for the institutions, may apply to the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board on behalf of the persons concerned for limited registration. Persons with limited registration cannot practise Chinese medicine in Hong Kong.