Virginia

This page summarizes the rules we follow in Virginia. It isn’t legal advice.

Health practice seals

Dentists, physical therapists, chiropractors, optometrists, hearing care and vets get seals, not certification. A seal a practice shows is part of its advertising, so it has to fit that profession’s rules.

• Dentists: nothing misleading and no claims of superiority (Va. Code 54.1-2706), plus the dental advertising rule (18VAC60-21-80).
• Physical therapists: nothing misleading, and no "board certified" or similar wording without specialty board certification (18VAC112-20-200).
• Chiropractors (Board of Medicine): no claims of superiority (Va. Code 54.1-2915) and nothing misleading (18VAC85-20-30).
• Optometrists: no claims of professional superiority and no free exams in ads (Va. Code 54.1-3215), plus title rules (18VAC105-20-40).
• Audiologists: no guaranteed results and nothing misleading (18VAC30-21-160).
• Hearing aid specialists: no misleading ads, testimonials, guarantees or insignia (18VAC80-20-270).
• Vets: nothing misleading and no subjective claims of superiority (18VAC150-20-140).

How our seals stay within these rules:

• A seal names one part of the visit, such as the front desk or booking. Never clinicians, care or results.
• No comparisons. Never "best," "top," "certified" or "board certified."
• No Gold, because our assessor would have to become a patient.
• Every seal says "Our client."
• We check that licenses are active (Virginia Health Professions License Lookup; hearing aid specialists: Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation). We recheck every 90 days.

Medical spas

About the visit only. We don’t review medical treatments or their results.

• The seal names one part of the visit, such as booking. Never treatments, results or safety.
• The seal can’t appear next to before-and-after photos or treatment ads.
• No Gold.

Medical spas also follow Virginia medical advertising law, which bans claims of superiority (Va. Code 54.1-2915), and the Board of Medicine rule against misleading ads (18VAC85-20-30).

The $25 profile renews each year

Virginia’s automatic renewal law (Va. Code 59.1-207.45 to 59.1-207.49) protects small businesses, not just individuals. Here’s how we follow it:

• Before you pay: the price and renewal terms sit right next to the button.
• After you pay: an email with the terms and how to cancel.
• At least 30 days before each renewal: a reminder with the date, the price and a cancel link.
• Cancel anytime online, in one click. No call needed.
• Price changes: we tell you before they take effect, and how to cancel. Without that notice, your price stays the same (Va. Code 59.1-207.46).
• Changed your mind? Cancel within 14 days after a renewal charge, and we refund it in full.

Consumer protection and reviews

Virginia law bans misrepresenting who sponsors, approves or certifies something (Va. Code 59.1-200). Federal Trade Commission rules require paid relationships to be disclosed (16 CFR Part 255) and ban fake reviews, paying for positive reviews and hiding negative ones (16 CFR Part 465).

How we follow them:

• Owners pay for a profile, not a result. Paying never changes what a seal says.
• Every seal shows that the business is our client.
• Highlights come from Google reviews, in our own words.
• We never buy, write or hide reviews.

Gold reads "Great Experience Verified" and comes only with our in-person Signature Business Feature. The business pays for the check, including the one service our assessor buys, and pays the same whether it passes or not. Not every business passes. The seal shows the month of the check and that the business is our client, and its page says what the business paid for. We publish the checklist and passing score before the first check. Gold lasts 12 months.

Payment

Prices include payment processing. We don’t add card fees.