​The article focuses on the regulations and requirements concerning the opening of an apothecary shop in Bologna. It describes three institutions involved in a pharmaceutical supervision in the past, that is the Apothecaries’ Guild, the Medical College and the Protomedicato Office. Starting from the Middle Ages, the duty of controlling pharmacies rested on the Apothecaries’ Guild. During the 16th century the surveillance over apothecaries was transferred to physicians associated within Medical College. Its members were elected as representatives of the Protomedicato, an institution set up by the pope especially to supervise all medical professions. Protomedicato and the Guild competencies, continually encroaching upon each other, made the whole process of starting a new business much more complicated. It was showed and explained on an example of Pompeo Zoli (or Zolli), living in the 2nd half of the 17th century, when all supervising institutions were fully developed. His letters sent to the Protomedicato and other records came from the State Archive of Bologna.