Dubai is the shining light of the world when it comes to healthcare innovation, and for good reason. If you’re a doctor looking to start your practice in this dynamic emirate, a DHA Professional License is non-negotiable. The DHA license application process can look complicated even for experienced specialists moving to the UAE without professional guidance, and for doctors who eventually plan to go further and open their own practice, understanding how to setup a clinic in Dubai starts with getting this individual license right first.
This guide walks through the entire medical license registration process and shows how the right consultancy can support you at every step.
Understanding DHA Licensing: Why It Matters
Dubai’s healthcare sector is regulated by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) to maintain high medical standards. Every physician needs a DHA Professional License to practice lawfully in the city, whether as a GP, specialist, or consultant, and this license is the first hurdle before your medical career in Dubai can move forward at all.
Learn How to Activate Your DHA Licence → https://ontimehealthcare.com/how-to-activate-dha-licence/
Step-by-Step Process to Apply for DHA License
A step-by-step process of how to request a DHA license and what you can expect
- Eligibility Check — Verify your medical qualifications meet DHA’s minimum requirements through its central framework, based on where you trained and how many years of experience you have.
- Create a Sheryan Account — Register on the DHA Digital Platform to access all licensing services and track your application.
- Document Submission — Gather and attest your passport, updated resume, medical degree and transcripts, internship/experience certification, Good Standing Certificate, home-country license, and logbooks where required.
- Dataflow Verification — DHA cross-checks your qualifications and work history directly with issuing institutions to eliminate fraud and delays.
- DHA exam, and an oral assessment if DHA asks for one — Some professionals sit the Prometric exam, a computer-based test covering your specialty.
- Receive Your Eligibility Letter — Issued once your credentials are verified and any exam is passed, permitting you to seek employment at a licensed facility.
- Your employer activates your licence on Sheryan — Once hired by a DHA-approved employer, your sponsor activates the license, and you’re clear to practice.
DHA licensing fees in 2026
| Fee | Nurses, midwives, allied health and TCAM | Physicians and dentists | Who pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-Assessment Tool | Free | Free | – |
| Credentialing (Get Registered) | AED 200 | AED 200 | Applicant |
| Review Registration Eligibility (manual review, optional) | AED 200 | AED 200 | Applicant |
| Oral assessment, if required (normal / urgent) | AED 250 / AED 2,000 | AED 500 / AED 2,000 | Applicant |
| Full-time licence – 1 year | AED 1,000 | AED 3,000 | Hiring facility |
| Full-time licence – 2 years | AED 1,500 | AED 5,000 | Hiring facility |
| Full-time licence – 3 years | AED 2,500 | AED 7,500 | Hiring facility |
| Part-time or trainee licence | AED 1,000 | AED 3,000 | Hiring facility |
DHA adds Knowledge and Innovation fees at checkout. The Prometric exam fee is set in US dollars in DHA’s CBT guideline: USD 280 for physicians and dentists and USD 240 for nurses and midwives, with some allied health titles lower. DataFlow charges separately for verification, and the amount depends on how many documents you verify. Check the current price on DataFlow’s DHA page before you apply.
Need Help? Get Professional DHA Licensing Support → ontimehealthcare.com/professional-licensing
From Employed Doctor to Clinic Owner
A DHA Professional License gets you practicing, but it isn’t the only path available once you’re established. A growing number of doctors we work with eventually ask us about how to set up a clinic in Dubai of their own rather than staying on staff elsewhere.
The route runs on a separate but connected track. Where your professional license covers you individually, opening a clinic means securing a trade license through the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), or registering in a healthcare free zone such as Dubai Healthcare City, alongside a facility-level DHA license for the premises itself. Mainland clinics can treat patients anywhere in Dubai; DHCC clinics carry their own minimum capital requirements and mainly serve patients within the zone. Either route comes with meaningful upside: full foreign ownership on most healthcare activities, and 100% repatriation of profits.
If you’re weighing this move, how to set up a clinic in Dubai as an owner rather than an employee is a decision worth planning early, ideally before you sign any lease, since DHA reviews location and layout before commercial commitments are made. Our team walks doctors through this exact transition on our Clinic Setup in Dubai page, covering trade name reservation, facility licensing, fit-out, and staffing.
Why Work with Healthcare Consultancies in Dubai?
The DHA process is notoriously rigid, and many professionals stall between stages over incomplete paperwork or misunderstood requirements. Working with an experienced consultancy like OnTime Healthcare puts you strategically ahead. We’ve guided hundreds of doctors through licensing and supported the setup of more than 350 healthcare facilities since 2003, offering eligibility review, end-to-end application handling, dataflow coordination, exam prep, renewal support, and full clinic setup services for those ready to make that leap.
Speak with Our Healthcare Licensing Consultants Today → ontimehealthcare.com/contact-us
Begin Your Medical Career in Dubai with Confidence
Whether you’re applying for your first DHA license or exploring how to set up a clinic in Dubai under your own name, OnTime Healthcare is built to take you through both stages withoutÂ
FAQs
Q1: What makes On Time Healthcare different from other consultancies?
Specialty-specific, hands-on support. Our in-house team has deep, hands-on experience with the DHA system.
Q2: How can On Time Healthcare assist with exam preparation?
Updated question banks, previous-year papers, topic-wise mock tests, and expert-led workshops to help you clear your Prometric exam.
Q3: Can On Time Healthcare speed up the process?
Yes. We submit error-free applications and liaise directly with DHA and Dataflow to cut down delays.
Q4: Does On Time Healthcare offer help beyond licensing?
Yes. We handle the details so you can focus on your patients and your career.
Q5: Is On Time Healthcare approved by government authorities?
Yes, fully government-sanctioned, with processes aligned to UAE regulatory guidelines.
Q6: I already have my DHA license. Can OnTime help me set up my own clinic?
Yes. A growing number of our licensed doctors move on to clinic ownership with us. We handle trade name reservation, facility licensing, fit-out, and staffing on our Clinic Setup in Dubai service, so the transition from employed doctor to clinic owner runs through one team instead of several.
Also Read: Is DHA Licence Dubai Hard to Get for New Clinics in 2026?
