DHA License for Doctors in Dubai: Titles, Exam and Steps
Short answer: A DHA license for doctors is the Dubai Health Authority licence you need before you treat patients in Dubai. You check your title against the Unified PQR, complete the free Self Assessment Tool in Sheryan, verify your documents through Dataflow, pass a CBT or oral assessment if your title needs one, and apply for DHA registration. Registration alone does not let you practise: a DHA licensed facility that hires you must activate it into a licence first.
Last verified: October 2026 against the DHA Sheryan service pages (Get Registered, Activate Professional License, Self Assessment Tool), the Sheryan FAQ and the Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR, April 2025) linked from Sheryan. Fees change, so check the live service card before you pay.
Key Takeaways
- DHA licensing has two stages: you get registered as an individual, then a hiring facility activates the registration into a licence.
- A GP needs an accredited MBBS or MBChB, a completed internship and two years of clinical experience. A Specialist’s experience depends on the Tier of the specialty certificate.
- Dataflow verification and any required CBT can run in parallel, which saves weeks.
- Registration is valid for one year. If no facility activates it in that time, you may have to start again from the Self Assessment Tool.
- For physicians, DHA’s published activation fee runs from the AED 3,000 range for one year to the AED 7,500 range for three years, plus Knowledge and Innovation fees.
Which Title You Can Get Under the PQR
Free tool: Not sure which title you qualify for? Our Doctor License Eligibility Checker shows your likely DHA, DOH, MOHAP or SHA title, whether you need the licensing exam, and your next steps in about two minutes.
Before you pay for any part of a DHA license for doctors, start with the title, because it decides everything else. DHA, DOH and MOHAP all follow the same Unified PQR, and DHA will only register you at the title your degree, specialty certificate and experience support.
| Title | Qualification | Experience Required |
|---|---|---|
| General Practitioner | MBBS, MBChB or equivalent from an accredited institution, plus the internship | Two years of clinical experience |
| Specialist, Tier 1 or Tier 2 | Medical degree plus a certificate from the PQR’s Recognized Specialty Certificate table | None after the main or sub-specialty qualification, subject to the gap of practice rules |
| Specialist, Tier 3 | Medical degree plus a recognised specialty certificate | Three years after the main specialty (two after a sub-specialty) for non UAE nationals; one year for UAE nationals and Children of Emirati Women |
Check the row for your own certificate and country rather than relying on what worked for a colleague. If your qualification or country is not listed, the Sheryan FAQ says you should pick the closest title in the Self Assessment Tool and DHA’s credentialing team will decide the suitable title.
The Self Assessment Tool is free and gives an instant result, but it is only a first view. If it says you are not eligible and you think your documents meet the rules, you can apply for the paid Review Registration Eligibility service, where DHA’s credentialing team reviews your case by hand.
Documents and Dataflow Verification
Every DHA license for doctors rests on documents verified directly with the bodies that issued them, through Dataflow. Have these ready before you start:
| Document | What to Watch |
|---|---|
| Passport copy and recent photo | Details must match your Sheryan profile |
| Medical degree and internship proof | The degree must come from an accredited institution |
| Specialty certificate | Needed for a Specialist title; its Tier sets your experience requirement |
| Experience certificates | Must cover the period your title needs |
| Licence or registration from your last country | If your country issues none, an official letter from the Medical Council or Ministry of Health is accepted |
| Good Standing Certificate | Not older than six months on the date you apply |
| Surgical logbook | For surgical specialties, covering at least the last two years |
Documents that are not in Arabic or English must be legally translated, and you upload the original language copy as well. DHA publishes 15 working days from payment for a new Dataflow report and five working days to transfer an existing one. Dataflow reports issued for another UAE authority are accepted, with a transfer fee in the AED 300 range, and DHA may still ask for extra documents to be verified.
The DHA Exam: CBT, Oral Assessment or Exemption
There is no single “DHA exam” for every doctor. According to the Sheryan FAQ, you pass one assessment for each position you apply for, either a computer based test through Prometric or an oral assessment, and the Self Assessment Tool tells you which. The oral assessment is an interview with a DHA panel, in Dubai or online, lasting 30 to 45 minutes for physicians.
Some doctors are exempt. Under the April 2025 PQR, Specialists with a recognised Tier 1 certificate from one of the listed countries (including the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Germany and the Emirati Board) do not sit the licensure exam. GPs are exempt with a valid pass in exams such as USMLE Part III, PLAB I and II, the AMC, the LMCC or the EMREE. An exemption covers the exam only. It does not remove the experience, credentialing or verification rules.
You get three attempts per position. The Sheryan service pages say the three attempts count across the UAE authorities, so a failed attempt elsewhere uses one up. If you have not passed after three, the FAQ says you need a new qualification for a higher title before you can apply again.
Step by Step: How the DHA License for Doctors Works
- Self Assessment Tool. Create a Sheryan account and complete the free assessment for your exact title and specialty.
- Dataflow and CBT. Submit your documents to Dataflow and, if required, book your Prometric CBT. DHA confirms you can do both at the same time.
- Get Registered. Once the Dataflow result is in, apply in Sheryan, link your verification and assessment results, upload your photo, passport and any logbook, and pay the credentialing fee (in the AED 200 range plus Knowledge and Innovation fees). DHA publishes five working days as the average processing time, and may call you for an oral assessment.
- Registration issued. If approved, you join the Dubai Medical Registry. The FAQ describes an active registration as “like an eligibility proof to start searching for a job in Dubai”. This is what most people call the eligibility letter.
- Licence activation. The facility that hires you applies through its own Sheryan account, you approve the request, and the facility pays. Activation is normally instant, or one working day if your personal records change.
DHA does not publish a single end to end timeline. Verification replies from universities and past employers, exam dates and the job search all sit outside DHA’s service clock, so treat any fixed total you see online as an estimate.
What the Hiring Facility Must Have
Activation is the last step of a DHA license for doctors, and it is where many offers stall. Under the Activate Professional License service, the facility’s licence must be active and include your specialty, you must hold an active registration and consent to the request, there must be valid medical malpractice insurance covering you, and non UAE nationals need a valid labour card. Outstanding fines must also be paid.
| Physician Licence Type | Published DHA Fee |
|---|---|
| Full time, one year | AED 3,000 range |
| Full time, two years | AED 5,000 range |
| Full time, three years | AED 7,500 range |
| Part time or trainee | AED 3,000 range |
Knowledge and Innovation fees are added at checkout. A trainee restriction is placed on doctors who do not yet meet the PQR experience rules (for example Tier 3 holders or fresh graduates), and the facility then needs a full time supervisor and the Approved Practice Setting add-on to activate the licence.
Gap of Practice, Renewal and Keeping Your Registration
Under section 1.7 of the April 2025 PQR, a doctor with a break in clinical practice of more than three years must complete CME credits and supervised training before licensing, then pass the exam even if otherwise exempt. UAE nationals and Children of Emirati Women complete the credits and training but stay exempt from the exam. Three to less than four years means 80 credits and six months of training, and four to less than five years means 120 credits and eight months. Non UAE nationals generally cannot apply with a gap of more than five years.
Your registration is valid for one year. According to the FAQ, it can only be renewed in the three months before expiry or within three months of a licence cancellation, and once it lapses you go back to the Self Assessment Tool. An expired full time licence can be renewed for up to six months after expiry with a penalty, and you may not practise while it is expired. The PQR also sets a minimum of 40 CME or CPD credits a year for physicians.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Can I apply for a DHA license for doctors without a job in Dubai?
Yes, up to registration. You can complete the Self Assessment Tool, Dataflow, the exam and Get Registered yourself. Only the final activation needs an employer, because a DHA licensed facility must request it.
Does every doctor need to pass the DHA Prometric exam?
No. Depending on your title, DHA asks for a CBT through Prometric or an oral assessment, and doctors with recognised Tier 1 specialty certificates or listed GP exam passes such as PLAB or USMLE Part III are exempt.
How long is a DHA eligibility letter valid?
DHA registration, often called the eligibility letter, is valid for one year. A facility must activate it into a licence within that year or it lapses.
How long does Dataflow take for DHA?
DHA publishes 15 working days from payment for a new report and five working days to transfer an existing one, though slow replies from issuing bodies can stretch this.
Can I move my DOH or MOHAP Dataflow report to DHA?
Yes. DHA recognises Dataflow reports issued for other authorities, with a transfer fee in the AED 300 range, and may ask for updated documents to be verified.
Where This Comes From.
- DHA Sheryan: Get Registered (service description)
- DHA Sheryan: Activate Professional License
- DHA Sheryan: Self Assessment Tool and Review Registration Eligibility
- DHA Sheryan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR), April 2025, linked from DHA Sheryan
How OzaniX Partners Can Help.
If you run a Dubai clinic and want to hire a doctor, the safest move is to confirm the candidate’s PQR title and exam position before you make the offer, then line up malpractice cover, the labour card and activation so the doctor can start on day one. Our Healthcare Recruitment team screens candidates against the PQR and tracks their Sheryan stages, and our Licensing and Regulatory Advisory team handles the facility side, from specialty add-ons to activation.
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