DOH Facility License Abu Dhabi: Steps and Renewal
Short answer: To open a clinic in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi you need a DOH facility license in Abu Dhabi, issued by the Department of Health (DOH), obtained through the TAMM portal in two steps: a Preliminary Approval, which lets you start establishing the facility, and then a Permanent License, which authorizes you to operate and treat patients.
Last verified: October 2026 against the DOH Standard for Healthcare Facility Licensure, version 6 (published June 2025, effective September 2025). Confirm current requirements and fees on TAMM before you apply.
Key Takeaways
- DOH licenses all healthcare facilities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Dubai falls under DHA and the Northern Emirates under other authorities.
- The process has two steps, both on TAMM: preliminary approval (DOH target of 20 working days) and permanent license (DOH target of 25 working days).
- Preliminary approval lasts 6 months and can be extended, with maximum total periods that depend on facility type.
- During preliminary approval you must not treat patients or advertise any health service.
- Late renewal is expensive: a monthly fine of 25 percent of the license fee after 30 days, and cancellation by law after 6 months.
DOH Facility License Abu Dhabi: Step 1, Preliminary Approval
- Get your trade name. Contact the Department of Economic Development (DED) and obtain a valid trade name certificate.
- Create a facility account. Use UAE Pass on TAMM and request Public Relation Officer (PRO) access as a new healthcare provider, choosing a new medical or pharmaceutical facility.
- Submit the preliminary approval request and pay the application fees.
- Receive the decision by email and print the preliminary approval certificate.
DOH states a preliminary approval timeframe of within 20 working days. Once issued, the facility can use related services such as changing the owner, facility type or title, adding specialties, services or beds, changing the internal plan and extending the approval.
Rules During Preliminary Approval
- Validity is 6 months, regardless of facility type, and it can be extended.
- You may register medical professionals after approval, using Super PRO access.
- You must not receive or treat any patient and must not promote or advertise any health service.
- DOH can cancel or withdraw the approval if you fail to request an extension, fail to submit periodic reports, or if project completion has not passed 10 percent after 6 months.
Extending Preliminary Approval
You can apply for an extension on TAMM two months before expiry. You upload a project completion report, delay reasons with documents, a consultant report for new construction, and periodic reports. DOH decides the period within these limits.
| Facility Type | Building | Extension |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital | New construction | 6 months, extendable up to 5 years in total |
| Hospital | Dedicated building | 6 months, extendable up to 3 years in total |
| Center (day surgery, primary care, medical, dental, IVF, dialysis, stem cell and cord blood) | New construction | 6 months, extendable up to 3 years in total |
| Center (same types) | Dedicated building | 6 months, extendable up to 2 years in total |
| Clinic (general, specialized, general dental, specialized dental) | Any | 6 months, extendable up to 18 months in total |
| Telemedicine and virtual clinics, home care | Any | 6 months, extendable up to 18 months in total |
Step 2: Permanent License
DOH targets completion of the permanent license process within 25 working days. The steps are:
- Upload engineering drawings. Hospitals, day surgery centers, fertility centers, dialysis centers, diagnostic centers, centers with imaging or laboratory services and oncology centers must use a DOH pre-qualified consultant. Other facility types submit the drawings to DOH for review and stamping.
- Request the 90 percent inspection. Hospitals, day surgery, fertility, dialysis and oncology services use a pre-qualified consultant for this inspection.
- Provide the documents: medical malpractice insurance contract, pest control contract and a valid DED trade license. Contracts must be valid for 13 months to cover the full license period.
- Obtain the approvals: MCC (Monitor and Control Center) and Malaffi (the Abu Dhabi electronic medical record exchange).
- Request the 100 percent inspection for the specialties, services or beds that are ready, with their medical professionals. Suspend anything that is not ready through the TAMM specialty suspension service.
- Pay the final licensing fees and print the permanent license.
Violations found during the process can lead to withdrawal or suspension of the permanent license.
Renewal and Penalties
- You can submit the renewal application two months before expiry.
- You can renew for one or two years. A two year renewal needs DOH approval and a successful Health Quality inspection.
- If you have not renewed within 30 days after expiry, a delay fine of 25 percent of the license fee applies each month, for a maximum of 6 months.
- If the facility participates in health insurance, a fixed monthly insurance renewal delay fine, in the AED 10,000 range, also applies, for a maximum of 6 months.
- Six months after expiry the license is marked cancelled by law.
Other Services You Will Use After Licensing
All of the following run through TAMM: change facility name, location, internal plan or owner, add or cancel a specialty, service or beds, change facility type, temporary closure (up to 6 months, auto approved for the first 6 months for most facility types), staff rotation between facilities with the same owners, and cancellation. Keep your facility profile (PRO, medical director, facility director) up to date through the e-licensing system.
Your Duties as a Licensed Provider
- All staff must be licensed by DOH and operate within the privileges granted under the DOH clinical privileging framework.
- Obtain facility insurance and medical liability cover for staff.
- Follow the DOH Health Facility Guidelines for design.
- Meet the data reporting and quality requirements, and the information and cyber security requirements (AAMEN program and ADHICS standard).
- Meet occupational safety and health requirements and the Tawteen target set by DOH circulars.
Frequently Asked Questions.
How long does a DOH facility license take?
DOH sets targets of within 20 working days for preliminary approval and 25 working days for the permanent license. Those are processing targets. Your build, fit-out, staffing and inspections decide the real calendar, and preliminary approval itself lasts at least 6 months for that reason.
Can I treat patients with preliminary approval?
No. Preliminary approval allows establishment only. You cannot receive or treat patients or advertise services until the permanent license is issued.
Do I need a DED license first?
Yes, you need a valid trade name certificate from DED to start, and a valid DED trade license for the permanent license.
What is Malaffi and why does it matter for licensing?
Malaffi is the Abu Dhabi health information exchange. Approval for connecting your electronic medical record to it is one of the required approvals for the permanent license.
What does it cost?
The DOH standard does not publish amounts. Fees are displayed on TAMM when you apply and depend on the facility type. Be careful with fee numbers in third party blogs, as they often conflict with each other.
Does this cover clinics in Dubai or Sharjah?
No. This is for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi only. See our guides for Dubai (DHA) and Sharjah (SHA).
Where This Comes From.
How OzaniX Partners Can Help.
We manage the full TAMM journey with you: trade name, drawings through the right consultant, malpractice and pest control contracts, Malaffi readiness, inspections and renewals. Once you are licensed we set up insurance empanelment, bookkeeping and cash planning so the clinic opens with its finances in order. See licensing and regulatory advisory, insurance empanelment or book a discovery call.
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