DHA Prometric Exam and UAE Health Licence Exams: What to Expect
Short answer: The DHA Prometric exam is the computer based test (CBT) Dubai Health Authority uses to assess many doctors, nurses, pharmacists and allied professionals before registration. You book it at prometric.com/DHA with an Eligibility ID from Sheryan, and it can run alongside your DataFlow verification. Abu Dhabi exams are booked through Pearson VUE, MOHAP names Prometric as one exam type, and the Unified PQR gives three attempts across all UAE authorities and lists who is exempt.
Last verified: October 2026 against the DHA Sheryan FAQ and service cards, the DHA CBT Assessment Guideline (updated September 2026), the DHA Manual for Professional Assessment v1.1, the Unified PQR (April 2025), the MOHAP and SHA assessment service pages and the Pearson VUE DOH page.
Key Takeaways
- DHA runs its CBTs through Prometric. Some titles, such as certain consultant physicians and dentists, take an oral assessment instead, and the Self Assessment Tool in Sheryan tells you which one you need.
- DHA publishes the pass mark, number of questions and fee for every CBT title in its guideline: General Practice is 150 questions with a 60% pass score.
- You get three attempts across all UAE authorities combined. In Dubai, failing the third blocks you from reapplying to DHA for two years.
- UAE nationals, professionals already licensed by another UAE authority and holders of listed international qualifications can be exempt, but the exemption covers the exam only, not DataFlow, experience or credentialing.
- Exam fees are non-refundable, and a no show or cancellation does not count as a failed attempt.
Which Exam Each Regulator Uses
| Regulator | Exam Route | What the Official Page Says |
|---|---|---|
| DHA (Dubai) | Prometric CBT, or an oral assessment for some titles | The Sheryan FAQ says DHA runs its CBTs through Prometric; the Mode of Exam per Specialty service shows the exam type for your title |
| DOH (Abu Dhabi) | Pearson VUE, booked through TAMM | Pearson VUE’s DOH page says the TAMM link takes you to your Pearson page to book; no DOH page we found states it |
| MOHAP (Northern Emirates) | Written, oral or Prometric, depending on the case | After evaluation, the officer decides whether you need an exam or are exempt, and you schedule it “according to its type (written, oral, or prometric)” |
| SHA (Sharjah) | Assessment if required | SHA’s assessment service mentions an exam if required but does not name a provider |
Whichever regulator you apply to, the PQR says all examinations are conducted in English and no translator may attend an oral exam.
Booking the DHA Prometric Exam Step by Step
- Check your exam type. Run the Self Assessment Tool in Sheryan and look up Mode of Exam per Specialty. If your title is not in the CBT guideline, expect an oral assessment.
- Start DataFlow. Submit your documents for primary source verification. DHA says DataFlow and the CBT can be done in parallel.
- Generate your Eligibility ID. The guideline’s steps are: create a Sheryan account, copy your DHA Unique ID, generate the Eligibility ID, then schedule the exam.
- Book and pay at prometric.com/DHA. Payment is by card. The name in your passport must match your registration, and you should arrive 30 minutes early on the day.
- Apply for Get Registered. Once DataFlow results are in and any CBT is passed, submit the Get Registered application and pay the credentialing fee. DHA may then ask for an oral assessment.
Rescheduling or cancelling must be done five calendar days before the exam, and Prometric charges for changing an appointment. The DHA manual says CBT results are uploaded to Sheryan within 2 working days.
Pass Marks, Questions and Oral Assessments
For the DHA Prometric exam, the CBT guideline lists every title with its question count, time, pass score and fee. The exams are multiple choice. Across the titles, pass scores run from 45% to 70%, papers from 70 to 150 questions and sittings from 2 to 3 hours. General Practice, for example, is 150 questions with a 60% pass score. DOH, MOHAP and SHA do not publish comparable figures on the pages we checked.
An oral assessment is an interview with an examining panel. DHA’s manual says it is held online, but DHA can ask you to attend in person. It lasts 30 to 45 minutes for physicians and dentists and 20 to 30 minutes for other professionals, and the PQR requires at least five scenarios or questions. Results come within five working days, and DHA does not give reference material for it.
Attempts, Exemptions and Gaps in Practice
The Unified PQR, which all UAE health authorities apply, sets the rules:
- Attempts. Three attempts across the authorities, and you must declare how many you have used. A fourth and final attempt may be granted with a different authority, or with the same one if you declare you have not failed elsewhere. After three fails you may get one attempt at a lower title, or three new attempts after a new recognised qualification or two more years of clinical experience. DHA blocks you for two years after a third failed attempt with it.
- Who is exempt. UAE nationals and children of Emirati mothers. Professionals with a valid licence from another UAE authority, for the same title, with a valid Good Standing Certificate and full PSV report, and within six months of an expired licence. Holders of the international routes in Chapter Six of the PQR, such as Tier 1 specialty boards from 22 listed countries for specialists and consultants; PLAB I and II, USMLE Part III, AMC, LMCC, NZREX, PRES or EMREE for general practitioners; NCLEX or a current licence from a listed country for nurses; and a listed regulator’s licence or EPREE for pharmacists.
- What an exemption does not cover. It is limited to the exam. Credentialing, experience and PSV still apply, the equivalency exam must be valid (or within five years of issue if no validity is stated), and the exemption does not apply after more than three years away from practice.
- Gaps in practice. Over three years away means CME or CPD credits and 6 to 12 months of training before you sit the exam, even with an equivalency. Non-nationals generally cannot apply after a gap of more than five years.
What the Exams Cost
This table shows the published regulator and exam fees only. It is not the full cost of getting licensed.
| Item | Published Fee |
|---|---|
| DHA Prometric CBT | In the USD 180 to 280 range, depending on the title |
| DHA oral assessment | In the AED 250 to 500 range by profession, AED 2,000 range for urgent, plus Knowledge and Innovation fees |
| DHA Get Registered or Review Registration Eligibility | In the AED 200 range each, plus Knowledge and Innovation fees |
| MOHAP evaluation | In the AED 300 to 500 range; exam fee not published |
| SHA assessment | In the AED 300 to 500 range; exam fee not published |
| DOH TAMM pre-booking and Pearson VUE exam | Not published |
| Prometric rescheduling charge | Charged by Prometric, amount not published |
| DataFlow verification, attestation, medical fitness, visa, Emirates ID | No single published price |
DataFlow and document costs usually add more than the exam itself, so budget for the whole licence, not the test. All DHA exam fees are non-refundable, including for rescheduling, cancellation and no shows.
Frequently Asked Questions.
How many attempts do I get at the DHA Prometric exam?
Three attempts across all UAE health authorities combined, under the Unified PQR. If you fail the third with DHA, you cannot reapply to DHA for two years, although the PQR allows limited extra attempts in set cases, such as a lower title or a new qualification.
What is the pass mark for the DHA Prometric exam?
It depends on the title. DHA’s CBT guideline lists pass scores from 45% to 70%. General Practice is 150 questions with a 60% pass score.
Can I take the exam before my DataFlow report is ready?
Yes, in Dubai. DHA says DataFlow verification and the CBT can be done in parallel, but you need both before applying for Get Registered.
Am I exempt from the exam if I am licensed in Abu Dhabi?
Usually, for the same title. The PQR exempts holders of a valid licence from another UAE authority who have not used up their attempts, with a valid Good Standing Certificate and full PSV report, and an expired licence must be under six months old.
Does cancelling my exam count as an attempt?
No. DHA’s manual says a cancellation or no show is not a failed attempt, but the fee is not refunded.
Where This Comes From.
- DHA Sheryan: Frequently Asked Questions (Assessment and PSV)
- DHA Sheryan: Get Registered
- DHA Sheryan: Review Registration Eligibility
- DHA Sheryan: Schedule Oral Assessment
- DHA Sheryan: Mode of Exam per Specialty
- DHA Healthcare Professional Licensing Assessment Guideline, Computer Based Testing (updated September 2026)
- DHA Manual for Professional Assessment (Oral and CBT), version 1.1
- Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements, third version April 2025 (DHA copy)
- MOHAP: Evaluation of Health Professional
- SHA: Request for Healthcare Professional Assessment
- Pearson VUE: Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DOH) Examinations
How OzaniX Partners Can Help.
Clinics hiring from abroad often lose weeks because a candidate books the wrong exam or applies for a title they cannot hold. Our Licensing and Regulatory team checks each candidate’s title, exemption route and attempt history against the PQR before anything is paid, then runs DataFlow, the exam booking and registration alongside your hiring plan. We are one partner for finance, people, licensing, insurance and growth.
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