Opening a Physiotherapy Clinic in the UAE: Licence, Space and Fees
Short answer: A physiotherapy clinic license in the UAE comes from the health regulator where you open: DHA in Dubai, DOH in Abu Dhabi, SHA in Sharjah and MOHAP in the other Northern Emirates. In Dubai a standalone physiotherapy centre is a Clinical Support Center. Licensing runs in two stages: initial approval while you fit out and hire, then inspection and a final licence. Published government licence fees for a single specialty centre start in the AED 5,000 range in Dubai and with MOHAP.
Last verified: October 2026 against the DHA Manual for Licensing Health Facility v1.2, DHA Standards for Physiotherapy Services ST-35, the DHA Sheryan facility service cards, the DOH Standard for Healthcare Facility Licensure V6, MOHAP and SHA facility service pages and the Unified PQR (April 2025).
Key Takeaways
- DHA lists physiotherapy under Clinical Support Center. Adding a second specialty moves the centre to a higher fee band.
- You may not treat patients or advertise while your licence is inactive or under preliminary approval.
- DHA requires dedicated rooms for one to one sessions, monthly equipment testing with a log book, and staff who can manage basic life support.
- In Dubai, only DHA licensed physiotherapists may run the service, and the Unified PQR asks for a BSc and two years of post qualification experience.
- No regulator publishes a single minimum floor area for a physiotherapy clinic. DHA sizes rooms through its design guideline and your service plan.
- Insurance session limits and approval rules for physiotherapy are not in the licensing rules. Check them with each insurer before you open.
Which Facility Category Does a Physiotherapy Clinic Fall Under?
The first decision for any physiotherapy clinic license is the facility type, because it sets your fees, your inspection checklist and what you can add later.
| Regulator | Category for a Standalone Physiotherapy Centre |
|---|---|
| DHA (Dubai) | Clinical Support Center: “Clinical Support (1 Spec) Center”, or “(2 Specs or more)” if you add a second support specialty |
| DOH (Abu Dhabi) | Not published as a separate type. The DOH physiotherapy scope of practice lists medical centers, primary care centers and rehabilitation centers as practice settings |
| MOHAP (Northern Emirates) | Allied health services center (physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and communication therapy centers) |
| SHA (Sharjah) | Must fit the SHA classification, which is not published on its service pages |
DHA’s manual defines a physiotherapy centre as a standalone facility for treating mobility problems and pathological conditions through therapeutic and physical exercise services. Physiotherapy can also be added inside an outpatient clinic, hospital or rehabilitation centre, under that facility’s own rules.
The Licensing Steps
- Trade name and premises. Reserve the name with the economic department or free zone. In Dubai, a trade licence is optional at the first step.
- Initial approval. Submit owner details, a facility proposal and your consultant’s layout. DHA calls this the New Facility License and gives 5 working days for review. DOH calls it preliminary approval and states 20 working days. SHA states 8 working days.
- Fit out and hiring. Build to the approved drawings and register your physiotherapists under the facility. MOHAP says construction, finishes and furnishing must not start before the drawing plan has initial approval.
- Inspection. Have the approved layout, equipment list, civil defence certificate, policies, waste contract, insurance and EMR connection ready. Dubai uses NABIDH and Abu Dhabi uses Malaffi.
- Final licence. Pay the licence fee and activate. DHA gives 1 working day for activation once you pass inspection, DOH 25 working days for the permanent licence, MOHAP 1 to 2 working days and SHA 8.
These are service review times. No regulator publishes an end to end opening time, because fit out and recruitment set the pace. Initial approval lasts one year with DHA, MOHAP and SHA. DOH grants six months, extendable depending on the facility type, and can withdraw it if the project is under 10 percent complete by then.
Space and Design Requirements
DHA’s Standards for Physiotherapy Services (ST-35) say the service must follow DHA’s facility design guideline for Rehabilitation and Allied Health. The facility must also have:
- dedicated rooms for one to one physiotherapy sessions
- a documented plan to check electrical and mechanical equipment, with monthly visual inspections
- monthly testing of all equipment, with a log book ready for inspection
- easy access for every patient group, including people of determination
- equipment and trained physiotherapists to manage basic life support
The design guideline lists private treatment areas, hand washing near each treatment space, an exercise area, storage, changing rooms and toilets. Its smallest schedule shows a gym of about 45 square metres at roughly 6 square metres per patient and treatment bays of about 10 square metres. DHA adjusts rooms to the unit size and service plan, so treat these as design benchmarks, not a fixed minimum. A hydrotherapy pool is optional. DOH, MOHAP and SHA do not publish a physiotherapy design standard on the pages we checked.
Staffing and the Medical Director
The Unified PQR sets entry rules for physiotherapy staff across the UAE:
| Role | Qualification | Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Physiotherapist | BSc in Physiotherapy or Physical Therapy | Two years after qualifying (or direct entry MSc) |
| Physiotherapy Technician | Diploma or associate degree, minimum two year course | Two years after qualifying |
| Massage Therapist | 500 hour programme plus valid BLS | Two years; licensed by DHA only |
In Abu Dhabi, technicians must work under a physiotherapist’s supervision. Every DHA facility needs a Medical Director before activation, and SHA asks for a licensed Medical Director and a Technical Supervisor as per the facility type. None of the DHA, DOH, MOHAP or SHA documents we checked says who may be the medical director of a physiotherapy only centre, so confirm who the regulator will accept before you sign a contract. DHA does not publish a minimum headcount for clinical support centres; you need enough licensed professionals for the services you list.
Government Fees for a Physiotherapy Clinic License
The table shows government fees only, as published in October 2026. It is not the full cost of opening.
| Item | Dubai (DHA) | Northern Emirates (MOHAP) | Abu Dhabi (DOH) and Sharjah (SHA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial approval | AED 1,000 range | Appears to be in the AED 1,000 range, plus a site plan check in the AED 1,000 range; physiotherapy is not named in this band, so confirm it | Not listed; shown when you apply |
| Licence, one specialty | AED 5,000 range a year (two and three year terms available) | AED 5,000 range | Not listed; shown when you apply |
| Licence, two or more specialties | AED 10,000 range a year | Up to the AED 15,000 range for three or more | Not listed; shown when you apply |
| Inspection | AED 2,000 range, re-inspection AED 1,000 range | Not published separately | Not listed; shown when you apply |
| Knowledge and Innovation fees | Added at checkout, no single published price | Not applicable | Not applicable |
DHA licensing fees are generally non-refundable. Every other cost has no single published price: fit out, design consultant, equipment, rent, the trade licence, malpractice insurance, EMR set up, professional licences and DataFlow verification, and visas. In practice those costs are many times the government fees, so budget them first and ask a licensing adviser for a quote based on your site.
Insurance, Referrals and Common Mistakes
DHA’s standard expects a patient referred by a physician to be assessed within ten days. Where patients come by direct access or self referral, the physiotherapist is the Most Responsible Practitioner, and the facility needs a written fee schedule and billing policy. Session limits, co-payments and prior approval rules for physiotherapy vary by insurer and plan, so check every payer and plan your approval workflow around them.
The mistakes that delay opening are usually the same:
- Choosing the wrong category, then amending it when you add a second specialty.
- Starting the fit out before the drawings are approved.
- Letting the initial approval expire, especially DOH’s six month window.
- Reaching inspection without the equipment testing log, written policies or BLS readiness.
- Hiring physiotherapists before checking their PQR eligibility.
Frequently Asked Questions.
How much does a physiotherapy clinic license cost in Dubai?
DHA’s published fees for a single specialty Clinical Support Center are an initial approval in the AED 1,000 range, a licence in the AED 5,000 range a year and an inspection in the AED 2,000 range. Knowledge and Innovation fees, fit out and staffing are extra.
Can a physiotherapist open their own clinic in the UAE?
Yes. DHA and MOHAP both list the physiotherapy centre as its own facility type, so you do not need to open a full medical clinic. The open question is the medical director: confirm with your regulator who can hold that role for your centre.
Do patients need a doctor’s referral for physiotherapy in Dubai?
DHA’s standard allows direct access and self referral, and in those cases the physiotherapist is the responsible practitioner. Check each insurer’s referral rules before you rely on self referral for insured patients.
What is the minimum space for a physiotherapy clinic?
No regulator publishes one figure. DHA requires dedicated one to one rooms and sizes the gym and treatment bays through its design guideline and your service plan.
Where This Comes From.
- DHA Manual for Licensing Health Facility (Version 1.2, effective 30 September 2026)
- DHA Standards for Physiotherapy Services ST-35 (2023)
- DHA Health Facility Guidelines, Part B: Rehabilitation and Allied Health
- DHA Sheryan: New Facility License
- DHA Sheryan: Activate Facility License
- DHA Policy: Role and Responsibilities of the Medical Director (HP-16)
- DOH Standard for Healthcare Facility Licensure (V6, 2025)
- DOH Scope of Practice for Physiotherapists and Physiotherapy Technicians (V2, 2024)
- MOHAP: Initial Approval for Licensing a Health Facility
- MOHAP: Final Approval for Licensing a Health Facility
- SHA: Initial Approval Service
- SHA: Permanent License Service
- Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements (third version, April 2025)
How OzaniX Partners Can Help.
Our Licensing and Regulatory team helps physiotherapists and investors get a physiotherapy clinic license across the UAE: we confirm the right facility category, prepare the Sheryan, TAMM or MOHAP filings, line up professional licences and build the inspection file. Once you are open, our Insurance Empanelment service helps you get on insurer networks so insured patients can book with you.
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