DHA License Dubai
Relevant for healthcare professionals planning to practise in Dubai.
UAE healthcare license for doctors
Doctor License in Dubai and the UAE
Planning to work as a doctor in the UAE? UAEHealthPro helps doctors understand the right DHA, MOHAP, DOH, SHA or other healthcare licensing pathway with PQR-based profile review, document guidance, DataFlow/PSV support and application assistance.
- Authority Pathway Guidance
- PQR-Based Profile Review
- DataFlow / PSV Support
- Application Assistance
What PQR actually publishes
PQR Qualification and Experience Requirements for Doctor Titles
PQR sets one qualification and experience ladder for physicians across DHA, MOHAP, DOH and SHA. Your title depends on your degree, specialty certificate and years of practice — not on which authority you apply to.
| Title | Qualification | Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Intern | MBBS, MBChB or an equivalent qualification from an accredited institution | No experience required* |
| Resident | MBBS, MBChB or equivalent | Completed internship, plus the relevant Authority residency standards |
| General Practitioner | MBBS, MBChB or equivalent | Completed internship + two (2) years of clinical experience |
| Specialist — Tier 1 or 2 | MBBS/MBChB + a recognized specialty certificate | No experience required after the main or sub-specialty qualification* |
| Specialist — Tier 3 | MBBS/MBChB + a recognized specialty certificate | UAE nationals: one (1) year after the main specialty, none after a sub-specialty. Non-UAE nationals: three (3) years after the main specialty, two (2) after a sub-specialty |
| Consultant — Tier 1 | MBBS/MBChB + a recognized specialty certificate | Two (2) years after the main specialty, one (1) year after a sub-specialty |
| Consultant — Tier 2 | MBBS/MBChB + a recognized specialty certificate | Five (5) years after the main specialty, four (4) years after a sub-specialty |
| Consultant — Tier 3 | MBBS/MBChB + a recognized specialty certificate | Cannot attain the title, except for a limited transitional route for physicians enrolled in a Tier 3 program before June 2017 |
Note: marked with * where PQR applies its standard Discontinuity of Practice (Gap of Practice) rule — professionals with more than three (3) years out of clinical practice may need extra CME/CPD hours and supervised retraining before the "no experience required" route applies.
Sources: DOH Abu Dhabi — Professional Qualification Requirements
Checked 22 August 2026. Authorities can change fees and requirements without notice — confirm current figures before you pay.
Choose the title before the assessment
Doctor Qualification Timeline for a GP, Specialist or Consultant Title
A CV can describe a senior career without establishing the licensing title an authority will approve. Build the record around the proposed GP, specialist or consultant application, and keep the original award and employment titles visible.
- Primary qualification and internship: record the award, institution, completion date and internship dates separately.
- Postgraduate training: distinguish entry into a programme, completion of training and the date a specialty award was actually issued.
- Specialty evidence: identify the exact certificate, awarding body and specialty. A membership, fellowship, training certificate and specialist registration should not be treated as equivalent merely because they relate to the same field.
- Practice after the relevant qualification: set out the employers, dates, role and specialty for each period, with the supporting registration history.
- Proposed UAE role: ask the facility to confirm the professional title and specialty being requested, alongside its job offer.
Use the official PQR to review the title-specific requirements. This timeline helps identify questions; it does not assign a qualification tier or licensing title.
Make a complex case reviewable
Showing Training Dates, Award Dates and Overlapping Roles
Illustrative situation: a physician completed specialty training in one year but received the final qualification later. A single “years as a specialist” total hides the date that may matter to the application. Show both dates and the employment periods, then ask which period the authority accepts for the particular qualification route.
For overlapping roles, attach an explanation of the employment arrangement rather than adding the same calendar months twice. Where an application requests procedural evidence, follow its specified format and confidentiality requirements; do not send identifiable patient records with an initial consultancy enquiry.
For DHA, a self-assessment result and an issued licence are separate stages. If your qualification does not fit the automated result, examine the authority’s Review Registration Eligibility service instead of selecting a misleading title to proceed.
Assessment exemption and equivalency · Oral assessment or CBT · Request a doctor pathway review
Where you intend to practise
Which Authority Licenses Doctors?
Doctors may fall under DHA, MOHAP/MOH, DOH/HAAD, SHA or other relevant pathways depending on emirate, facility and specialty. Confirm the proposed professional title and facility regulator before starting an application.
MOHAP / MOH License UAE
Relevant for applicable MOHAP-regulated healthcare pathways.
Abu Dhabi Medical License (DOH)
Relevant for healthcare professionals planning to practise in Abu Dhabi.
SHA License Sharjah
Relevant for professionals joining SHA-licensed facilities in Sharjah.
DHCC Guidance
Useful for clarifying the current route for roles in Dubai Healthcare City.
Primary-source verification
DataFlow / PSV Verification for Doctors
DataFlow or PSV may be relevant to a doctor licensing pathway. UAEHealthPro can guide document readiness, professional-title context and the authority route to check before you proceed.
Verification is independent.
UAEHealthPro can guide document readiness and route context, but does not control a verification outcome.
Explore DataFlow / PSV assistanceYour exam, specifically
DHA Exam Duration, Pass Mark and Fee for Doctor Titles
The pass mark moves with the title here — General Practice clears at 60%, Specialist Pediatrics at 70%. The fee is USD 280, charged in US dollars with no dirham equivalent published.
| Title | CBT code | CBT duration | Questions | Fee | Pass score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Practice | GEN5331 | 3 hours | 150 | USD 280 | 60% |
| Specialist Family Medicine | FAM5871 | 3 hours | 150 | USD 280 | 60% |
| Specialist Internal Medicine | INT5921 | 3 hours | 150 | USD 280 | 60% |
| Specialist Pediatrics | PED5391 | 3 hours | 150 | USD 280 | 70% |
| Consultant Internal Medicine | INT5732 | 3 hours | 100 | USD 280 | 70% |
Sources: DHA — Healthcare Professional Licensing Assessment Guideline (CBT), updated September 2026
Checked 20 September 2026. DHA states it may activate or de-activate a specialty assessment and change its content, format or pass score without updating this guideline. Confirm the specification for your own specialty before you book.
Prepare carefully
Common Doctor Licensing Mistakes
Specialty title mismatch
Applying under a general-practice title when the qualification and intended role point to a specialist DHA, MOHAP or DOH category.
Internship history overlooked
Starting an application before confirming how internship or house-job history fits the intended authority route.
Wrong emirate route
Assuming the same pathway applies across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other emirates without checking the target facility first.
Unexplained experience gaps
Leaving a recent-practice or clinical-experience gap unaddressed instead of preparing context for authority review.
Verification assumptions
Starting DataFlow or PSV for a medical degree without checking current primary-source verification requirements.
Automatic-outcome assumptions
Assuming exam exemption, licence approval or a fixed timeline before the relevant authority reviews the case.
What it actually costs
MOHAP Fees for Doctors: Physicians and Dentists Band
MOHAP charges by professional band, and this profession falls under Physicians and dentists. The costs that do not change with your profession — DHA registration, the MOHAP application fee and DataFlow verification — are listed together on the fees and timeline page.
Physicians and dentists: MOHAP evaluation AED 500, licence fee AED 3,000 at a private facility.
Sources: MOHAP — Healthcare Professional Evaluation service · MOHAP — Licensing and Re-licensing of a Health Professional
Checked 22 August 2026. Authorities can change fees and requirements without notice — confirm current figures before you pay.
Continue your preparation
Related Licensing Services
Doctor FAQs
Questions About Doctor Licensing
What qualification and experience does the UAE PQR require for doctors?
Intern: MBBS, MBChB or an equivalent qualification from an accredited institution. Experience: No experience required. Resident: MBBS, MBChB or equivalent. Experience: Completed internship, plus the relevant Authority residency standards. The PQR is shared by DHA, DOH, MOHAP and SHA, and the full title ladder is in the table on this page. Where no experience is required, the PQR gap-of-practice rule still applies: more than three years out of clinical practice can mean extra CME/CPD hours and supervised retraining first.
What is the DHA exam pass mark and fee for doctors?
DHA's published CBT specification gives: General Practice, Specialist Family Medicine and Specialist Internal Medicine: pass mark 60%, fee USD 280. Specialist Pediatrics and Consultant Internal Medicine: pass mark 70%, fee USD 280. The fee is charged in US dollars. Titles not listed here may take a different CBT or an oral assessment instead, so confirm the exam mode for your exact title before booking.
Does an overseas consultant job title guarantee a UAE Consultant licence?
No. Keep the original job title in your records, but have the qualification, specialty and experience reviewed against the UAE title being requested. An employment designation does not replace that assessment.
Which dates should I include for postgraduate medical training?
Distinguish programme entry, completion of training, qualification award and subsequent employment. Where those dates differ, show the evidence and ask which period applies to your licensing route instead of using a single unexplained experience total.
Can UAEHealthPro guarantee approval?
No. UAEHealthPro is an independent consultancy and final decisions remain with the relevant authority.
Start with your profile
Need Help With Doctor Licensing?
Start with a PQR-based eligibility review before you spend money on the wrong application. Share your profile and UAEHealthPro will guide you with the suitable authority pathway and next steps.
Disclaimer: UAEHealthPro is an independent consultancy. We are not a government authority and we do not guarantee approval, exam results or processing timelines. Final decisions are subject to the relevant authority rules, professional eligibility criteria, document verification and authority review.
Review current UAE healthcare PQR information