DHA License Dubai
Relevant for healthcare professionals planning to practise in Dubai.
UAE healthcare license for nurses
Nurse License in Dubai and the UAE
Planning to work as a nurse in the UAE? UAEHealthPro helps nurses understand the right licensing pathway with PQR-based eligibility review, document checklist guidance, DataFlow/PSV support, exam guidance 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 Nurse Titles
Nursing and midwifery titles are set by qualification level and, for the higher titles, postgraduate specialization. UAE nationals and Children of Emirati Women are exempt from the experience requirement for most titles.
| Title | Qualification | Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | Bachelor's degree in nursing | No experience required* |
| Assistant Nurse | Diploma of Nursing, minimum eighteen (18) months | No experience required* |
| Nurse Practitioner | Registered Nurse status + a Clinical Master's or Doctoral degree in nursing (or equivalent in prescribing pharmacology, differential diagnosis and advanced health assessment), or national NP certification/licensure | Two (2) years of experience post-qualification as a Nurse Practitioner |
| Specialty Nurse | Registered Nurse status + a Clinical Master's or postgraduate specialty qualification (minimum one (1) year), or a Bachelor's degree in a nursing specialty (minimum three (3) years) | One (1) year (postgraduate route) or two (2) years (Bachelor's route) post-qualification in the specialty |
| Registered Midwife | Bachelor's degree in Midwifery (minimum three (3) years), or a BSc in Nursing plus a Midwifery Certificate (minimum one (1) year) | Two (2) years of experience post-qualification as a midwife in a maternity setting |
| Midwife Practitioner | Registered Midwife status + a Clinical Master's (minimum one (1) year, with supervised clinical practice) or Doctoral degree in Midwife Practitioner | Two (2) years of experience post-qualification as a midwife in a maternity setting |
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.
Start with your nursing pathway
Registered Nurse, Assistant Nurse or Specialty Nurse: Evidence for Your Title
“Nurse” on an employment letter does not always identify the professional category needed for a UAE application. Compare the intended title with the qualification table above, then explain your own education and practice history.
| Your starting point | Prepare | Clarify |
|---|---|---|
| Diploma followed by a degree or bridging programme | Both awards, their dates and transcripts, with a clear description of the study sequence. | How is the complete qualification pathway assessed for the intended title? Do not submit only the latest certificate if it leaves the route unclear. |
| Newly qualified nurse | The completed award, clinical training record and registration status. | Which entry applies to your qualification, and what application steps remain? Do not rely on an old generic “all nurses need two years” statement. |
| Nurse returning after a career break | The last clinical employment date, current registration and relevant education or retraining since then. | What gap-of-practice requirements apply? Keeping registration current and keeping clinical practice current are different questions. |
| Nurse seeking a specialty or midwifery title | The exact relevant award and the experience that supports the requested title. | Does the intended title match the qualification pathway? A ward assignment alone does not settle professional classification. |
Qualification criteria: 2025 UAE PQR, sections 14–15. The evidence suggestions are preparation guidance, not additional official requirements.
Keep the record consistent
Check your education, registration and employment timeline together
Create one chronology covering award dates, registration periods, employers and breaks. If a surname changed, list which records use each name and ask what supporting evidence the application requires. If employment dates conflict across documents, request clarification from the issuing employer rather than changing a certificate yourself.
Illustrative situation: an applicant has a valid overseas registration but has not worked clinically for several years. The active registration is useful evidence, but the practice gap still needs its own review. Buying a preparation course cannot establish that the gap conditions are met.
For a DHA application, registration is followed by facility activation into a licence before practice. Agree with the employer who handles that stage and how the issued licence will be confirmed. See DHA’s registration service.
Prepare the document set for your nursing review →Where you intend to practise
Which Authority Licenses Nurses?
Nurses may need DHA, MOHAP/MOH, DOH/HAAD or SHA guidance depending on the intended emirate and healthcare facility. 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 Nurses
DataFlow or PSV may be relevant to a nursing licensing pathway. UAEHealthPro can help you check document readiness and the intended authority context 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 Nurse Titles
All 3 of these titles clear at 50%. The fee is USD 240, charged in US dollars with no dirham equivalent published.
| Title | CBT code | CBT duration | Questions | Fee | Pass score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assistant Nurse | ARN5061 | 3 hours | 150 | USD 240 | 50% |
| Registered Midwife | MID5104 | 3 hours | 150 | USD 240 | 50% |
| Registered Nurse | RNT0312 | 3 hours | 150 | USD 240 | 50% |
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 Nurse Licensing Mistakes
Nursing title mismatch
Applying under a generic “nurse” job label without checking the PQR titles Registered Nurse, Specialty Nurse, Nurse Practitioner and Registered Midwife.
Qualification-level shortfall
Assuming a diploma-level qualification meets a category that requires a nursing degree, without checking the specific requirement.
Specialty qualification overlooked
Assuming an ICU or other ward assignment alone establishes Specialty Nurse eligibility without checking the specialty qualification and related post-qualification experience.
Wrong authority route
Assuming the same pathway applies across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other emirates without checking the target facility first.
Verification assumptions
Starting DataFlow or PSV for a nursing qualification 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 Nurses: Nurses and Midwives Band
MOHAP charges by professional band, and this profession falls under Nurses and midwives. 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.
Nurses and midwives: MOHAP evaluation AED 400, licence fee AED 1,000 at a private facility.
MOHAP's licensing service lists this licence fee for nurses & technicians. It does not name midwives separately, so a midwife should confirm the amount with the facility before paying.
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
Nurse FAQs
Questions About Nurse Licensing
What qualification and experience does the UAE PQR require for nurses?
Registered Nurse: Bachelor's degree in nursing. Experience: No experience required. Assistant Nurse: Diploma of Nursing, minimum eighteen (18) months. Experience: No experience required. 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 nurses?
DHA's published CBT specification gives: Assistant Nurse, Registered Midwife and Registered Nurse: pass mark 50%, fee USD 240. 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.
What should I prepare if I completed a nursing bridging programme?
Prepare the original nursing award and the later degree or bridging award, with transcripts and dates. Showing the full education sequence makes it possible to review the qualification route rather than infer it from the latest certificate.
Does an active nursing registration remove a career-break concern?
Not by itself. Registration status and recent clinical practice are different parts of the review. Provide your last clinical work date and subsequent activities so the applicable gap requirements can be checked.
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 Nurse 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