DHA License Consultancy in Dubai for Doctors
End-to-end DHA licensing handled by a dedicated in-house team. DataFlow, exam exemption, and registration, done for you.
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A DHA license is the registration the Dubai Health Authority issues before a doctor can practise in Dubai. Allocation Assist’s in-house licensing team manages the full process, eligibility check, DataFlow primary source verification, exam or exemption, and registration, for doctors relocating from the UK, Europe, the US, and Canada. Most tier-1 cases complete in around three months.
What is a DHA license?
A DHA license is the legal authorisation to practise medicine in the Emirate of Dubai, issued by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA). It applies to doctors, nurses, dentists, and allied health professionals working anywhere in Dubai except the Dubai Healthcare City free zone, which is regulated separately. Abu Dhabi uses the DOH license and the other emirates use MOHAP, so the authority you apply to depends on where the job sits.
The DHA license starts as a registration. The Dubai Health Authority licensing department issues a registration certificate that employers accept as proof you are eligible to practise. Once you accept a job offer, your employer activates that registration into a full license to practise. A DHA registration is valid for one year and renews as long as you keep practising and meet Continuing Medical Education (CME) requirements.
Every applicant is graded against the Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR), the document that sets the licence titles and the experience each title needs. Your specialty, grade, and country of training decide which DHA title you qualify for and whether you need to sit an assessment. Getting this read right at the start is what prevents a rejected application later.
The DHA license process, step by step
Getting a DHA license follows five stages, managed through the DHA’s Sheryan portal. We handle each one on your behalf and keep you updated at every step.
1
Eligibility self-assessment
The PQR sets the experience and qualification rules for your grade and specialty, and the DHA offers a self-assessment tool to check them. We run your DHA eligibility check before you spend anything, so you know where you stand on day one.
2
Sheryan account and application
Every applicant registers on the Sheryan portal and starts a new licence application. We create and manage your Sheryan case so the application is structured correctly from the first entry.
3
Document preparation and upload
Certificates, transcripts, a valid home-country license, a good standing certificate, and a signed logbook for surgical specialties. We review every document against DHA requirements before submission, because rejected documents are the most common cause of delay.
4
DataFlow primary source verification
Your credentials are verified directly with the issuing institutions through DataFlow. This typically takes around four to eight weeks, occasionally longer if institutions are slow to respond, and the positive report is valid across most Gulf countries and never expires.
5
Assessment or exemption, then registration
Doctors from recognized countries usually qualify for exam exemption. Where an assessment applies, it is an oral panel or a computer-based DHA exam. Once it clears, we submit your DHA registration, and the authority usually responds within 1 to 2 weeks.
Not sure which DHA title you qualify for?
Send us your specialty and country of training. We’ll confirm your PQR grade and eligibility free, then start DataFlow straight away if you qualify.
What our DHA license consultancy handles
Our in-house licensing team manages the parts of the process that cost doctors the most time and the most rejected applications. We act as your DHA license agency in Dubai from eligibility through to your first day at work.
- Eligibility and PQR check against your grade, specialty, and country of training, before you commit.
- Sheryan account creation and application setup so the file is right the first time.
- Document review against the current DHA checklist, with guidance on translations, attestation, and good standing certificates.
- DataFlow / PSV management from submission to positive report, including chasing slow institutions.
- Exam exemption assessment or DHA exam booking and preparation guidance where required.
- DHA registration submission and follow-up, including responding to any DHA requests for additional information.
- Job placement after registration, matching your profile to suitable Dubai hospitals, with contract and salary negotiation.
Licensing and recruitment run together. We are contracted with most major hospital groups in Dubai, so as your DHA registration completes we connect you to live vacancies that match your specialty.
The DHA exam and exemption criteria
Many doctors do not need to sit the DHA exam at all. Doctors trained and board-certified in recognised countries, including the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, and Australia, usually meet the DHA exam exemption criteria and move straight to registration. Where an assessment is required, it is a computer-based DHA exam delivered by Prometric, with 150 multiple-choice questions over about three hours, plus an oral panel for some specialties.
We confirm whether you are exempt during the eligibility check, so you know upfront. Where an exam is needed, we handle DHA exam registration and point you to preparation support across common specialties, including General Practice, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Paediatrics, Anaesthesia, and Dentistry. There is no upper age limit for the DHA exam, and you can begin the licensing process while still working in your home country.
Applying for a DHA license yourself vs using a consultancy
You can apply for a DHA license yourself directly through the Sheryan portal, and many doctors do. The process is public and there is no requirement to use an agency. What a consultancy changes is the time it takes and the number of things that go wrong.
Most self-managed applications stall in the same places: a good standing certificate that has expired, a document that needs attestation or translation, a logbook missing a medical director’s signature, or a PQR grade chosen incorrectly so the wrong title is requested. Each of these triggers a request for additional information and adds weeks. For a busy doctor still working full-time in their home country, those weeks add up fast.
We have managed the DHA process daily for years, so we know what the licensing department asks for before they ask for it. We prepare the file to clear on the first review, start DataFlow early because it is the longest single step, and handle the back-and-forth with the authority so you are not chasing updates between clinics. The result is a faster, lower-stress route to the same licence, with the added benefit that recruitment runs in parallel.
DHA, DOH, or MOHAP: which license do you need?
The DHA license covers Dubai. If your role is elsewhere in the UAE, a different authority applies, and the table below shows which one.
| License | Authority | Covers | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| DHA | Dubai Health Authority | Dubai (outside DHCC) | 1 year |
| DOH | Department of Health, Abu Dhabi | Abu Dhabi & Al Ain | Employer-sponsored |
| MOHAP | Ministry of Health & Prevention | Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, RAK, UAQ | 5 years |
A positive DataFlow report works across all three, so doctors keeping options open across emirates only verify their documents once. This page focuses on the DHA license for Dubai. For the full multi-authority breakdown, see our Ultimate Guide to UAE Medical Licensing for Doctors, or the MOHAP license guide for the northern emirates.
DHA licensing packages
Fixed-scope licensing support with a dedicated case manager, from eligibility through to registration and job placement. Tell us your specialty and we’ll recommend the right package and confirm pricing.
What happens after your DHA license is issued
A DHA registration is most valuable the moment it is paired with a job offer, because that is when it activates into a licence to practise. As your registration completes, we connect you to suitable roles across our network of Dubai hospital groups and support you through interviews, contract terms, and salary negotiation.
Because we handle both sides, licensing and placement, you do not finish the licence and then start a separate job search from scratch. Many of our doctors move from a positive DataFlow report into an offer without a gap. You can see current openings on our doctor jobs in Dubai page, or send us your specialty and we will tell you what is live.
DHA license cost, timeline, and documents
How long does a DHA license take?
Tier-1 doctors with recognised training typically complete licensing in around three months. Tier-2 and tier-3 doctors can take six months or longer where additional documentation, translations, or a DHA exam are required. DataFlow is the biggest variable, usually around four to eight weeks, so we start it as early as possible and prepare your documents in parallel rather than in sequence.
Documents you will need
- Educational certificates with transcript of records
- Valid license or registration from your country of last employment
- Good standing certificate, issued within the last 6 months
- Passport copy and a passport-style photo on a white background
- For surgical specialties: a 2-year logbook signed by your medical director
- Any required translations and attestations of the above
What a DHA license costs
DHA license fees and DataFlow fees vary by application and grade and are paid to the authority and DataFlow directly. The main cost components are the application and document-processing fee, the DataFlow verification fee, any exam fee where an assessment applies, and the annual registration fee. We give you a clear breakdown of authority fees and our consultancy fee before you commit, with no surprises mid-process.
DHA license FAQs
How do I apply for a DHA license?
You apply through the DHA’s Sheryan portal by creating an account, starting a new licence application, uploading the required documents, and completing DataFlow verification. We manage this end-to-end, setting up your Sheryan case, preparing documents, and submitting the application so it clears on the first review.
How long does a DHA license take to get?
Most tier-1 doctors complete the DHA license process in around three months. The main variable is DataFlow primary source verification, which usually takes around four to eight weeks. Tier-2 and tier-3 applicants can take six months or longer if a DHA exam or extra documentation is required.
Do I need to pass the DHA exam?
Not always. Doctors trained in DHA-recognised countries, including the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, and Australia, usually meet the exam exemption criteria. Where an assessment is required, it is a Prometric computer-based test of 150 multiple-choice questions over about three hours.
How do I check my DHA eligibility?
The DHA self-assessment tool checks your qualifications against the PQR requirements for your grade and specialty. We run this DHA eligibility check for you before any application begins, so you know your standing before spending anything.
How much does a DHA license cost?
DHA and DataFlow fees are paid to the authorities directly and vary by grade and application. We provide a full breakdown of authority fees plus our consultancy fee upfront, including DataFlow fees and DHA exam fees where they apply.
Can I apply for a DHA license myself, or do I need an agency?
You can apply yourself through the Sheryan portal; an agency is not mandatory. Most doctors use a consultancy to avoid the document rejections and PQR grading errors that add weeks to a self-managed application, and because licensing and job placement can then run together.
Does the DHA license process differ by specialty?
The five stages are the same, but document and experience requirements vary by specialty and grade under the PQR. Surgical specialties need a signed two-year logbook, and some roles, for example clinical psychology, have specific license requirements we check during your eligibility assessment.
Is the DHA license valid in other emirates?
The DHA license itself is specific to Dubai, but your positive DataFlow report is valid across the UAE and most Gulf countries and never expires. To work in Abu Dhabi you need a DOH license; in the northern emirates, MOHAP.
Do I need a job offer before getting my DHA license?
You can complete DHA registration before securing a role, but the registration only activates into a full license once an employer sponsors it. Starting licensing early means you are ready to begin work the moment you accept an offer.
What is DataFlow and how long does it take?
DataFlow is the company that verifies your certificates, experience, and good standing directly with the issuing institutions (primary source verification). It typically takes around four to eight weeks, and the resulting report is reusable across the Gulf.
Start your DHA license today
Tell us your specialty and country of training and we will run your DHA eligibility check, free and with no obligation. If you are eligible, we start DataFlow straight away so you are ready to practise in Dubai as fast as possible.