Saudi Arabia welcomes healthcare professionals from all over the world and therefore has a rigorous system in place for verifying their identity, qualifications, skills, and experience before issuing a license to practice. The Saudi Commission for Health Specialties regulates medical licensing throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In this article, I will provide a guide to medical licensing (SCFHS) in Saudi Arabia
The licensing process takes at least a few months, but the process may be longer in cases where additional information or examinations are required. For newcomers, the process can seem daunting, but our experienced licensing team at Allocation Assist can help you navigate the process smoothly, saving you both time and stress.
The SCFHS licensing process, step by step
Obtaining your SCFHS license follows five clear stages. Understanding them in advance helps you plan and avoid delays.
1. Register on Mumaris Plus. Mumaris Plus is the SCFHS online portal where the entire process is managed, from your initial application through to license activation. You create your profile and choose the professional classification service at scfhs.org.sa.
2. DataFlow primary source verification. Your educational certificates, work experience, health licenses, and good standing certificates are verified directly with the institutions that issued them, through the DataFlow group. This usually takes around 6 to 8 weeks and produces your eligibility number. Nothing moves forward without a positive report, so it is worth starting early. The same verification process applies elsewhere in the region, and our guide on QCHP licensing steps for Qatar walks through what to expect there.
3. Professional classification. SCFHS reviews your credentials and assigns your professional category, for example general practitioner, specialist, or consultant. Your eligibility number also confirms whether you are required to sit the licensing exam. There are numerous opportunities available for those seeking national guard hospital saudi arabia jobs. These positions often require specific qualifications and experience in the medical field.
4. The Prometric exam. Where required, the SCFHS examination depends on your specialty and grade, and may be an oral exam or a computer-based test (CBT). Oral exams usually need to be taken in Saudi Arabia, while CBTs can be taken at international test centres. A passing result remains valid for two years.
Note: the exam is not required for doctors who completed their training in countries whose programmes are recognised by the SCFHS, namely the UK, Ireland, France, the USA, Canada, Australia, and Saudi Arabia.
5. Professional registration. The final stage activates your license to practise. It requires a valid Iqama with authorised-to-work status, which usually means you have already secured a position with a sponsoring Saudi healthcare employer. SCFHS completes a final review, and once approved, your license is issued.
How long does SCFHS licensing take?
For a first-time applicant, the full process typically takes around five to eight months from creating your Mumaris Plus account to holding an active registration. The biggest variable is DataFlow verification, so the most effective way to shorten the timeline is to begin that step as early as possible and prepare for the exam in parallel rather than waiting.
Once your documents are verified, SCFHS decides a classification within 7 working days where no assessment is needed, 30 working days where a written exam applies, and 35 working days where a practical evaluation applies. Professional registration then takes 5 working days.
Returning to Practice After a Break: SCFHS Requirements
SCFHS treats a gap of more than two years in clinical practice as a discontinuity. If you have been out of practice for two years or more, SCFHS may ask you to retake the professional licence exam and complete a training period to recover the discontinuity, supported by a training letter.
If your registration expired more than a year ago but you kept practising, the route depends on where you worked. Practice inside Saudi Arabia goes through the Professional Registration service. Practice outside the Kingdom needs a professional re-classification first, then registration.
Professional registration with the SCFHS to obtain your license to practice
The following documents need to be uploaded with the application:
- Recognized Speciality Degree
- Certificate of completion of specialist training
- Educational certificates with a transcript of records
- Professional qualification certificates
- Evidence of professional experience (at least one year for non-Saudi applicants; the grade you apply for may require more)
- Experience letter/employment certificates from current/past employers
- For surgical specialties: log book for the last 2 years with hospital stamp(s) and signature of the Medical Director or other authorized person
- Valid license/registration from the medical licensing body of the country of recent employment
- Valid good standing certificate issued by your country’s licensing authority
- Your updated resume
- Medical fitness report (for applicants aged 65 and above)
- Valid Passport Copy and residence ID, if applicable
- Recent passport-sized photograph
Some documents may need to be certified by the Saudi Cultural Mission or Bureau in your home country. Attestation is the process of obtaining legal recognition for a document issued in another country to ensure that it is genuine. If a certificate or experience is in another language, it must be translated into English. SCFHS license registration fees vary by an applicant’s qualifications and profession. Requirements and documents required are subject to change. If you are exploring where to work in the Kingdom, our guides to hospitals in Jeddah and hospitals in Riyadh cover the major facilities there. The SCFHS eligibility requirements by country of training decide which documents you submit and whether you sit the exam.
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Why use Allocation Assist’s licensing service?
The licensing process is complex and exacting. Managing it takes time, which busy doctors are short of. Allocation Assist’s in-house dedicated and experienced licensing team understands the process inside out, as this is what they do every day. They have successfully helped thousands of doctors obtain their UAE medical license or their license in Saudi Arabia.
Benefits of using our licensing service:
Our team has extensive experience handling even the most complex cases.
- We will guide you on the documents required and pre-check them to make sure they match the SCFHS requirements, avoiding time-consuming requests for further documentation.
- We closely monitor your application and provide you with weekly status updates.
- In case of any unforeseen delays or complications with your Saudi medical license exam process, we will update you immediately and work with you to resolve the issue.
- We offer continuous support through the process of registration, licensing, and beyond.
In addition, with Allocation Assist’s unique insights into the healthcare market in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, we can: Moving to Dubai as doctors offers unprecedented opportunities for growth and networking within the healthcare industry.
- Connect you with hospitals that match your profile and skill set
- Offer support with CV writing and contract/salary negotiations
- Guide you and your family through the relocation process
- Provide you with insights on living and working in Saudi Arabia
Article written by Vivienne Mendonca.
How Allocation Assist Helps Doctors Get Licensed in Saudi Arabia
As a healthcare jobs consultancy in Dubai, our team has been placing Western-trained doctors in Gulf region hospitals for over 11 years, with relationships at 95+ hospitals across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
Key Areas of Support
- Hospital matching, based on your subspecialty, case mix, and family priorities.
- SCFHS licensing and Dataflow verification, including multi-specialty credentialing.
- Contract review and negotiation, including salary, package, and insurance terms.
- Relocation and family logistics, including schooling, housing, and post-arrival support.
- Ongoing peer community, connecting you with doctors who have made the same move.
As a medical job consultancy in Saudi Arabia, we handle your SCFHS licensing and help you secure a hospital role. To talk through your own move, you can book a free consultation.
Frequently asked questions about SCFHS licensing
What is an SCFHS license?
An SCFHS license is the professional registration issued by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties that allows doctors and other healthcare professionals to practise legally in Saudi Arabia. It is managed through the Commission’s Mumaris Plus portal, and it follows credential verification and professional classification.
What is Mumaris Plus?
Mumaris Plus is the SCFHS online portal where every licensing step is completed: creating your profile, submitting documents, DataFlow verification, professional classification, booking the exam, and final registration. Applicants inside and outside Saudi Arabia use the same system.
Do I need to sit the SCFHS Prometric exam?
It depends on your specialty, grade, and where you trained. Where an exam is required it may be a computer-based test or an oral exam, and a passing result remains valid for two years. The exam is not required for doctors who completed their training in countries whose programmes are recognised by the SCFHS, namely the UK, Ireland, France, the USA, Canada, Australia, and Saudi Arabia.
What is the SMLE and how long is it?
The SMLE is the Saudi Medical Licensure Examination, the computer-based Prometric test for doctors. Since March 2023 the SMLE, along with the pharmacist and dental equivalents, runs for four hours and thirty minutes. Results are normally posted in the SCFHS portal within seven to ten working days. It uses a scaled score, so confirm the current benchmark for your specialty before booking.
How long does the SCFHS licensing process take?
For a first-time applicant the full process typically takes around five to eight months, from creating your Mumaris Plus account to holding an active registration. DataFlow verification and exam scheduling are the main variables, and the process can be longer where additional information or examinations are required.
How long is an SCFHS registration valid?
Professional registration with the SCFHS is valid for two years and is renewed through Mumaris Plus, subject to continuing medical education requirements. Registration also requires lawful residence in Saudi Arabia, which is why the final stage depends on having a sponsoring employer. Doctors need 60 CME hours to renew. If the hours are not complete, SCFHS renews for one year only, and this is allowed once.
Do I need a job offer before I can complete registration?
You can complete the earlier stages, eligibility, DataFlow, classification, and the exam, from outside Saudi Arabia. The final stage, professional registration, requires a valid Iqama with authorised-to-work status, which usually means you have already secured a position with a sponsoring Saudi healthcare employer.
What is DataFlow and why is it required?
DataFlow carries out primary source verification, confirming your degree, licence, and experience directly with the institutions that issued them. It is started through Mumaris Plus, and the positive report links back to your profile before you move on to classification and the exam. Documents in another language must be translated into English, and some may need attestation by the Saudi Cultural Mission or Bureau in your home country.
Can doctors trained in the UK, US, or Europe get an SCFHS license?
Yes. Doctors trained in recognised countries are eligible provided they meet the SCFHS qualification and experience requirements for their classification level. Those who trained in the UK, Ireland, France, the USA, Canada, Australia, or Saudi Arabia are generally exempt from the licensing exam, which can shorten the overall timeline.
What documents do I need to renew my SCFHS registration?
An employment letter issued within the last three months, your national ID or Iqama, 60 CME hours for doctors, a medical report if you are over 65, and verification results for any documents not verified before.
How do I register for the SCFHS exam after exam eligibility approval?
After eligibility is approved, applicants use Mumaris+ to complete the licensure exam application, pay the required fee, receive the scheduling authorization, and book an available testing appointment. The SCFHS exam eligibility service lists a processing time of about 5 business days and a service fee of SAR 120 before exam scheduling.
How do I prepare for the Saudi Licensing Examination for Health Specialties?
Preparation should follow the official SCFHS exam blueprint for the relevant specialty. For doctors, the SMLE contains 200 multiple-choice questions, divided into 2 sections of 100 questions, with 120 minutes per section and a 30-minute scheduled break. Study should focus on the blueprint topics, clinical reasoning, patient safety, ethics, and specialty-specific competencies. The SMLE is offered in 11 testing windows a year, and you can sit it up to four times a year until you pass.
What are the SCFHS requirements for returning to practice after a break?
A gap of more than two years in clinical practice counts as a discontinuity. You may need to retake the professional licence exam and complete a training period before SCFHS approves your classification or registration.
How do I check my SCFHS registration validity?
Log in to Mumaris Plus. Your current Classification and Registration certificate can be viewed and printed from the My Certificates section. Registration is valid for two years.
Who is eligible to take the Saudi Prometric exam (SMLE)?
Medical students within a year of graduation and medical graduates can sit the SMLE. It is taken at Prometric test centres in Saudi Arabia and internationally.
