How Physician Licensing Works in the UAE

The UAE does not have a single national medical license. Four regulators each license physicians for their own jurisdiction: the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) for Dubai, the Department of Health (DOH) for Abu Dhabi, the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) for the Northern Emirates, and the Sharjah Health Authority (SHA) for Sharjah. Your license is valid only within the issuing authority's emirate(s) — so the first decision in your UAE medical career is which authority to apply to.

All four assign you a professional title — General Practitioner, Specialist, or Consultant — based on your qualifications and experience, and each requires DataFlow Primary Source Verification of your credentials. Your DataFlow results carry over between authorities, so the work you do for your first license accelerates any later one.

We license & place physicians across the UAE
Health Bridge handles physician licensing end-to-end for all four authorities and, unlike licensing-only consultancies, we also place you in a role through our recruitment arm. Check your eligibility for a free assessment.

Choose Your Authority

Each card below opens the full step-by-step physician guide for that authority — eligibility, documents, DataFlow, the exam, fees and timeline.

Dubai

DHA

The largest job market in the UAE. Applications run through the Sheryan portal; DHA-specific Prometric exam by title and specialty.

DHA physician guide →
Abu Dhabi

DOH

Home to flagship hospitals like Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City. Applications via the DOH portal (TAMM).

DOH physician guide →
Northern Emirates

MOHAP

Federal license for Ajman, RAK, Fujairah and UAQ — usually the lowest fees and a fast entry point.

MOHAP physician guide →
Sharjah

SHA

The UAE's newest regulator, with an assessment + supervised-practice model instead of a single exam.

SHA physician guide →

Which Authority Should You Pick?

If you already have a job offer, the decision is made for you: license with the authority that covers your employer's emirate. If you are applying proactively, three factors matter. Job volume: Dubai (DHA) has the most vacancies across all specialties, with Abu Dhabi (DOH) close behind and especially strong for consultant and subspecialty roles at its flagship facilities. Cost: MOHAP is generally the most affordable route into the UAE. Speed and structure: DHA, DOH and MOHAP follow the same exam-based model; SHA adds a supervised practice period. Whichever you choose first, your DataFlow verification transfers if you add another authority later, so you are never locked in. For a deeper comparison, see our DHA vs DOH vs MOHAP guide.

Requirements Common to All Four Authorities

Wherever you apply, physicians generally need:

  • a recognized primary medical degree (MBBS/MD) plus a postgraduate qualification for specialists (MD, MS, or fellowship)
  • a minimum of 2 years post-internship experience for GPs, with 2+ years post-specialty for specialists and 5+ years for consultants
  • a valid medical registration from your home country and a Certificate of Good Standing dated within 6 months
  • DataFlow Primary Source Verification (PSV) of all credentials
  • the authority's exam or assessment — DHA, DOH and MOHAP each run their own Prometric computer-based test, while SHA uses a professional assessment plus supervised practice

Applying from India? Our DHA guide for Indian doctors covers MCI/NMC registration, DataFlow timelines for Indian documents, and booking the exam from India.

Timeline & Fees at a Glance

Plan for 8–16 weeks with DHA, DOH or MOHAP, and 10–20 weeks with SHA including its supervised practice period. DataFlow PSV is the longest single step for every authority (commonly 3–6 weeks), which is why we run it in parallel with exam preparation. Authority fees vary — MOHAP is generally the lowest — and DataFlow typically adds AED 1,000–2,000 depending on your documents. Our cost & fees guide itemises every charge across all four authorities.

What Physicians Earn in the UAE

Physicians in the UAE typically earn AED 20,000–35,000/month for GPs, AED 35,000–60,000 for specialists, and AED 60,000–100,000+ for consultants, tax-free. Packages usually add housing or a housing allowance, annual flights home, and health insurance. See our UAE healthcare salary guide and working as a doctor in Dubai for full detail by emirate and seniority.

Health Bridge covers every major profession across all four authorities — browse the full UAE licensing matrix for nurses, pharmacists, dentists and lab technicians, or go deeper with our DataFlow verification guide and Prometric exam study guide.

Ready to start your UAE physician license? Reach out to our team for a free eligibility assessment. We handle the licensing and connect you with the role.

Want this handled for you?

We manage UAE medical licensing end to end — DHA, DOH, MOHAP and SHA. Eligibility, DataFlow, Prometric and submission, with placement to follow.

Explore licensing assistance →

Frequently Asked Questions

Looking for quick answers? Browse below or explore our Knowledge Hub FAQ and Industry Glossary.

It depends on where you will work: DHA covers Dubai (the largest job market), DOH covers Abu Dhabi (home to flagship hospitals like Cleveland Clinic and Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City), MOHAP covers the Northern Emirates (usually the lowest fees), and SHA covers Sharjah. If you already have a job offer, the employer's emirate decides. If not, DHA and DOH offer the most specialist and consultant opportunities — and your DataFlow verification carries over if you add another authority later.
All four authorities require a recognized primary medical degree (MBBS/MD) plus a postgraduate qualification for specialists, a minimum of 2 years post-internship experience for GPs (more for specialists and consultants), a valid home-country medical registration and a Certificate of Good Standing dated within 6 months, DataFlow Primary Source Verification, and the authority's exam or assessment.
Typically 8–16 weeks for DHA, DOH and MOHAP. SHA typically takes 10–20 weeks including its supervised practice period. DataFlow PSV is usually the longest step (commonly 3–6 weeks) for every authority.
Physicians in the UAE typically earn AED 20,000–35,000/month for GPs, AED 35,000–60,000 for specialists, and AED 60,000–100,000+ for consultants, tax-free. Packages usually add housing or a housing allowance, annual flights home, and health insurance.
You apply separately to each authority, but your DataFlow PSV results carry over between DHA, DOH, MOHAP and SHA — saving the verification fee and several weeks when you add or transfer a license.