Clinic Setup in Dubai (DHA Facility Licence)
Clinic setup in Dubai needs two licences working together: a DET trade licence for the company and a DHA facility licence for the clinic, plus approved premises and DHA-licensed staff. We help you plan the order, prepare the files and keep each authority's step moving.
Description
Clinic setup in Dubai is regulated by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) everywhere in the emirate except Dubai Healthcare City, which has its own regulator. A clinic on the mainland needs a trade licence from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) for the company, and a health facility licence from DHA for the clinic itself. The DHA side is handled online through Sheryan, DHA's licensing system, which is also reachable from the Invest in Dubai platform.
The DHA licence comes in two stages. First you apply for initial approval: you describe the facility type and services, and DHA issues a licence that stays inactive. While it is inactive you complete the company licence, lease and fit out the premises, and recruit your team. When the clinic is built and equipped, you request an inspection on Sheryan. Once the clinic passes and the required staff are in place, DHA switches the licence to Active. Doctors, nurses and other professionals may not treat patients until that happens.
The company side follows the usual Dubai mainland company formation route: trade name reservation, DET initial approval for the medical activity, a registered lease (Ejari), and the final trade licence. Premises matter more for a clinic than for most businesses. The layout must meet the DHA Health Facility Guidelines for room sizes, infection control and equipment placement, and the fit-out drawings are usually prepared by an engineering consultant who also handles Dubai Municipality and Civil Defence approvals. Hospitals and day surgery centres need Dubai Municipality approval for the land location before anything else. Imaging and nuclear medicine services need a separate licence from the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR).
Every clinic needs a medical director. The owner can take this role if they meet DHA's professional licensing criteria; otherwise you appoint a suitably senior licensed professional. Each doctor, dentist, nurse or allied health professional goes through DHA professional licensing on Sheryan: an eligibility check against DHA's Professional Qualification Requirements, primary source verification of their certificates (carried out by DataFlow), an assessment or exam where required, and then registration. The clinic activates each registration into a licence once its own facility licence is valid. Staff then need employment visas, which you can arrange through our Dubai employment visa service.
If you would rather operate inside a healthcare cluster under a free zone regulator, compare this route with Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) setup. Mainland clinics can serve patients anywhere in Dubai and choose any suitable location; DHCC clinics are licensed by the DHCC regulator and sit within that district.
The overall timeline depends mostly on your premises and fit-out, the facility type, and how quickly your clinical team clears professional licensing. A small outpatient clinic in ready premises moves faster than a polyclinic or day surgery centre that needs full design approval. The cost is made up of the DET trade licence, DHA facility licensing, your lease and fit-out, equipment, professional licences and visas for your team, and our fee. Message us on WhatsApp or live chat with your facility type, location and team size and we will send you a written quote. Once the clinic is licensed, we can also help with your Dubai investor visa and corporate bank account.
What's Included
- Advice on facility type (general clinic, specialised clinic, polyclinic, dental, day surgery, pharmacy, diagnostic) and mainland versus DHCC
- DET trade name reservation and initial approval for the medical activity
- Company documents: Memorandum of Association and DET filings
- DHA initial approval application on Sheryan, prepared with you
- Premises check against DHA requirements before you sign a lease
- Ejari registration and DET final trade licence
- Coordination with your engineering consultant for Dubai Municipality and Civil Defence approvals
- Tracking of your team's DHA professional licensing applications
- DHA inspection request and follow-up until the licence is Active
- Establishment card, investor visa and staff visa processing
- Introduction for a corporate bank account
Requirements / Prerequisites
- A clear facility type and list of services, as this decides DHA's requirements
- A medical director who meets DHA professional licensing criteria (the owner or an appointed professional)
- Clinical staff who can meet DHA's Professional Qualification Requirements for their roles
- Premises that can be fitted out to the DHA Health Facility Guidelines
- An engineering consultant for design, Dubai Municipality and Civil Defence approvals
- FANR licence if you plan imaging or nuclear medicine services
- Hospitals and day surgery centres: Dubai Municipality approval of the land location
Required Documents
- Passport copies of all shareholders, plus visa and Emirates ID if UAE resident
- Three proposed trade names
- Corporate shareholder: attested certificate of incorporation, Memorandum and board resolution
- Facility description: facility type, services and proposed opening hours
- Floor plan and fit-out drawings prepared by the engineering consultant
- Tenancy contract and Ejari certificate
- Medical director details and DHA licence or registration
- Professional documents for each clinician: degree, experience letters, current licence, good standing certificate (verified through DHA's primary source verification)
- Medical equipment list
Our Process
- Consultation on facility type, services, location and mainland versus DHCC
- Trade name reservation and DET initial approval
- DHA initial approval on Sheryan (licence issued as inactive)
- Premises selection, design approval and Ejari
- Fit-out, with Dubai Municipality and Civil Defence approvals through your engineering consultant
- DET final trade licence and establishment card
- DHA professional licensing for the medical director and staff, running in parallel
- Inspection request on Sheryan and DHA inspection
- DHA facility licence made Active; staff licences activated by the clinic
- Investor and employment visas, Emirates ID and bank account
Pricing
Contact us on WhatsApp for a tailored quote for this service.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the requirements for clinic setup in Dubai?
You need a DET trade licence with the right medical activity, a DHA health facility licence, premises fitted out to the DHA Health Facility Guidelines with Dubai Municipality and Civil Defence approvals, a medical director, and DHA-licensed staff for every clinical role. Some services add their own approvals, for example FANR for imaging.
Can a non-doctor open a clinic in Dubai?
Ownership of private health facilities follows Cabinet Decision No. 29 of 2020, which DHA applies. An owner who is not a doctor appoints a licensed medical director. We check the ownership rules for your facility type at the start, before you commit to premises.
How long does it take to open a clinic in Dubai?
It depends mostly on the premises and fit-out, the facility type and how quickly your clinicians complete DHA professional licensing. DHA's initial approval licence stays valid for one year while you prepare, so plan the fit-out and hiring within that window. We give you a realistic plan once we know your location and team.
How much does clinic setup in Dubai cost?
The main parts are the DET trade licence, DHA facility licensing, the lease and fit-out, medical equipment, professional licences and visas for your team, and our fee. Fit-out and equipment usually vary the most. Send us your facility type, size and services on WhatsApp and we will give you a written quote.
Do my doctors and nurses need their own DHA licence?
Yes. Each professional applies on Sheryan, passes the eligibility check, primary source verification and any required assessment, and receives a DHA registration. Your clinic then activates it into a licence. Until the facility licence is Active, staff licences remain inactive and they cannot practise.
What is the difference between a DHA clinic and a DHCC clinic?
DHA licenses healthcare facilities across Dubai except Dubai Healthcare City. DHCC is a free zone with its own healthcare regulator. A mainland DHA clinic can be located anywhere suitable in Dubai; a DHCC clinic sits inside the DHCC district. We compare both for your patient base.
Can I start treating patients after DHA initial approval?
No. Initial approval gives you an inactive licence. You must pass the DHA inspection and have the licence switched to Active before any professional can work there.
Who licenses pharmacies in Dubai?
Pharmacies outside DHCC are licensed by DHA as health facilities and need a DHA-licensed pharmacist in charge. Handling controlled and semi-controlled medicines follows DHA's drug control rules and the federal classifications, so plan for these approvals if you will dispense them.
Related Services
- Dubai Instant License (DET Instant Licence)
- Restaurant License in Dubai (Restaurant, Café & Cafeteria)
- Dubai Mainland Commercial Trade License
- Dubai Trade License Renewal (DET Mainland and Free Zone)
- Freelance Visa Dubai: GoFreelance Permit and Residence Visa
- General Trading License in Dubai (DET Mainland)