Licensing and approvals

Facility Licensing & Approvals in Qatar

We prepare and manage the MOPH facility licensing file, coordinate the design and inspection stages, and track every practitioner through DHP registration and licensing. We keep the checklist honest, flag gaps before submission and handle follow-up with the authorities. The licence decision remains with MOPH, but the file reaches them complete.

The rules of the ground

Who regulates and pays in Qatar

Law No. 22 of 2021 made health insurance mandatory for expatriates and visitors, with basic cover tied to entry and residence permits and employers responsible for insuring their non-Qatari staff. For private providers this means most patients arrive with a policy from a licensed insurer, often administered through a third-party administrator. Getting onto the right networks, agreeing price lists that reflect your case mix, and building clean pre-authorisation and claims habits are what turn that insured volume into dependable revenue.

MOPH (Ministry of Public Health)

Licenses and inspects private healthcare facilities, sets clinical and operational standards, and supervises the mandatory health insurance system for expatriates and visitors.

DHP (Department of Healthcare Professions)

The MOPH department, formerly known as QCHP, that registers and licenses doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists and allied health professionals in the public and private sectors.

Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC)

The main public provider of secondary and tertiary care, and an important reference point for referral pathways, specialist capacity and service gaps private operators can fill.

Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC)

Runs the public primary care network, which shapes where private primary care, family medicine and diagnostics can compete on access and convenience.

Scope

What we deliver in Qatar

01

Licensing pathway assessment

Confirmation of the correct authority, facility category and service list for your project, with every approval, document and dependency mapped into a single sequenced plan before any fees are paid.

02

Initial approval and design review

Preparation and submission of initial approval applications and design drawings, checked against the applicable facility guidelines for room sizes, clinical zoning, infection control, services and accessibility.

03

Practitioner licensing support

Document preparation, primary source verification tracking and exam scheduling for doctors, nurses and allied staff through DHA, DoH, MOHAP, SCFHS or DHP, aligned with your opening date.

04

Inspection preparation

A mock inspection against the regulator's checklist covering policies, equipment, emergency readiness, waste management and records, with a close-out list completed before the official visit.

05

Related permits and radiation licensing

Coordination of civil defence, municipality and waste permits, and FANR licensing for X-ray and other radiation-emitting equipment, so the health licence is not held back by an external approval.

06

Amendments, renewals and compliance calendar

New specialties, added services, relocations, ownership or medical director changes and annual renewals handled through the right channel, supported by a compliance calendar that flags expiries in advance.

Process

How the work runs

  1. Scope the licence

    We confirm the facility type, services and licensing authority, and list every approval, document and practitioner licence the project will need.

  2. Prepare the file

    Documents, drawings, policies and practitioner files are assembled, cross-checked and reviewed against the regulator's current requirements before anything is submitted.

  3. Submit and track

    Applications are filed through the correct portal and tracked daily, with every regulator comment answered quickly, completely and in the format requested.

  4. Inspect and activate

    After a mock inspection and close-out, we coordinate the official inspection and the steps that activate the licence for patient care.

  5. Stay compliant

    Renewals, amendments and licence expiries for the facility and every practitioner are managed from one shared calendar, so nothing lapses unnoticed.

Frequently asked questions

What does a healthcare consultancy in Qatar actually do for a new clinic?
We plan the service mix and site, prepare the MOPH facility licensing file, manage DHP licensing for your clinicians, and prepare insurer empanelment and price lists so the clinic can see insured patients soon after opening. Tulazai Health manages the process and the paperwork; licences are issued by MOPH and contracts are signed by insurers.
Is health insurance mandatory in Qatar?
Yes, for expatriates and visitors. Law No. 22 of 2021 introduced mandatory health insurance, with basic cover linked to entry visas and residence permits and employers required to insure their non-Qatari employees. For providers, that makes insurer network access and clean claims processes central to the business model.
Do doctors need a separate licence to work in a private clinic in Qatar?
Yes. Every practitioner, whether a physician, dentist, nurse, pharmacist or allied professional, must be licensed by the Department of Healthcare Professions at MOPH before practising. Credential verification and assessment take time, so we build DHP timelines into the opening plan from the start.
Can Tulazai Health guarantee insurer approval in Qatar?
No consultant can honestly guarantee that. Insurers decide who joins their networks and on what terms. What we do is present a complete, credible application, negotiate on the basis of your services and capacity, and follow up consistently, which improves the quality and speed of those conversations.
What is involved in healthcare facility licensing in Dubai?
In Dubai, facility licensing runs through DHA's Sheryan system. The facility licence is first issued in an inactive state and must then be activated, which requires items such as a valid trade licence, an appointed medical director and an EMR that meets NABIDH requirements. Design review, inspection and practitioner licensing run alongside. We map and manage each step for your facility type.
How is licensing different in Abu Dhabi and the northern emirates?
Abu Dhabi facilities are licensed by the Department of Health, with applications handled through the TAMM government services platform and requirements such as Malaffi connectivity. Facilities in Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah fall under MOHAP. Standards, fees and inspection checklists differ, so a plan that works in Dubai cannot simply be copied.

Complimentary 30-minute call

Talk it through with Dr. Neeraj.

Tell us where your facility is today and where you want it to be. You leave the call with a clear next step.