Licensing and approvals
Facility Licensing & Approvals in United Arab Emirates
DHA, DoH, SHA, MOHAP and DHCR each run their own facility licensing process, with different portals, document lists, design standards and inspection checklists. We prepare the file for the relevant authority, coordinate the practitioner licences that must be in place before activation, and track every comment through to final approval.
The rules of the ground
Who regulates and pays in United Arab Emirates
Health insurance is mandatory across the UAE, but it arrived emirate by emirate. Abu Dhabi introduced compulsory cover first, Dubai followed with its ISAHD system, and from January 2025 employers in the northern emirates must insure private-sector employees and domestic workers. Claims move through separate channels: eClaimLink and DHPO in Dubai, Shafafiya in Abu Dhabi, and the Riayati e-Claims Post Office in the northern emirates. Payers, third-party administrators and price lists differ by emirate, so each contract and each claims workflow needs local configuration.
Licenses healthcare facilities and professionals in mainland Dubai through the Sheryan platform and oversees the emirate's mandatory health insurance system.
Regulates facilities, professionals and health insurance across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra, including the Shafafiya e-claims and Malaffi exchange requirements.
Federal regulator that licenses private facilities and professionals in Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, and operates the Riayati platform.
Emirate-level authority in Sharjah that has been taking over facility and professional licensing from MOHAP and oversees the Sharjah Healthcare City free zone.
Licenses facilities and professionals inside the Dubai Healthcare City free zone under its own regulations, separate from the DHA process.
Scope
What we deliver in United Arab Emirates
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Scope the licence
We confirm the facility type, services and licensing authority, and list every approval, document and practitioner licence the project will need.
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.
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.
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.
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
Why do I need a healthcare consultancy in the UAE if the process is online?
Which health authority will license my facility?
Can one licence cover facilities in several emirates?
Does Tulazai Health guarantee licences or insurer approvals?
What is involved in healthcare facility licensing in Dubai?
How is licensing different in Abu Dhabi and the northern emirates?
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.