Renewal of a medical license is compulsory for all healthcare professionals to continue their medical practice in Dubai. The Dubai Health Authority ensures that only qualified and competent healthcare professionals provide medical services in Dubai through the process of license renewal. All healthcare professionals, like physicians, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, or allied health professionals, must maintain an active license as per Federal Law No. (6) of 2023. They need to follow a DHA license renewal process that includes fulfilling the eligibility criteria, filling out the online license renewal application form, uploading all the required documents, and paying the license renewal fees.
Medical professionals face penalties for late license renewals, and licenses will expire if they delay the license renewal for more than 6 months after one year. The Dubai Health Authority has imposed several restrictions and limitations on the medical professionals who apply for license renewal, such as Continuing Medical Education (CME) and Professional Development (CPD), and medical fitness certificates for professionals over 65.
The steps of the DHA medical license renewal process include logging in to the DHA Sheryan portal, filling out the application form, submitting all the documents, and paying the license renewal fees. The DHA reviews the application and documents in about 5 days. They will approve and issue an e-license on the Sheryan portal. You can download and print their e-licenses.
Who Can Apply for a DHA Medical License Renewal in Dubai?
Registered healthcare professionals and medical facilities can apply for medical license renewal. The healthcare professionals include general physicians, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, specialists, consultants, and representatives of medical facilities. The medical facilities that can apply for license renewal are hospitals, clinics, medical centers, and pharmacies. Medical license renewal is compulsory for every healthcare professional, as mentioned in Federal Law No. (6) of 2023 on the Practice of Some Medical Professions.
When Should You Renew Your DHA Medical License in Dubai?
You should renew your medical license every year, three months before the expiry date. The healthcare professionals who will not renew their licenses will be penalized. The physicians and dentists will be fined AED 600 every month after one year, and nurses, allied health professionals, and traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine (TCAM) practitioners will be fined AED 200 every month after one year. The medical license expires once the medical professional delays the renewal by more than six months, as mentioned on the official website of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).
What are the Prerequisites for DHA Medical License Renewal in Dubai?
The prerequisites for renewal of a Dubai medical license include a valid or expired DHA medical license, copy of passport, certificate of Continuous Medical Practice (CME) or Continuous Medical Development (CMD), Primary Source Verification report of documents, medical malpractice insurance, and passport sized photographs as mentioned on the official website of Dubai Health Authority. The healthcare professionals must clear the outstanding fines and provide a medical fitness certificate if they are above 65 years old, as per the Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR) set by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).
What Documents Are Required for DHA Medical License Renewal in Dubai?
The documents that are required for medical license renewal are the valid passport copy, United Arab Emirates ID, Primary Source Verification report of all the educational and experience certificates, medical malpractice insurance, and several other documents as mentioned in the Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR) set by the Dubai Health Authority.
The documents required for medical license renewal are the following:
- Valid passport copy
- Valid Emirates ID
- Primary Source Verification (PSV) results
- Logbook (for surgical specialties, if required)
- A recent passport-sized photograph
- Medical malpractice insurance
- Continuous Medical Practice (CMP) or Continuing Professional Development (CPD) records
- Medical fitness test results (if 65 years or older)
- Copy of a valid or expired DHA medical license
- Payment of outstanding fines
How to Renew a DHA Medical License in Dubai – Step-by-Step Process?
To renew a medical license, you must check eligibility, gather the required documents, submit an online application, and pay the license renewal fees. Any mistake or incompletion of these steps can delay the process or result in the cancellation of the license renewal. That’s why healthcare professionals should get help from medical license consultancy services.
The step-by-step process to renew a medical license in Dubai is as follows:
Check Eligibility
The healthcare professionals check the eligibility for the Dubai medical license renewal from the Dubai Health Authority’s official website. They need to log in to the DHA Sheryan portal and open the license renewal section. Then, the medical professionals can check the prerequisites and required documents for the DHA license renewal to know whether they fulfill all these requirements or not.
The eligibility requirements for the renewal of a Dubai medical license, as per the official website of the Dubai Health Authority, are listed below:
- Valid medical malpractice insurance
- Minimum annual CME/CPD hours as per PQR
- Medical fitness report (if aged 65 or above)
- Settlement of outstanding fines
- Valid passport copy
- Valid Emirates ID
Gather Required Documents
The healthcare professionals need to gather all the documents that are mentioned on the official website of the Dubai Health Authority. These documents include the following:
- Valid Passport Copy
- Valid Emirates ID
- Primary Source Verification (PSV) Results
- Logbook for Surgical Specialties (if applicable)
- Medical Fitness Report (if age 65 or above)
- Recent Passport-Sized Photograph
Submit Online Application
The medical professionals need to log in to the DHA Sheryan portal, click on the services option, and then open the Renew Professional License section. They need to select the type of license they want to renew and start the process by filling out the online application form with accurate and updated information. Healthcare professionals need to upload all the required documents in PDF format.
Pay Renewal Fees
A license renewal fee challan will be generated on the portal when the healthcare professionals have completed the application form and uploaded all the documents. They can pay the license renewal fees online through their debit or credit cards. The license renewal registration fee is AED 200 for every type of healthcare professional in Dubai. However, the total cost of license renewal varies with the time for different healthcare professionals, as mentioned on the official website of the Dubai Healthcare Authority.
Here is the table for the total license renewal fees for general physicians and dentists.
License Type | Duration | Fees (AED) |
Full-time License | 1 Year | 3,000 |
Full-time License | 2 Years | 5,000 |
Full-time License | 3 Years | 7,500 |
Part-time License | — | 3,000 |
Trainee License | — | 3,000 |
Here is the table for the total license renewal fees for the nurses, midwives, allied health, and TCAM.
License Type | Duration | Fees (AED) |
Full-time License | 1 Year | 1000 |
Full-time License | 2 Years | 1500 |
Full-time License | 3 Years | 2500 |
Part-time License | — | 1000 |
Trainee License | — | 1000 |
Review & Approval
The Dubai Health Authority verifies personal, professional, and educational documents through the PSV reports. They ensure that the healthcare professional completes all the Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR) and does not have any pending fines. The DHA takes up to 5 days to review the license renewal application.
Receive Renewed License
The Dubai Health Authority will issue the renewed license on the Sheryan portal after reviewing the application. The healthcare professional needs to log in to the DHA Sheryan portal and open the “My Application” section. They can download the e-license if DHA has approved the application and issued the e-license.
What Are the Restrictions and Limitations on DHA License Renewal in Dubai?
The restrictions and limitations on DHA license renewal in Dubai include the required number of CME (Continued Medical Education) hours, license validity time, and medical fitness. Medical professionals must comply with the restrictions and limitations for the DHA license renewal in Dubai. The restrictions and limitations on the DHA license are given below:
Continued Professional Development (CPD) Restrictions
Every healthcare professional needs CPD or CME to renew their medical license.
License Category | 1-Year License | 2-Year License | 3-Year License |
Physicians & Dentists | 40 CPD points | 80 CPD points | 120 CPD points |
Nurses & All Pharmacists | 20 CPD points | 40 CPD points | 60 CPD points |
Allied Healthcare & TCAM | 10 CPD points | 20 CPD points | 30 CPD points |
License Validity Period
The DHA medical licenses are valid for one, two, or three years with different fees. Here is the table for the license validity periods with different fees.
License Type | Duration | Fees (AED) |
Full-time License | 1 Year | 3,000 |
Full-time License | 2 Years | 5,000 |
Full-time License | 3 Years | 7,500 |
Medical Fitness Test
Healthcare professionals who are 65 years old or above need a medical fitness certificate. This medical fitness certificate should be verified by healthcare professionals licensed by the Dubai Health Authority.
How to Submit Your DHA License Renewal Application in Dubai?
To submit your DHA license renewal application in Dubai, log in to the DHA Sheryan portal, go to the services section, and click on the Renew Professional License option. Now, you need to fill out the online application form, upload the required documents, and pay the license renewal fees.
Here is the step-by-step guide to submitting your DHA license renewal application in Dubai:
- Log in to the DHA Sheryan portal with your personal credentials, such as the username and password. Healthcare professionals need to create a new account if they don’t have one. They require a username, password, email, first name, last name, and nationality to make a new account on the DHA Sheryan portal.
- Go to the services section after logging in to the DHA Sheryan portal. Click on the Renew Professional License option, and an online application form will appear.
- Fill out the online application form with the personal and professional information, such as the following:
- Full Name
- Gender
- Date of Birth
- Nationality
- Passport Details
- Passport number
- Passport expiry date
- Emirates ID
- Emirates ID number
- Marital Status (if requested)
- Photograph
- Passport-sized photograph (in JPEG or PDF format)
- Mobile number (UAE or international)
- Email address (must be active and valid)
- Residential address in the UAE
- Submit all the required documents in PDF format. The required documents include the following:
- Valid or Expired DHA License Copy
- Valid Passport Copy
- Recent Passport-Sized Photograph (white background)
- Primary Source Verification (PSV) Report (via DataFlow)
- Valid Malpractice Insurance Certificate
- Emirates ID Copy
- Certificate of Continuing Medical Education (CME)/ Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
- Medical Fitness Certificate
- Proof of Payment of Outstanding Fines
- The DHA Sheryan portal will generate a payment challan when they have checked all the required documents. Pay the license renewal fees through your credit or debit card.
- The DHA Sheryan portal takes up to 5 working days to review the application and documents. They will issue an e-license on the portal, which can be downloaded and printed.
Where do you have to submit your DHA License Renewal Application?
You have to submit your DHA license renewal application on the DHA Sheryan portal. You can access it through username, email ID, password, first name, last name, and nationality.