DHA — Dubai's healthcare regulator.
The Dubai government healthcare regulator. Every Dubai clinic, hospital, pharmacy, sports facility, salon, and medical-fitness centre is DHA-licensed. Pre-approval gating before any DED licence for medical activities. Sheryan platform at dha.gov.ae.
What DHA is, in one paragraph.
The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) is the Dubai government's emirate-level healthcare regulator and operator, established under Dubai Law No. 13 of 2021 (re-organising earlier Dubai Law No. 11 of 2007). DHA licenses every Dubai healthcare facility — general clinics, specialist clinics, dental clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, sports and fitness facilities, salon hygiene compliance, and medical-fitness centres for residency screening. DHA also credentials every practitioner via the Sheryan online platform — doctors, dentists, nurses, allied health, and specialty boards. Beyond regulation, DHA also operates Rashid Hospital, Latifa Hospital, Dubai Hospital, and the broader Dubai government healthcare delivery system. From a business-setup perspective, any DED licence with a healthcare activity requires DHA pre-approval before DED issuance.
Core scope.
- Clinic / hospital / pharmacy licensing: facility design + scope of practice + clinical-quality compliance.
- Practitioner credentialing: per-individual licensing for doctors, dentists, nurses, allied health.
- Medical fitness centres: DHA-approved screening centres for residency visa medical fitness.
- Sports + fitness facility licensing: gyms, yoga studios, dance fitness — equipment safety + trainer certifications.
- Salon hygiene compliance: nail bars, spas, barber shops — hygiene inspection + practitioner cards.
- Sheryan platform: the unified DHA online services portal at dha.gov.ae.
Where DHA comes up.
Connected concepts.
UAE business administration is a graph of overlapping authorities. Each term below intersects with the one you're reading.
Dubai DED
Dubai's mainland trade-licensing authority.
DLD
Dubai Land Department — real estate authority + RERA + Ejari.
GDRFA
Dubai residency authority — entry permits + visa stamping.
ICP
UAE federal identity authority — Emirates ID + non-Dubai residency.
MOHRE
UAE federal labour ministry — work permits + employment contracts.
KHDA
Dubai education regulator — schools, universities, training institutes.
RERA
Real Estate Regulatory Agency — broker + developer regulator within DLD.
FTA
UAE Federal Tax Authority — Corporate Tax + VAT.
MoFAIC
UAE Foreign Affairs ministry — foreign-document attestation.
Tasheel
MOHRE labour-services delivery network.
Ejari
Dubai Land Department's tenancy registration system.
Amer
GDRFA Dubai residency-services delivery channel.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Dubai Health Authority?
The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) is Dubai's emirate-level healthcare regulator and operator, established under Dubai Law No. 13 of 2021 (replacing earlier Law No. 11 of 2007). DHA licenses every Dubai healthcare facility — clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, sports facilities, salons (for hygiene compliance), residency medical-fitness centres — and credentials every practising doctor, dentist, nurse, and allied health professional. Operates the Sheryan online-services platform.
Why does DHA approval come before Dubai DED for medical activities?
Healthcare is regulated at the emirate level. DHA verifies facility design, scope of practice, practitioner credentials, and patient safety BEFORE Dubai DED issues the commercial trade licence. This reverse order applies to all medical, dental, allied health, and sports facility activities. Standard mainland businesses are DED-first; medical (and education via KHDA) are the exceptions.
How is DHA different from DOH and MOHAP?
DHA regulates healthcare in Dubai. DOH (Department of Health Abu Dhabi) regulates Abu Dhabi. MOHAP (Ministry of Health and Prevention) regulates the Northern Emirates and federal-level healthcare policy. Practitioners credentialed by DHA cannot practise in Abu Dhabi without separate DOH credentialing. Same applies to facility licences. Plan emirate-by-emirate for any healthcare expansion.
Open a DHA-regulated facility
DHA pre-approval + practitioner credentialing + DED + Civil Defence — coordinated end-to-end. From AED 22,000 (salon) or AED 45,000 (medical clinic).
This page was last reviewed by the YABS compliance team in Q2 2026 and reflects current Dubai DED, Dubai Municipality, DHA, MOHRE, FTA, and DLD requirements.