Medical clinic Dubai —
DHA pre-approval first, DED second.
Open a medical or dental clinic in Dubai. DHA (Dubai Health Authority) is the primary authority — pre-approval required before DED licence. Practitioner licensing per specialty. 60–90 days realistic.
- Timeline
- 60–90 d
- From
- AED 45k
- Authorities
- 3
- Activity codes
- 12
Dubai medical clinic — full stack.
A Dubai medical clinic operates under Dubai Health Authority (DHA) regulation in Dubai or Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DOH) in the capital. DHA pre-approval is required BEFORE Dubai DED licence — this is the reverse order from most industries. Each medical specialty has specific practitioner licensing requirements: GP licence, dental specialist licence, dermatology licence, physiotherapy licence, etc. Premises must meet DHA facility standards (minimum room sizes, sterilization, biomedical waste disposal, fire safety). 60–90 working days realistic timeline due to layered DHA approvals.
Dubai DED activity codes covered
8620 — Medical and dental practiceGP, family medicine, dental clinics
8690 — Other human health activitiesDermatology, physiotherapy, alternative medicine, nursing
8610 — Hospital activitiesDay-care surgical centres, hospitals — separate hospital licence
Medical clinic setup — competitor pricing pulled 2026 Q2.
Single-specialty 2-room clinic with 2 practitioners. Excludes premises fit-out (AED 100,000–500,000 typical).
| Provider | Setup price | DHA Sheryan handling | Practitioner credentialing |
|---|---|---|---|
| YABS | AED 45,000 | Included | 2 practitioners included |
| Shuraa | AED 52,000+ | Add-on | À la carte |
| Virtuzone | AED 58,000+ | Add-on | À la carte |
| Creative Zone | AED 48,000+ | Included | 1 practitioner |
| Adam Global | AED 65,000+ | Add-on | À la carte |
Who has to say yes.
DHA (Dubai Health Authority)
PRIMARY AUTHORITY. Pre-approval of facility, practitioners, services. Required BEFORE DED licence
Dubai DED
Trade licence issued AFTER DHA pre-approval. Standard mainland LLC process
Dubai Civil Defence
Premises fire safety, evacuation plan, biomedical waste handling
7 steps, 60–90 d.
DHA pre-approval application
Submit facility plan, practitioner CVs and credentials, service scope, biomedical waste plan to DHA. Pre-approval 30–45 working days.
Practitioner credential verification
Each doctor/dentist/specialist requires DHA practitioner licence — credential verification, specialty board confirmation, malpractice insurance. Per practitioner 21–30 days.
DED activity selection (parallel)
DED activity codes 8620, 8690, or 8610 reserved. Trade name, AED 620.
Premises fit-out + DHA facility inspection
Clinic fit-out per DHA spec (minimum room sizes, sterilization stations, biomedical waste storage). DHA facility inspection at completion. 7–14 days post-fit-out.
Civil Defence approval
Fire safety, emergency exits, biomedical waste disposal plan reviewed.
Final DED licence issuance
After DHA pre-approval and facility passing inspection, Dubai DED issues final trade licence. AED 13,500 typical.
DHA operational licence + clinic opening
DHA issues operational licence. Establishment Card, MOHRE labour file, GDRFA visa quota. Clinic opens.
What you actually pay.
| Item | AED |
|---|---|
DHA pre-approval application fee | 8,500 |
DHA practitioner licence (per practitioner, typical 2) | 6,000 |
Trade name + DED initial approval | 855 |
MoA notarisation | 1,100 |
Ejari (clinic premises) | 220 |
Trade licence fee (medical category) | 13,500 |
Civil Defence approval | 2,400 |
Establishment Card + immigration file | 2,600 |
DHA operational licence | 4,500 |
| Government fees subtotal | 39,675 |
| YABS service fee | 14,500 |
| 5% VAT (on YABS service fee) | 725 |
| Total | 54,900 |
Government fees vary by activity and approval requirements. Final quote confirmed after activity selection.
Where people get this wrong.
Pulled from 500+ YABS engagements. Each pitfall has a knock-on cost in time or AED — knowing them up front is half the value of using a PRO.
Filing DED licence before DHA pre-approval
Cost: DED rejection; AED 4,500+ application fees burned; DHA still wants its own pre-approval first
YABS fix: Medical activities reverse the standard order — we file DHA pre-approval first, DED second.
Underspecifying scope-of-practice on the DHA application
Cost: Granted licence misses high-margin services (e.g., aesthetic procedures); re-application takes 21–45 days
YABS fix: We map every revenue-generating procedure to the DHA service catalogue at scope definition.
Booking practitioner credentialing before facility licensing is approved
Cost: Practitioner credential expires before clinic opens; renewal fee + delay
YABS fix: We sequence credentialing to land within 90 days of facility-licence issuance to avoid expiry waste.
Skipping professional-indemnity insurance binding
Cost: DHA refuses operational licence at final inspection; opening day pushed
YABS fix: Insurance is bound the same week the facility-licence application is submitted.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I need DHA approval before DED for a medical clinic?
Medical activities are health-regulated, and Dubai Health Authority (DHA) is the primary authority for healthcare. DHA verifies facility design, practitioner credentials, service scope, and patient safety BEFORE DED commercial licensing. This reverse order applies to all health/medical activities. Standard mainland LLCs go DED-first — medical is the exception.
How much does it cost to open a medical clinic in Dubai?
Total typical AED 45,000–95,000 fully delivered for a 2-room single-specialty clinic with 2 practitioners: DHA pre-approval + practitioner licences + DED + MoA + Ejari + Civil Defence + Establishment Card + DHA operational licence + YABS service fee + 5% VAT. Multi-specialty clinics, surgical day-care centres, or premium aesthetic clinics: AED 120,000–250,000. Excludes premises fit-out (typically AED 100,000–500,000).
How long does a Dubai medical clinic licence take?
Realistic timeline 60–90 working days from DHA pre-approval submission to clinic opening. DHA pre-approval (30–45 days) + practitioner credentialing (21–30 days, often parallel) + facility fit-out (variable, typically 30–60 days for 2-room clinic) + DHA facility inspection (7–14 days) + Civil Defence (5–10 days) + final DED licence (3–5 days). Premium aesthetic and surgical clinics can take 90–120 days.
Can a non-doctor own a Dubai medical clinic?
Yes. Dubai DED and DHA permit medical clinic ownership by non-medical investors as long as a DHA-licensed Medical Director (a qualified doctor) is appointed and sponsored. Many investor-owned clinics operate this way. The Medical Director carries clinical responsibility; the investor owns the company.
What's the difference between DHA Dubai and DOH Abu Dhabi?
DHA (Dubai Health Authority) regulates healthcare in Dubai. DOH (Department of Health Abu Dhabi) regulates Abu Dhabi. Both are emirate-level — federal MOHAP (Ministry of Health and Prevention) oversees other emirates. Practitioners licensed in DHA cannot practice in Abu Dhabi without separate DOH credentialing. Clinic licences are emirate-specific — Dubai clinic and Abu Dhabi clinic are separate licensing journeys.
Apply for the medical clinic package
Apply online in 4 steps. Itemised AED quote, no sales-call gate.
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.