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UAE: Want to set up a clinic? Here's how to obtain the licence

A guide on the documents required, process and fees for different types of medical facilities

Published: Wed 12 Jun 2024, 12:49 PM

Updated: Wed 12 Jun 2024, 11:27 PM

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File Photo. Image used for illustrative purposes

File Photo. Image used for illustrative purposes

Are you a doctor who wants to set up your own clinic in the UAE? Or are you an investor looking to venture into a new field? If you want to set up a medical facility in the UAE, you must first get a health facility licence issued by Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP).

To get the licence, inspections will be conducted and the required documents must be submitted. You can avail this service on the MOHAP website, application, or through their official email. To obtain a healthcare facility licence in UAE, here are the steps to follow, important points to note, and fees for different types of medical facilities.

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Steps to obtain the licence

  1. Login with UAE pass on the MOHAP website, or smart application.
  2. Submit a request for a health facility licence.
  3. Then, submit an initial inspection application.
  4. After inital inspection approval, submit application to study the architectural plan. Pay the fees.
  5. Apply for initial licence approval, and pay fees.
  6. Obtain licence requirements from relevant entities, such as civil defence.
  7. Apply for the licence for medical staff, such as doctors, technicians and nurses.
  8. Submit application for final inspection, and once approved, pay the fees and submit any remaining documents.
  9. The licence will be sent to your email, or you can download it from the website.

Documents required

Request to obtain health facility licence

  • A copy of the owner's passport
  • A copy of the owner's family book
  • A copy of Emirates ID
  • Recent passport-size photos with white background
  • Through Customer Happiness Centres, the owner must complete a character reference. After the approval of the relevant authority, the licensing process will resume.

Initial inspection approval

  • Application letter requesting licence of medical facility
  • A letter addressed 'to whomsoever it may concern'
  • Plan of the facility
  • Photos of the site
  • In case of school and nursery clinics, a statement of the total number of students, including gender and school stage, and the capacity of the facility, is required

Initial licence approval

  • Plan of facility with initial approval from MOHAP engineers
  • Licence of Department of Economic Development
  • Application letter of facility
  • Security clearance of owner
  • Owner's qualifications proof

Final inspection approval

  • Facility's plan with inital and final approval of MOHAP engineers

Final licence approval

  • Facility's external billboard
  • Medical waste agreement
  • A list of medical equipment
  • A list of services' price
  • Radiation protection licence - issued by Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation
  • Trade licence - issued by Department of Economic Development. There are different steps to follow, depending on whether the facility is in the free zone or in the mainland
  • Certificate of preventive safety - issued by Civil Defence
  • List of partners' names
  • Facility's internal rules and regulations
  • Facility's plan with MOHAP engineers' final approval
  • Registration in Tatmeen and Riayati

Fees for the services involved

Licence application fees - Dh100

Initial inspection fees:

  • If the facility is a hospital, convalescent home, fertility centre, emergency centre or home medical centre - the fee is Dh2,000
  • If the facility is a general clinic, specialist clinic, medical centre, medical diagnosis centre or rehabilitation centre - the fee is Dh1,000

Site plan verification fees:

  • If the facility is a hospital, convalescent home, fertility centre, emergency centre or home medical centre - the fee is Dh2,000
  • If the facility is a general clinic, specialist clinic, medical centre, medical diagnosis centre or rehabilitation centre - the fee is Dh1,000

Geometric site plan re-verification:

  • If the facility is a hospital, convalescent home, fertility centre, emergency centre or home medical centre - the fee is Dh1,000
  • If the facility is a general clinic, specialist clinic, medical centre, medical diagnosis centre or rehabilitation centre - the fee is Dh500

Final licence fees:

  • If the facility is a general clinic, rehabilitation centre or home health centre - the fee is Dh5,000
  • If the facility is a specialist clinic, medical diagnosis centre or emergency centre- the fee is Dh6,000
  • If the facility is a multi-speciality clinic - the fee can range from Dh12,000 to Dh18,000
  • If the facility is a fertility centre, convalescent home, one-day surgery facility - the fee is Dh20,000
  • If the facility is a hospital (with 1 to 50 beds) - the fee is Dh20,000
  • If the facility is a hospital (with 50 to 100 beds) - the fee is Dh30,000
  • If the facility is a hospital (with 100+ beds) - the fee is Dh40,000

Service time taken

  • 1 working day for application approval
  • 2 working days for final licensing

The engineering team approval for the following services will take a time of:

  • 2 working days for initial inspection
  • 5 to 7 working days for facility plan verification
  • 7 to 10 working days for final inspection

Points to note

  • If a non-national wants to own a health facility, the local authority to which the facility belongs must issue an approval letter regarding the percentage of foreign ownership.
  • If the facility has high floors, an electric elevator must be installed.
  • The engineering conditions and standards for licensing health facilities must be met.
  • The initial approval will be valid for six (6) months only. This duration is granted to the owner to meet all the technical requirements and conditions for obtaining the MOHAP licence.
  • One can not practice or operate the facility with the initial approval. The initial approval only allows you to complete procedures required to obtain the licence.
  • Additional approvals may be required from concerned authorities in the emirate that the facility is located in.

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