Checked 29 September 2026. From the Unified PQR (April 2025) and DHA's licensing (v1.3, July 2025) and assessment (v1.1, May 2025) manuals. Two rules are worded differently in different official documents; both wordings are printed here.
How many times you can sit the DHA General Practitioner exam, how soon you can re-sit it, and whether you need to sit it at all are set by three official documents that mostly agree: the Unified PQR, DHA's licensing manual and its assessment manual. Where they are worded differently, this guide prints both. It starts with the two rules most often published wrongly.
Where other pages get this wrong
You get three attempts counted across all UAE health authorities, then a two-year block at DHA — and there is no waiting period between attempts.
Commonly published instead: "There is no published limit on the number of attempts" and "a mandatory waiting period between attempts (usually 30–90 days)" (gulfmedexams).
PQR 1.5.4 grants three attempts "across the Authorities". DHA's licensing manual 7.3 and assessment manual 4.10: failing the third attempt blocks you "from reapplying for DHA license for two years". Licensing manual 7.9 and assessment manual 4.8: re-assessment is allowed "with no restriction on duration between the attempts", subject to seat availability.
PQR 1.5.4; DHA licensing manual 7.3, 7.9, 10.12; assessment manual 4.7.
Who these rules are for. PQR 1.5.1 exempts UAE nationals and children of Emirati women from the authorities' examinations altogether (children of Emirati women show their birth certificate and the mother's family book). Everything below about attempts and re-sits applies to everyone else.
The attempt rules
| Rule | What the documents say | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Number of attempts | Three, counted across the UAE authorities | PQR 1.5.4; assessment manual 4.9 |
| You must declare | The number of attempts taken at every authority | PQR 1.5.6; licensing manual 7.3 |
| After a third fail | Blocked from reapplying for a DHA licence for two years | Licensing manual 7.3; assessment manual 4.10 |
| Registration after three fails | Not entitled to apply for registration | Licensing manual 10.13 |
| Gap between attempts | No restriction; depends on seat availability | Licensing manual 7.9; assessment manual 4.8 |
| Cancelling or not turning up | Not a failed attempt — but the fee is not refunded | Licensing manual 7.11; assessment manual 4.15, 4.24 |
| Fewer attempts | DHA may cut attempts to one or two if a panel finds a major competency gap that might put patients at risk | Assessment manual 4.9.1 |
| A fresh set of three | After a new recognised qualification, or at least two years of clinical experience after the last attempt | PQR 1.5.8; licensing manual 7.5 |
| A lower title | One extra attempt for a lower title whose PQR requirements you meet | PQR 1.5.7 |
The fourth attempt: two wordings
| Document | Wording |
|---|---|
| PQR 1.5.5 (April 2025) | One final attempt with a different authority after three fails with another; or the fourth with the same authority if you declare you have not failed with any other UAE authority |
| Assessment manual 4.11 | One final attempt with a different authority after three fails with DHA; or a fourth with DHA with a declaration that you have not failed elsewhere |
| Licensing manual 7.3–7.4 | A fourth attempt "could be allowed with permission in any UAE Health authorities"; at DHA, by an online request with a signed letter listing the attempts made and failed with other authorities, "subject for DHA review" |
Read together: a fourth attempt exists, it is discretionary, and the letter you sign must be truthful about attempts elsewhere because every authority counts them. None of the documents gives a fifth attempt within the same set of three. The route after that is PQR 1.5.8: a new set of up to three attempts once you hold an additional recognised qualification, or have at least two years of clinical experience after your last attempt for the same title.
How long a pass stays usable
There is no single validity number for a DHA pass, and quoting one is how people get caught out. Three clauses apply, and the registration you get after passing has its own one-year clock.
| Situation | What happens | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Passed within the last 2 years, gap-of-practice rules met | The assessment record counts; no new exam | Licensing manual 7.7 |
| Passed more than 2 years ago, gap-of-practice rules met | A new assessment is required | Licensing manual 7.6 |
| Passed for the same title, within 5 years of obtaining the registration, no gap in practice | Exempt from the exam | Licensing manual 7.8 |
| Registration certificate after passing | Valid 1 year — "from the date of result" in the assessment manual (4.7), "from the date of issuance" in the licensing manual (10.12). Must be activated by a facility; count from the earlier date to be safe (our advice) | Assessment manual 4.7; licensing manual 10.12 |
| For comparison: DOH Abu Dhabi | A DOH pass for the same title within the past 5 years exempts | DOH FAQ 3.12 |
Our reading: 7.8 protects someone who registered and kept practising, for five years from registration; 7.6 and 7.7 read like the rule for someone who passed, did not register or practise in Dubai, and came back later. DHA does not explain how the two interact, so if your pass is between two and five years old, ask through Sheryan before booking a re-sit.
Who does not sit the exam at all
Exam-equivalency (PQR 21.8)
An equivalency only counts if it is valid when you apply for the licence. Where the document states no validity, the PQR accepts it for five years from the date of issue (PQR 21.3). The exemption covers the licensure exam and nothing else (21.2), and it does not apply once your gap in practice exceeds three years, except for UAE nationals and children of Emirati women who meet the discontinuity requirements (21.4).
| Country | Accepted evidence | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Both parts of the Australian Medical Council exam (MCQ and clinical), or graduation from an AMC-accredited course | AMC |
| Canada | Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada | LMCC |
| Ireland | Both parts of the Pre-Registration Examination System (MCQ and OSCE); or an Irish Medical Council-accredited course; or both PRES parts with valid General registration | PRES / GMCIe |
| New Zealand | New Zealand Registration Examination, or a course accredited by the Medical Council of New Zealand | NZREX |
| UAE | A pass in the Emirates Medical Residency Entrance Examination | EMREE |
| UK | Valid PLAB 1 and 2; or a GMC-accredited UK course (UK graduates only); or valid GMC registration for non-UK graduates whose PLAB is past its 5-year validity | PLAB I and II |
| USA | A pass in USMLE Part III | USMLE Part III |
Two limits apply to every row. The exemption covers the exam only, not the degree, experience or verification rules (PQR 1.6.2). And anyone other than a UAE national or child of an Emirati woman with a gap in practice of three years or more must sit the exam after the CME and training, even with a valid equivalency (PQR 1.7.5, 21.4). Be aware that DHA's licensing manual defines "discontinuity of practice" as a gap "exceeding two (2) years as per PQR", while the PQR itself sets its gap rules at three years; if your gap is between two and three years, ask DHA which applies to you. Note that USMLE Steps 1 and 2 are not on the list; only Part III is.
DHA's own exemptions (licensing manual 7.8 and 5.31)
| You are | Condition | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Maintaining an active DHA registration | — | Licensing manual 7.8 |
| Re-applying after a DHA licence was cancelled | Within 5 years of cancellation, no gap in practice | Licensing manual 7.8 |
| Moving from a MOHAP or DOH licence | Within 5 years of cancellation, no gap, PQR still met | Licensing manual 7.8 |
| A trainee-licence holder | Exempt for the trainee title only; you sit the exam to upgrade | Licensing manual 7.8 |
| A Dubai Health / MBRU residency graduate | In a GP-accepted specialty, completed within the last 2 years with no gap, with a DHA Good Standing Certificate | Licensing manual 5.31 |
Do you need to sit it? A quick check
Do I need to sit the DHA GP exam?
Pick the options that apply. The blocking rules (gap of practice, three fails) are checked before any exemption.
Our reading of PQR 1.5–1.7 and 21.2–21.8 and DHA licensing manual 5.31 and 7.3–7.8. DHA decides.
| Checked in this order | Result |
|---|---|
| 1. Gap in practice over 10 years | Cannot apply, for anyone (PQR 1.7.6) |
| 2. Gap of 5 to 10 years, not a UAE national | Cannot apply (PQR 1.7.6) |
| 3. UAE national or child of an Emirati woman | No exam (PQR 1.5.1); gap-of-practice CME and training still apply |
| 4. Three failed attempts in the current set | New qualification or 2 years' experience since: a new set of three (PQR 1.5.8). Otherwise the two-year DHA block, if under 2 years, and the final-attempt and lower-title routes |
| 5. Gap of 3 to 5 years | Sit the exam after CME and training, even with an equivalency (PQR 1.7.5, 21.4) |
| 6. A valid equivalency, residency, registration, recent licence or pass under 2 years | Likely exempt; an expired equivalency does not count (PQR 21.3) |
| 7. A pass 2 to 5 years old | Unclear: licensing manual 7.6 and 7.8 differ — ask DHA |
| 8. Anything else | Sit the exam; attempts left = 3 minus fails |
Practise it, don't just read it
If the check says you sit it, three attempts across the whole UAE is the number to respect: go in ready the first time.
The ProSyllabus DHA GP library has eight 10-question topic quizzes: Cardiovascular and Respiratory Medicine, Endocrine, Renal and Gastrointestinal Medicine, Pediatrics and Child Health, Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women's Health, Emergency and Acute Care, Infectious Disease and Antimicrobials, Dermatology, ENT and Common Primary-Care Presentations, and Preventive Medicine and Ethics. Each question comes with an explanation.
How many attempts are allowed for the DHA exam?
Three, counted across all UAE health authorities (PQR 1.5.4). A third fail blocks reapplying for a DHA licence for two years.
Is there a waiting period between DHA exam attempts?
No. DHA's licensing manual (7.9) and assessment manual (4.8) say there is no restriction on the time between attempts, subject to seat availability.
Do DOH or MOHAP attempts count toward my three DHA attempts?
Yes. The PQR counts attempts across the authorities, and you must declare them all.
Can I get a fourth attempt at the DHA exam?
Possibly: one final attempt at a different authority, or at DHA on an online request with a signed declaration of your attempts elsewhere, subject to DHA review. It is discretionary.
Does missing my Prometric appointment count as an attempt?
No. Cancelling or not attending is not a failed attempt, but the fee is not refunded.
How long is a DHA exam pass valid?
It depends on your situation: a pass within two years counts (7.7), a pass over two years old needs a new assessment (7.6), and a same-title pass within five years of obtaining the registration with no gap in practice is exempt (7.8). The registration itself is valid one year, counted from the result in one manual and from issue in the other.
Am I exempt from the DHA exam with PLAB?
Valid PLAB 1 and 2 is on the PQR's GP exam-equivalency list, as is valid GMC registration for non-UK graduates whose PLAB is more than five years old. Degree, experience and verification rules still apply.
Does USMLE exempt me from the DHA GP exam?
Only USMLE Part III (Step 3) is listed. Steps 1 and 2 are not.
I have a DOH licence. Do I need the DHA exam?
Not if you apply within five years of the DOH licence being cancelled, with no gap in practice and the PQR met (licensing manual 7.8).
Does a gap in practice cancel my exemption?
With a gap of more than three years, yes: PQR 1.7.5 and 21.4 require you to pass the exam after the CME and training, even with a valid equivalency. UAE nationals and children of Emirati women are excepted.
What happens after three fails?
A two-year block on reapplying at DHA. A fresh set of up to three attempts opens after a new recognised qualification or two years of clinical experience after the last attempt (PQR 1.5.8), and PQR 1.5.5 allows one final attempt with a different authority.
Is my PLAB or AMC still valid for the exemption?
It must be valid when you apply for the licence. If the certificate states no validity, the PQR accepts it for five years from the date of issue (PQR 21.3).
Do UAE nationals sit the DHA GP exam?
No. PQR 1.5.1 exempts UAE nationals and children of Emirati women from the authorities' examinations.
Can I be exempt after a Dubai residency?
Yes, if it was at Dubai Health or MBRU, in a GP-accepted specialty, completed within the last two years with no gap, and you have a DHA Good Standing Certificate (licensing manual 5.31).
More in this series
Sources
- official — Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR), 3rd version, April 2025
- official — DHA Manual for Licensing Healthcare Professionals v1.3 (effective 18/07/2025)
- official — DHA Manual for Professional Assessment v1.1 (effective 08/05/2025)
- official — DOH Abu Dhabi Circular 151/2024 — Licensing Service Catalogue and Procedural Manual (incl. FAQ)
- reported — gulfmedexams — DHA exam
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
