Checked 29 September 2026. DHA and DOH figures are from their current manuals and catalogues. MOHAP's service pages are read from archived copies (November 2025 and January 2026) and its fee sheet dates from 2021; MOHAP's current GP exam format was not found; its DHA/DOH transfer service is read from an archived copy of 5 March 2026.
A General Practitioner who wants to work in the UAE is licensed by whichever authority regulates the facility: the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) for mainland Dubai, the Department of Health (DOH) for Abu Dhabi, and the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) for the other emirates, except facilities licensed by the Sharjah Health Authority (SHA). All four signed the same Unified PQR (April 2025), so the degree, internship and two-year experience rules are the same. What differs is the portal, the exam vendor, the exam itself, the fees and how long things stay valid.
Where other pages get this wrong
MOHAP launched its unified National Licensing Platform on 1 February 2025. It is not a future event.
Commonly published instead: Our own DHA GP notice board said a UAE "National Unified Digital Platform" was "expected Q2 2026", citing a news report.
MOHAP's own news release of 1 February 2025 announced the launch of the unified national platform for health licences. Whether DHA and DOH applications have fully moved onto it we could not confirm, so this guide keeps Sheryan (DHA) and TAMM (DOH) as the portals their manuals name.
The three side by side
| Item | DHA | DOH | MOHAP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where it applies | Mainland Dubai | Abu Dhabi emirate | Federal; the northern emirates, except facilities licensed by SHA in Sharjah |
| Portal | Sheryan | TAMM | MOHAP / National Licensing Platform (launched 1 Feb 2025) |
| Exam vendor | Prometric | Pearson VUE | Prometric (2021 fee sheet) |
| GP exam | 150 questions, 3 hours, pass 60% | 120 MCQs, 2.5 hours; cut score not published | Current format not found |
| Exam fee | USD 280 | AED 570 on the GP page ("pass assessment"); DOH's generic breakdown lists booking of AED 50 or 100 and scheduling of AED 450, 470 or 490, varying by profession; 100 + 470 = 570 matches the GP figure (our arithmetic), so it is one fee, not an extra | 2021: AED 500 application + USD 130 Prometric; Nov 2025: evaluation fee AED 500 |
| Result | Pass/fail on Sheryan within 2 working days (assessment manual); "shared instantly" (Sheryan FAQ) | Within 24 hours on TAMM | Not found |
| Primary source verification | DataFlow; fee by package (AED 1,235 for doctors in DataFlow's May 2023 article) | AED 1,260 | Not found |
| Experience for GP | 2 years after internship (PQR) | 2 years after internship, or 4 years with no internship; last day of experience within 2 years | PQR (same as DHA) |
| Physician licence fee | AED 3,000 / 5,000 / 7,500 for 1 / 2 / 3 years | AED 3,250 + 100 for 2 years; AED 2,500 for 1 year | AED 3,000 (private) + AED 100 application (archived page) |
| A pass stays usable | 2 years (7.6–7.7); or 5 years from obtaining the registration, same title, no gap in practice (7.8) | 5 years | Not found |
Every "not found" is literal: we looked on the regulator's own pages and documents and did not find the figure. We do not fill those cells from coaching sites. DHA's licence fees are the "approximate cost" on the Sheryan activation service; the facility pays them, and Sheryan adds Knowledge and Innovation fees at checkout without stating the amount.
Sheryan NPL; DOH Circular 151/2024 catalogue; MOHAP licensing page (archived 21 Jan 2026). The additions are ours. Licence terms differ, so compare per year, not per row.
Moving a licence between them
| From | To | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| MOHAP or DOH | DHA | No exam if the licence was cancelled within 5 years, with no gap in practice and the PQR still met | DHA licensing manual 7.8 |
| Another UAE authority | DHA | DHA accepts a primary source verification report transferred from DOH, SHA or MOHAP | DHA licensing manual 6 |
| DHA or MOHAP | DOH | No exam with a valid licence for the same title, or one expired or cancelled within 6 months | DOH FAQ 3.12 |
| A previous DOH licence | DOH | No exam if cancelled within 5 years | DOH FAQ 3.12 |
| A DOH exam pass | DOH | No exam if passed within 5 years | DOH FAQ 3.12 |
| Any | Any | Failed attempts count across all authorities: three in a set, then one final attempt with a different authority, or a new set after a new qualification or two years' experience | PQR 1.5.4, 1.5.5, 1.5.8 |
| DHA or DOH | MOHAP | MOHAP's "Transfer License from DHA/DOH" service: the hiring facility applies for a professional with an active DHA or DOH licence; the work invitation must be accepted, doctors aged 60 or above need an EHS health certificate, and the UAE track record must be clean. 2 working days; licence fee AED 3,000 for doctors at private facilities, application fee AED 100 at government facilities. The page does not mention the exam | MOHAP service page (archived 5 Mar 2026) |
Two practical consequences. First, the attempts rule makes the choice of where to sit less important than people think: failing DOH twice leaves you one attempt at DHA, not three (PQR 1.5.5 then allows one final attempt with a different authority, and 1.5.8 a new set of three after a new qualification or two years' experience). Second, the "within 6 months" window at DOH is much shorter than DHA's "within 5 years", so someone leaving a Dubai job for Abu Dhabi should apply before the Dubai licence has been gone long.
Which regulator is yours?
Which UAE regulator licenses you, and do you sit its exam?
The regulator follows the facility, not your preference. Pick where the job is and what you already hold.
Our reading of DHA licensing manual 6 and 7.8, DOH FAQ 3.12 and MOHAP's transfer service page. Gap-of-practice and PQR rules still apply everywhere.
| Facility in | Regulator | Exam-free if you hold |
|---|---|---|
| Mainland Dubai | DHA | Active DHA registration; DHA, DOH or MOHAP licence cancelled within 5 years with no gap; a PQR 21.8 equivalency |
| Dubai Healthcare City | Dubai Healthcare City Authority | Its own rules; not covered here |
| Abu Dhabi emirate | DOH | DHA or MOHAP licence valid or expired within 6 months; a DOH licence or DOH pass within 5 years |
| Sharjah | SHA or MOHAP, by facility (confirm with the employer) | For a MOHAP facility, see the next row; SHA rules not covered here |
| Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah | MOHAP (confirm with the employer) | Exam rules not found; an active DHA or DOH licence can be transferred by the facility (MOHAP transfer service) |
The "Golden route" and the Golden Visa
No DHA, DOH or MOHAP document we read uses the phrase "golden route". The nearest official thing is the UAE Golden Visa: a long-term residence visa. The government portal lists doctors under its 10-year category for exceptional talents and specialists, and has a separate category for frontline heroes. It is a residence visa. It does not license you to practise, and it does not exempt anyone from the DHA, DOH or MOHAP exam. Where a coaching site uses "golden route" for the exam-equivalency exemptions (PLAB, AMC, USMLE Step 3 and so on), that is their name for PQR 21.8, not a separate pathway.
| Term | What it is | Licence? | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Visa | Long-term UAE residence visa; the portal lists doctors under the 10-year exceptional-talent and specialist category | No | u.ae (official) |
| "Golden route" | Not an official term at DHA, DOH or MOHAP | No | Not found |
| PQR 21.8 exam-equivalency | Skips the licensing exam only, for listed qualifications | No; the rest of the PQR still applies | PQR (official) |
And the other Gulf GP exams
| Exam | Questions | Time | Pass | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DHA General Practice (Dubai) | 150 | 3 hours | 60% | official |
| DOH General Practitioner (Abu Dhabi) | 120 MCQs | 2.5 hours | Not published | official |
| Qatar MOPH qualifying exam, GP | 150 MCQs | 3 hours | 60%; 5 consecutive attempts | official |
| Oman OMSB GP (OEGP) | 150 SBA | 2 h 45 min | 60% | reported |
| Saudi SMLE | 200 | — | Scaled score 560 | official |
DHA's ten reference books are the same titles and editions as the Saudi SMLE reference list, and the Qatar paper has the same length and pass mark as DHA's. If you are keeping more than one Gulf country open, one preparation serves several exams; our SMLE, DHA and Qatar comparison goes further.
Practise it, don't just read it
Whichever authority you end up with, the content is general practice. Our DHA GP quizzes are a quick way to check where you stand.
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.
Which is easier, the DHA or the DOH GP exam?
Neither regulator publishes difficulty data. On format, DOH is shorter (120 MCQs in 2.5 hours against 150 questions in 3 hours) but does not publish its pass mark, while DHA publishes 60%.
Can I use my DOH licence to work in Dubai?
Not directly; you apply to DHA. If the DOH licence was cancelled within five years, with no gap in practice and the PQR met, DHA exempts you from its exam (licensing manual 7.8).
Can I use my DHA licence to work in Abu Dhabi?
DOH exempts you from its exam if the DHA licence is valid for the same title, or expired or cancelled within 6 months (DOH FAQ 3.12).
Do failed DOH attempts count against my DHA attempts?
Yes. The PQR allows three attempts across the authorities, then one final attempt with a different authority (PQR 1.5.5).
Which is cheaper, DHA or DOH?
It depends on the licence term. A one-year physician licence is AED 3,000 at DHA and AED 2,500 at DOH; DOH's two-year licence is AED 3,250 plus 100. DOH lists PSV at AED 1,260 and its assessment at AED 570 in total (the booking and scheduling fees add up to it, on our arithmetic), while DHA's exam is USD 280.
Who issues the licence in Sharjah or Ras Al Khaimah?
The federal ministry, MOHAP, covers the northern emirates. In Sharjah some facilities are licensed by the Sharjah Health Authority instead, which also signs the PQR. Confirm with the employer which authority licenses the facility before booking an exam.
Can I move my DHA licence to MOHAP?
MOHAP has a "Transfer License from DHA/DOH" service: the hiring facility applies for you while your DHA or DOH licence is active. It takes 2 working days, and a private facility pays AED 3,000 for a doctor's licence. The page does not say anything about the exam.
Is there a single UAE licence now?
MOHAP launched a unified national platform for health licences on 1 February 2025. We could not confirm that DHA and DOH applications have moved onto it; their manuals still name Sheryan and TAMM.
Does a Golden Visa let me practise as a doctor?
No. It is a residence visa. You still need a licence from DHA, DOH or MOHAP.
What is the "golden route" for DHA?
It is not an official term. Coaching sites sometimes use it for the PQR 21.8 exam-equivalency list (PLAB, AMC, USMLE Step 3 and others), which exempts you from the exam only.
Is the DOH GP exam also on Prometric?
No. DOH's procedural manual names Pearson VUE; DHA uses Prometric.
What is Dubai Healthcare City?
A free zone with its own regulator, the Dubai Healthcare City Authority, and its own licensure requirements. A job there is not licensed through the DHA route.
How long is a DOH pass valid compared with DHA?
DOH: five years. DHA: a pass within two years counts, and a same-title pass within five years of obtaining the registration counts if there is no gap in practice.
More in this series
- Eligibility for Indian MBBS doctors
- Exam pattern, 12 areas and the 10 books
- Licence steps: Sheryan, DataFlow, Prometric, costs
- Attempts, pass validity and exemptions
- 12-week plan and GP salary
- DHA GP notice board — official updates
- SMLE vs DHA vs Qatar GP exam compared
- SMLE for Indian MBBS: eligibility and internship
Sources
- official — DHA Manual for Licensing Healthcare Professionals v1.3 (effective 18/07/2025)
- official — Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR), 3rd version, April 2025
- official — DHA Manual for Professional Assessment v1.1 (effective 08/05/2025)
- official — DHA Online Exam Guideline – CBT (updated Sep 2026)
- official — DHA Sheryan — FAQs (read 29 Sep 2026)
- official — Sheryan — Activate Professional License (NPL, facility service)
- official — DataFlow Group — How To Apply & Pass the DHA Licensing Exam (24 May 2023)
- official — DOH Abu Dhabi Circular 151/2024 — Licensing Service Catalogue and Procedural Manual (incl. FAQ)
- official — MOHAP news, 1 Feb 2025 — unified national platform for health licences (archived)
- official — MOHAP — Evaluation of Health Professional (archived 16 Nov 2025)
- official — MOHAP — Health Professional evaluation service fees, 2021 (archived; historical)
- official — MOHAP — Licensing and Re-licensing of a Health Professional (archived 21 Jan 2026)
- official — MOHAP — Transfer License from DHA/DOH (archived 5 Mar 2026)
- official — u.ae — Golden Visa
- official — Dubai Healthcare City Authority — Licensure Requirements for Physicians and Dentists (2021; free zone, context only)
- official — Qatar MOPH, Department of Healthcare Professions — Qualifying Examination
- official — SCFHS — SMLE Applicant Guide (2025)
- reported — gulfmedexams — OMSB 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.
