DHA License for Allied Health Professionals 2026: Dubai Guide

A DHA allied health license is the mandatory permit for allied health professionals working in Dubai in 2026. Applications run through the DHA Sheryan portal: you create an account, complete DataFlow primary source verification, book and pass the computer-based licensing exam at a Prometric centre, receive your eligibility letter, and have your Dubai employer activate the licence.

The exam is a multiple-choice CBT with no negative marking. Question counts, fees and pass scores are set per title: pharmacists face about 120 questions with a 60 percent pass mark, physiotherapists about 150 questions at 50 percent, and lab technicians about 100 questions at around 55 percent. Exam fees for allied titles are typically around USD 240, roughly AED 881.

DHA's allied health category is broad. It includes pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, physiotherapists and physiotherapy technicians, medical laboratory technologists and technicians, radiographers and radiography technicians, occupational therapists, respiratory therapists, clinical dietitians, optometrists, dental hygienists and clinical psychologists, among others.

Your exact title matters because the exam code, question count, duration, fee and pass score are set individually per title in DHA's CBT guideline. A physiotherapist and a physiotherapy technician sit different exams with different pass marks, so confirm your title against the DHA Professional Qualification Requirements before you register on Sheryan.

Sheryan is the DHA portal for professional licensing, and you can register from your home country. Create your account, select the professional registration service, and enter your personal and professional details exactly as they appear on your passport. DHA is strict about name matching, so a mismatch between Sheryan and your passport can cause problems at the exam centre.

Upload your documents: passport copy, photograph, degree or diploma certificates, transcripts, experience letters, your current professional registration and a Good Standing Certificate. Pay the application fee to activate the file. Keep every scan clear and legible, because unclear uploads are returned for correction and cost you weeks.

DHA requires DataFlow verification of your qualifications, licences and experience before it confirms your exam eligibility. You can start DataFlow and the exam booking in either order, but both must be complete before DHA issues your eligibility letter. Verification typically takes several weeks as DataFlow contacts each issuing institution directly.

The usual failure points are experience letters from employers who no longer respond, expired home-country registration and qualifications that do not match the PQR. Keep your home licence valid, warn your previous employers that a verification request is coming, and keep your DataFlow case ID safe for exam registration.

Once DHA confirms you can sit the exam, Sheryan generates an eligibility ID. With it, you book your computer-based test at a Prometric centre, choosing a date and location that suits you; Prometric centres operate worldwide, so most candidates can test without travelling to Dubai. Download your confirmation and admission ticket after paying the exam fee.

On exam day, bring your original passport, the one whose name exactly matches your Sheryan registration, plus your appointment confirmation. Arrive at least 30 minutes early, since late arrivals are not admitted, and leave phones, bags and notes in the provided locker. Contact DHA at least five days before the exam if you spot a name mismatch.

Every DHA licensing exam is a multiple-choice computer-based test with four options per question and no negative marking, so attempt every question. Clinical scenarios test decision-making, not just recall, and some questions touch on UAE healthcare regulations and ethics.

For the most common allied titles, expect roughly these formats. Pharmacists sit about 120 questions in around 165 minutes with a 60 percent pass mark. Physiotherapists sit about 150 questions with a 50 percent pass mark. Medical laboratory technicians sit about 100 questions in about 150 minutes with a pass mark near 55 percent. Radiographers sit around a 55 percent pass mark. Exam fees for allied titles are typically around USD 240, about AED 881.

A few professions also require an oral assessment in addition to the CBT, a face-to-face or online interview with DHA assessors covering clinical communication and ethical scenarios. Check your Sheryan application to see whether your title requires one, and prepare clinical English alongside your technical revision.

Passing the exam earns you a DHA eligibility letter, also called the Professional Registration Certificate. This is the document Dubai hospitals, clinics, labs and home-care companies want to see: it proves you are licensable and lets you apply for jobs with confidence.

Once you accept an offer, your employer's HR completes the final licensing through Sheryan and DHA activates your licence. The DHA licence is valid for one year and must be renewed with continuing education. If you later move to Abu Dhabi or the Northern Emirates, you will need a separate DOH or MOHAP application, since a DHA licence does not automatically transfer.

If you are a pharmacist, physiotherapist, lab technician, radiographer or other allied health professional targeting Dubai, browse current vacancies at steadstaff.com/jobs and submit your profile at steadstaff.com/apply. Mention your DHA exam status and DataFlow progress so employers know exactly where you stand.

Candidates never pay fees on SteadStaff. The platform runs on an employer-pays model, so hiring companies cover recruitment costs and you apply free.