UAE setup for healthcare & wellness.
Clinics, telemedicine, pharma distribution and medical-device sales. UAE healthcare is heavily regulated by DHA (Dubai), DoH (Abu Dhabi) and MOHAP (federal).
Dubai Mainland
DED LLC + DHA approval. Required for clinical practice. Premises inspection mandatory.
Abu Dhabi Mainland
ADDED LLC + DoH approval. Includes Daman insurance acceptance setup.
Healthcare licensing path
The UAE healthcare licensing process runs in parallel with the trade licence: (1) Trade licence with healthcare activity; (2) Healthcare authority approval (DHA / DoH / MOHAP); (3) Individual practitioner licensing for each clinician; (4) Premises inspection; (5) Insurance acceptance (Daman, Nextcare) for cash flow.
Total timeline for a clinic: 4–6 months. Total approximate cost for a small clinic: USD 35,000–60,000 all-in including DHA approval, ArxSetup fee, and the practitioner licensing for two doctors.
FAQ
Can foreign doctors own a UAE clinic?
Yes — 100% foreign ownership is permitted for healthcare clinics on UAE mainland (post-2021 reforms). Doctors must individually hold DHA / DoH practitioner licences.
Telemedicine — free zone OK?
Telemedicine to UAE patients still requires DHA / DoH approval. Free zone licence alone is not sufficient if you serve UAE patients. International telemedicine is a different matter.