Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS): Guide 2026

Every doctor who wants to practise in Saudi Arabia, whether trained at home or abroad, deals with the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS). The commission decides which professional degree you hold (classification), keeps the register of practitioners (registration), runs the licensing and specialty examinations, and oversees postgraduate training and continuing professional development (CPD).

The SCFHS does not publish most fees. For the bigger picture, including the job market and visas, see our guide to working as a doctor in Saudi Arabia.

Key facts

What the SCFHS does

The commission's requirement pages cover the full life cycle of a practitioner: initial professional classification, professional registration, re-classification after gaining experience or a new qualification, removal of restrictions, training for practitioners returning after a break of two or more years, recognition of certificates, and requests for additional exam attempts. In practice, this means the SCFHS is involved at three moments in your career:

• Entry. Your qualifications and experience are verified and evaluated, and you are given a professional degree (for example general practitioner, specialist or consultant).
• Practice. Your registration keeps you on the record of practitioners, and it must be renewed with CPD hours.
• Progression. When you gain experience or a new qualification, you apply for re-classification to move up a level.

Classification and registration: two separate steps

The single most confusing point for international doctors is that the SCFHS separates classification from registration.

Professional classification is described by the SCFHS as the first legal step before registering as a healthcare practitioner. The commission authenticates and evaluates your qualifications and experience and grants the appropriate professional degree. You can apply for classification while still outside Saudi Arabia. Classification can include a practical evaluation and an electronic written exam delivered through Prometric or Pearson VUE.

Professional registration follows classification. It records your detailed data in the commission's database so you can practise regularly in the Kingdom, and it requires lawful residence in Saudi Arabia. In other words, you usually complete classification before you arrive, and registration once you hold residency.

Re-classification and re-registration are separate services. Re-classification updates your degree or specialty; re-registration renews or updates your registration.

Verification through DataFlow

Your qualifications and experience must be authenticated before classification can be completed. The SCFHS refers applicants to the DataFlow company, which issues the final verification report; the commission notes that this final report must be attached for authentication, and that delays should be raised with DataFlow directly. Start verification early, because the classification file cannot be finished without it.

The Saudi Medical Licensure Examination (SMLE)

The SMLE is the SCFHS licensure examination for medicine. The commission describes licensure examinations as standardised tests that candidates must pass to obtain a licence to practise, designed to assess the ability to apply the knowledge and principles behind safe and effective care.

Format

The 2026 exam format:

• Computer-based testing.
• Two parts of 100 questions each, 120 minutes per part, with a scheduled 30-minute break.
• Up to 10% of questions may be unscored pilot items.
• Single best answer questions with four options, mixing recall and scenario-based questions that test interpretation, analysis and decision-making.
• Content areas include medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, surgery, and patient safety, preventive medicine and ethics.

Scoring and results

The SCFHS set the passing score through a standard-setting exercise with a panel of Saudi physicians: 560 on a reporting scale of 200 to 800, approved by its Central Assessment Committee. Results are not instant; they are published within 2 to 6 weeks after a test window closes, with a statement of results and a feedback report comparing you with other candidates.

Eligibility and booking

You can apply if you hold a recognised primary degree (MBBS or equivalent), have started your internship year, or are one year from graduation. You apply through the SCFHS e-application. Once processed, you receive a scheduling permit showing your eligibility period, and you then book a date with Prometric. Scheduling may not be available more than three months ahead.

On test day, bring your scheduling permit and an unexpired passport (or Saudi national/residence ID if you live in the Kingdom). Your name must match exactly. Arriving more than 30 minutes late or being absent counts as an attempt unless the committee accepts a documented reason.

Route for international doctors, step by step

1. Check the requirements for professional classification on the SCFHS requirements page.
2. Create your Mumaris Plus account and start the classification application.
3. Complete DataFlow verification of your degree, internship, experience and licences, and attach the final report.
4. Sit any evaluation the commission requires, such as the SMLE or another written or practical assessment.
5. Receive your classification (professional degree) while still abroad if necessary.
6. Arrive with your employer, obtain residency, then apply for professional registration.
7. Keep your registration current by collecting CPD hours and renewing every two years.

Need help with the order of steps or a specific case? MediFlow offers GCC licensing support at /get-licensed/.

Renewal and CPD

The SCFHS states that professional registration lasts two years. You can apply for renewal three months before the end date, and a fine applies once registration has lapsed by 31 days. Renewal requires CPD hours: 60 hours for doctors, 40 for specialists, 40 for pharmacists and 20 for technicians. If you have not completed your hours, renewal is granted for one year, once only.

If you stop practising for two years or more, re-classification may involve a professional licence exam, and the SCFHS runs a dedicated training pathway for practitioners returning after such a break.

Fees (as of October 2026)

The SCFHS pages we reviewed do not list fee amounts for classification, registration or the SMLE, so we do not quote any figures here. The commission does state that fees paid for its services and credits are non-refundable, and that evaluation fees apply again for any further exam attempt. Check the current amount inside Mumaris Plus or the SCFHS website before you pay.

Typical mistakes

• Treating classification and registration as one step. Registration needs Saudi residency; classification does not.
• Starting DataFlow late. Classification cannot be finalised without the final verification report.
• Missing the test-day rules. A late arrival can cost you an SMLE attempt.
• Letting registration lapse. Fines start 31 days after expiry, and missing CPD hours limits renewal.
• Relying on unofficial fee lists. Confirm costs on the SCFHS site, since the commission does not refund them.

Next steps

• Read the SMLE guide on our exam page and practise with realistic questions in the MediFlow app.
• Compare the Saudi route with other Gulf countries in working as a doctor in Saudi Arabia.
• If your case is unusual (career gaps, non-standard qualifications), get advice before applying.

Contact and official links

• Website: scfhs.org.sa
• Requirements: SCFHS requirements
• Mumaris Plus FAQ: SCFHS Mumaris FAQ
• SMLE guideline 2026: SCFHS SMLE content guideline%20Blueprint_2026_0.pdf)

We do not list phone numbers here; use the contact options on the official SCFHS website.