MOHAP Licensing — Ministry of Health and Prevention

A MOHAP (Ministry of Health and Prevention) license covers practice in Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), and Umm Al Quwain. It does NOT cover Dubai (DHA) or Abu Dhabi (DOH), which each have their own independent licensing authorities. For doctors wishing to practice across multiple emirates including Dubai or Abu Dhabi, separate applications to those respective authorities are required in addition to MOHAP registration.

MOHAP registration is valid for 5 years, making it considerably longer than DHA (1 year) or DOH (1 year) licenses. This 5-year validity applies to the registration certificate; when you join an employer in a MOHAP-regulated emirate, your registration activates as a license specific to that facility. The license itself is renewed annually through the employer, but the underlying MOHAP registration does not need to be renewed for 5 years, simplifying long-term compliance.

DataFlow Primary Source Verification (PSV) is a mandatory credential verification process required by all UAE health authorities, including MOHAP. DataFlow directly contacts the issuing institutions (medical schools, licensing boards, employers) to verify the authenticity of your qualifications, licenses, and employment history. The process typically takes 4–8 weeks and costs AED 800–1,500 depending on the number of documents. A valid DataFlow report is portable and may be accepted by other UAE authorities within its validity period.

Your MOHAP registration is a single, portable credential that covers all MOHAP-regulated emirates. However, your actual practicing license is facility-specific — it is tied to the specific hospital or clinic that sponsors you. If you change employer or work across facilities in different MOHAP-regulated emirates, each facility must formally request activation of your license through their own MOHAP account. The process for adding a new facility to your MOHAP registration is significantly simpler than a new full application.

Once you have a valid DataFlow PSV report, completed assessment, and a confirmed job offer from a MOHAP-licensed facility, the licensing process can be completed in as little as 1–2 working days. MOHAP is known for relatively fast processing times compared to DHA or DOH. The key variable is the DataFlow verification stage, which must be completed upfront. MediFlow initiates DataFlow verification at the earliest stage of the recruitment process to ensure no delays once a job offer is secured.