Cost to Open a Clinic in Dubai: Licence Fees and Budget
Cost to open a clinic in Dubai: official 2026 DHA licence, inspection and staff fees by facility type, plus what drives rent, fit-out, equipment and staffing.
DHA's own fees to get a clinic licence active are fixed and published: AED 8,000 for a general or general dental clinic, AED 9,000 for a specialty clinic, AED 18,000 for a polyclinic and AED 25,000 for a day surgery centre, plus Knowledge and Innovation fees. Each doctor or dentist adds AED 3,000 a year, and each nurse AED 1,000. These are a small part of the budget. Rent, fit-out, equipment, salaries and working capital make up most of the cost, and no official source publishes them, because they depend on location, size and specialty.
Last checked: 26 October 2026
Official DHA facility licence fees (2026)
These come from DHA's Sheryan service pages for New Facility License (initial approval) and Activate Facility License (inspection and licence). Knowledge and Innovation fees are added at checkout and are not in these figures. DHA fees are non-refundable except in narrow cases.
| Facility type | Initial approval | Inspection | Licence, 1 year | Total to activation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General clinic | 1,000 | 2,000 | 5,000 | 8,000 |
| General dental clinic | 1,000 | 2,000 | 5,000 | 8,000 |
| Specialty clinic | 1,000 | 2,000 | 6,000 | 9,000 |
| Polyclinic (multiple specialties) | 1,000 | 2,000 | 15,000 | 18,000 |
| Clinic within a pharmacy | 1,000 | 2,000 | 4,000 | 7,000 |
| Clinical support centre, 1 specialty (e.g. physiotherapy) | 1,000 | 2,000 | 5,000 | 8,000 |
| Home healthcare centre | 1,000 | 2,000 | 5,000 | 8,000 |
| Medical laboratory | 1,000 | 2,000 | 6,000 | 9,000 |
| Diagnostic centre (multiple specialties) | 1,000 | 2,000 | 12,000 | 15,000 |
| Community or retail pharmacy | 1,000 | 2,000 | 7,500 | 10,500 |
| Day surgery centre | 2,000 | 3,000 | 20,000 | 25,000 |
| Fertility centre | 2,000 | 3,000 | 20,000 | 25,000 |
| General hospital, under 50 beds | 2,000 | 4,000 | 20,000 | 26,000 |
| General hospital, over 100 beds | 2,000 | 4,000 | 40,000 | 46,000 |
All amounts in AED. Not sure which row fits your business? See DHA health facility licence types.
Multi-year licences cost less per year
| Facility type | 1 year | 2 years | 3 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| General or general dental clinic | 5,000 | 8,750 | 12,500 |
| Specialty clinic | 6,000 | 10,500 | 15,000 |
| Polyclinic | 15,000 | 26,250 | 37,500 |
| Day surgery centre | 20,000 | 35,000 | 50,000 |
A three-year polyclinic licence saves AED 7,500 against three one-year renewals, if you are confident in the location.
Other DHA charges to budget for
- Re-inspection after a failed inspection: AED 1,000 for clinics and polyclinics, AED 1,500 for day surgery and fertility centres, AED 2,000 for hospitals.
- Add-ons (home healthcare, telehealth or a mobile unit): AED 2,000 a year each.
- Amendments to an inactive clinic licence, such as a layout change: AED 500.
- Renewing an inactive licence for a second year: AED 1,000 for clinics, AED 2,000 for day surgery centres.
- Late renewal penalty, per month: AED 1,000 (general clinic), AED 1,200 (specialty clinic), AED 3,000 (polyclinic), AED 4,000 (day surgery centre), according to the Renew Facility License page.
Professional licence fees
The facility pays to activate each clinician's licence through Activate Professional License.
| Professional | 1 year | 2 years | 3 years | Part-time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physician or dentist | 3,000 | 5,000 | 7,500 | 3,000 |
| Nurse, midwife, allied health, TCM | 1,000 | 1,500 | 2,500 | 1,000 |
Registration, DataFlow and the exam are usually paid by the professional before hiring. See the DHA licence guide.
Worked example: DHA fees for a small GP clinic
A general clinic must have at least a full-time GP, a registered nurse and an assistant nurse under DHA's outpatient standard. Year-one DHA fees:
- Facility: AED 8,000 (approval, inspection, one-year licence)
- One GP: AED 3,000
- Two nursing staff: AED 2,000
- Total: AED 13,000, plus Knowledge and Innovation fees
Trade licence and free zone fees
On the mainland, the trade licence comes from Dubai Economy and Tourism. Khaleej Times reported AED 120 for initial approval and AED 620 for the trade name. DET does not publish one licence fee for clinics: it depends on the activity and the lease. Business setup consultancy Bestax lists a Dubai Municipality fee of 5% of annual rent as part of mainland licensing (indicative, Bestax, February 2026).
In Dubai Healthcare City, DHCA Rule No. 1 of 2025 sets a commercial licence fee of AED 15,000 a year for most outpatient activities, with minimum share capital of 10,000 for an FZ-LLC. DHA fees apply on top. Compare the two in DHCC or mainland.
The cost categories that drive your budget
No government source publishes these. Here is what moves each one.
| Cost | What drives it |
|---|---|
| Rent | Area, floor, footfall and parking. Your area follows the DHA room schedule: the outpatient guideline uses 13 m² per consult room, plus reception, waiting, toilets, utility and storage. Ground-floor retail costs more than an upper-floor office. |
| Fit-out | Room count, plumbing to every clinical room, ventilation, fire code, the Dubai Universal Design Code, and whether the unit was a clinic before. Bestax suggests AED 2,000 to 3,000 per m² for good finishes (indicative). |
| Equipment | Specialty. Every outpatient facility needs an AED (defibrillator), airways, oxygen, a nebuliser and suction. Dental chairs, lasers or imaging add far more, and X-ray needs FANR approval. |
| Staff | Minimum staffing by category, salaries, visas, mandatory health insurance and malpractice cover, which the facility pays. See doctor salaries in Dubai. |
| Licensing | Facility category, number of clinicians, licence term, and getting it right first time. |
| Insurance and contracts | Third-party liability, medical waste and maintenance contracts, all required at inspection. |
| IT | A NABIDH-compliant EMR is required before activation. Bestax estimates AED 15,000 to 30,000 a year for software (indicative). |
| Marketing | Launch budget, Google Ads spend and compliance. A MOHAP social media advertising licence is AED 3,000 a year or AED 1,000 a month, plus an AED 100 application fee (see advertising rules). Bestax suggests AED 50,000 to 100,000 for marketing and branding (indicative). |
| Working capital | Months of salaries and rent before you break even, plus the insurance payment cycle. Since November 2025, insurers must pay initial claims within 45 days, according to Al Tamimi & Co. |
What do consultancies say the total is?
Bestax says total set-up investment for a modern clinic can go "well above AED 500,000" once rent, fit-out, equipment, visas and marketing are included. Treat that as indicative only. A single-room GP clinic in a fitted unit and a polyclinic with imaging in a new shell are different projects. Build your own budget from quotes for the rows above.
How to keep set-up costs down
- Pick the smallest category that fits. A specialty clinic licence is AED 6,000 a year. Add a second specialty and it becomes a polyclinic at AED 15,000, with more staff.
- Get the layout approved before the lease is final. Amendments and re-inspections cost money and time.
- Consider a former clinic unit. Existing plumbing and room walls can cut fit-out. You still need your own DHA approval for the layout.
- Start staff licensing early. Every month a fitted clinic waits for a doctor's licence is rent with no revenue.
- Use a multi-year licence once the location is proven.
Marketing before you open
Create your Google Business Profile with a future opening date: Google shows it 90 days before you open. Build the landing page and a pre-opening Google Ads campaign now, but switch ads on only once the licence is active. DHA bars advertising health services while the licence is inactive, and ads need DHA-compliant content and approval. Get a free launch plan, or read how to start Google Ads for a clinic.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a DHA clinic licence?
The one-year licence fee is AED 5,000 for a general clinic, AED 6,000 for a specialty clinic and AED 15,000 for a polyclinic. Add AED 1,000 initial approval and AED 2,000 inspection to reach the total to activation.
What is the cheapest type of clinic to license in Dubai?
Among doctor-led clinics, a clinic within a pharmacy has the lowest DHA licence fee at AED 4,000 a year. A general clinic or general dental clinic is AED 5,000. Licence fees are minor next to rent and fit-out.
Are DHA fees refundable if my clinic does not open?
Generally no. DHA's manual says licensing fees are non-refundable, except in limited cases such as a payment error or a withdrawal before significant processing.
How much do I need to open a dental clinic?
DHA fees for a general dental clinic match a general clinic: AED 8,000 to activation plus AED 3,000 per dentist. Dental chairs, sterilisation and X-ray drive the rest. See our dental clinic guide.
Is a DHCC clinic cheaper than a mainland clinic?
Not automatically. DHCC charges an AED 15,000 commercial licence for most outpatient activities, and DHA fees still apply. Rent and location usually matter more than licence fees.
Related: how to open a clinic in Dubai, open a dental clinic, open an aesthetic clinic, open a home healthcare company and open a pharmacy.
Budgeting for launch marketing? Access One plans Google Ads budgets for new clinics. See also how much a clinic should spend on Google Ads.
Sources
- DHA Sheryan: New Facility License (initial approval fees)
- DHA Sheryan: Activate Facility License (licence and inspection fees)
- DHA Sheryan: Renew Facility License (renewal and penalties)
- DHA Sheryan: Amend Facility License
- DHA Sheryan: Activate Professional License
- DHA: Manual for Licensing Health Facility, version 1.2
- DHA: Standards for Outpatient Facilities
- DHA Health Facility Guidelines: Outpatients Unit
- DHCA: Rule No. 1 of 2025
- Khaleej Times: Dubai trade licence process and fees
- Al Tamimi & Co: Dubai claims management framework
- Bestax: clinic setup in Dubai guide (third-party, indicative figures)
Published 18 Oct 2026 · Access One
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