DHA Health Facility Licence Types: Which Category Fits Your Business
DHA facility licence types explained: general clinic, specialty clinic, polyclinic, dental, day surgery classes and more, with staffing rules and 2026 fees.
DHA sorts health facilities into eight categories in its Manual for Licensing Health Facility: hospitals, outpatient facilities, diagnostic centres, pharmacies, specialised units, traditional and complementary medicine (TCIM), clinical support facilities and long-term residential care. Most new doctor-led businesses choose an outpatient type. A general clinic is run by GPs, a specialty clinic offers one specialty, a polyclinic offers two or more, and a day surgery centre is for procedures under sedation or anaesthesia without an overnight stay. Your choice sets the minimum staff, room schedule and fee (AED 5,000 to 20,000 a year for these four).
Last checked: 26 October 2026
The eight DHA facility categories
Appendix 1 of DHA's Manual for Licensing Health Facility (version 1.2, September 2026) lists every category and sub-category. You select one when you apply for the New Facility License on Sheryan.
| Category | Examples of sub-categories |
|---|---|
| Hospital | General or specialty hospital, licensed as under 50, 50 to 100, or over 100 beds |
| Outpatient health facility | General clinic, specialty clinic, polyclinic, general dental clinic, day surgical centre, fertility centre, express clinic in a pharmacy, school and nursery clinics, dialysis, oncology, endoscopy, sleep medicine, psychiatric centre, telehealth centre, medical fitness centre |
| Diagnostic centre | Medical laboratory, radio-diagnostic centre, multi-specialty diagnostic centre |
| Pharmacy | Community or retail, hospital, ambulatory, compounding pharmacy, drug store |
| Specialised units | Mobile facility, first aid unit, blood bank, cord blood and stem cell centre, patient transfer, home healthcare agency |
| TCIM | Acupuncture, Ayurveda, chiropractic, osteopathy, homeopathy, Chinese medicine, hijama and others |
| Clinical support facility | Physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and hearing, optical centre, dental laboratory, psychology centre, dietitian and weight control, podiatry |
| Long-term residential care | Convalescence, nursing home, hospice, addiction treatment and rehabilitation |
Clinic, specialty clinic, polyclinic or day surgery?
These are the four types most investors compare. Staffing comes from DHA's Standards for Outpatient Facilities (effective 19 January 2025). Fees come from the Sheryan Activate Facility License page.
| Type | What it is | Minimum clinical staff | Led by | Licence, 1 year (AED) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General clinic | Diagnosis and management by one or more GPs | Full-time GP, registered nurse and assistant nurse | General practitioners | 5,000 |
| Specialty clinic | A single health service: one medical specialty, preventive or therapeutic | Full-time specialist or consultant, registered nurse and assistant nurse | Doctors of that specialty | 6,000 |
| Polyclinic | At least 2 different specialties; may include diagnostics, dental and TCIM | Full-time doctors, registered nurse and assistant nurse; general dentist if dental is offered; pathologist or radiologist if lab or imaging is offered | Medical director | 15,000 |
| General dental clinic | Overall oral health care by general dentists | Full-time general dentist and registered nurse | General dentists | 5,000 |
| Day surgery centre | Surgical procedures with no overnight stay, in Class A, B, CM or C | Set by class in the day surgery standard | Medical director | 20,000 |
Initial approval adds AED 1,000 (AED 2,000 for a day surgery centre) and inspection AED 2,000 (AED 3,000). For full budgets see cost to open a clinic in Dubai.
Which licence fits your business?
| Your plan | Likely DHA type | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Walk-in GP or family practice | General clinic | Adding a specialist makes it a polyclinic |
| Dermatology, orthopaedics, paediatrics or one other specialty | Specialty clinic | Procedures must stay within what DHA allows outside a day surgery centre |
| GP plus specialists, or medical plus dental under one roof | Polyclinic | Full-time staff for each specialty you list |
| Dental practice | General dental clinic; polyclinic if you combine dental with other specialties | Specialist dental services: confirm the category with DHA. Dental X-ray needs FANR approval. See open a dental clinic |
| Aesthetic or cosmetic practice | Usually specialty clinic or polyclinic; day surgery centre for surgery under sedation | Services must match licensed specialties. See open an aesthetic clinic |
| Liposuction, plastic surgery, endoscopy, dental work under general anaesthesia | Day surgery centre (class depends on sedation level) | Accreditation within two years |
| IVF | Fertility centre (AED 20,000 licence) | Separate category, not a polyclinic |
| Physiotherapy, speech therapy, optical, dietitian | Clinical support centre (AED 5,000 for one specialty, AED 10,000 for two or more) | Ancillary services that support clinical assessment, not a medical clinic |
| Nursing and care at home | Home healthcare centre, or a home healthcare add-on to an existing clinic | See open a home healthcare company |
| Online consultations only | Telehealth provider or platform (AED 12,000), or a telehealth add-on | DHA telehealth standards apply |
| Lab or imaging | Medical laboratory or radio-diagnostic centre (AED 6,000 each); multi-specialty diagnostic centre (AED 12,000) | FANR for radiation equipment |
| Pharmacy | Community pharmacy (AED 7,500); clinic within a pharmacy (AED 4,000) | See open a pharmacy |
A useful test: list every service you plan to offer in year one, then check whether each falls under one specialty. If it does not, you are building a polyclinic.
Day surgery centre classes
DHA's Standards for Standalone Day Surgery Centres follow the AAAASF classification. The class is set by the deepest sedation you will use.
| Class | Highest level allowed |
|---|---|
| A | Minimal sedation (anxiolysis) with topical or local anaesthesia |
| B | Moderate (conscious) sedation; propofol, spinal, epidural, intubation and laryngeal mask anaesthesia are not allowed |
| CM | Deep sedation, including spinal and epidural; general anaesthesia with intubation or a laryngeal mask is not allowed |
| C | General anaesthesia |
Other rules that shape the business case:
- General anaesthesia cases in Class CM and C centres may not start after 5:00 pm.
- Deep sedation cases in Class CM are capped at 2 hours, and Class C cases at 3 hours.
- Class B (with endoscopy), CM and C centres need an operating theatre with an anaesthesia machine and ventilator.
- Every day surgery centre must be accredited within two years of licensing by an ISQua-approved body, such as JCI Ambulatory Care, AAAASF, Accreditation Canada or EIAC.
Add-ons: extra services on one licence
Some services can be added to an existing facility instead of licensing a new one. DHA's manual lists home healthcare, telehealth, 24-hour operation, pharmacy delivery, pharmacy drive-thru and a mobile unit. Home healthcare, telehealth and mobile unit add-ons cost AED 2,000 a year each and are available to active licences.
Can you change category later?
Yes, through Amend Facility License, but only once the licence is active. While the licence is inactive you can add or remove specialties and change the layout, but not change the facility classification or ownership. Changing category on an active licence needs initial approval, final approval and inspection. DHA charges a prorated amount, and the licence is reissued from the activation date.
Licence types outside Dubai and in DHCC
Abu Dhabi (DoH) and the Northern Emirates (MOHAP and local authorities) use their own categories. See open a clinic in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah and the Northern Emirates. In Dubai Healthcare City, DHCA uses its own activity list, with DHA approval required for clinical activities. See DHCC or mainland.
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
What is the difference between a clinic and a polyclinic in Dubai?
A general clinic is run by GPs and a specialty clinic offers one specialty. A polyclinic offers at least two different specialties, which may include dental, diagnostics or TCIM. The polyclinic licence is AED 15,000 a year against AED 5,000 to 6,000 for a clinic.
Can a specialty clinic do minor surgery?
Only procedures DHA permits outside a day surgery centre. The outpatient standard refers specialty clinics and polyclinics to the permitted procedures list in the day surgery standard. Deeper sedation or general anaesthesia needs a day surgery centre.
Which licence do I need for an aesthetic clinic?
Usually a specialty clinic (for example dermatology) or a polyclinic if you combine specialties. Surgical procedures under sedation need a day surgery centre of the right class.
Can I add home healthcare to my clinic licence?
Yes. Home healthcare is an add-on for active facility licences at AED 2,000 a year, as are telehealth and a mobile unit.
How long does a day surgery centre have to get accredited?
Two years from licensing. The certificate must come from an ISQua-approved body and be uploaded to the facility's Sheryan account.
Next step: how to open a clinic in Dubai. Once you know your category, Access One can build the Google Ads plan around the services you are licensed for.
Sources
- DHA: Manual for Licensing Health Facility, version 1.2, Appendix 1
- DHA: Standards for Outpatient Facilities, Appendix 1
- DHA: Standards for Standalone Day Surgery Centres (effective 1 November 2023)
- DHA Sheryan: New Facility License
- DHA Sheryan: Activate Facility License
- DHA Sheryan: Amend Facility License
Published 18 Oct 2026 · Access One
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