DHA License Renewal: CME/CPD Points, Fees, Penalties and Reactivation
DHA licence renewal step by step: CPD/CME points by profession (40, 20, 10), renewal fees, AED 600 or 200 monthly late fines and reactivating a lapsed licence.
Your employer (the healthcare facility) renews your DHA licence (DHA license) in Sheryan, up to 90 days before it expires, and it is usually renewed instantly. Before that, you must have the CPD/CME points for your licence period uploaded to Sheryan: 40 a year for physicians and dentists, 20 for nurses and pharmacists, 10 for allied health and TCAM. One-year renewal costs AED 3,000 for physicians and dentists and AED 1,000 for everyone else. Late renewal costs AED 600 or AED 200 a month. After six months expired, a full-time licence cannot be renewed.
Last checked: 18 October 2026
Who renews the licence: you or the facility?
The facility does. DHA's Renew Professional License service is filed by the facility's delegated representative, not by the professional. Your job is to make sure nothing blocks it:
- Your CPD points are complete and visible in Sheryan.
- Your passport and Emirates ID on file are valid.
- You have no unpaid DHA fines.
- If you are 65 or over, a valid medical fitness report is also needed for renewal, under DHA's licensing manual.
The facility must also hold valid malpractice insurance for you. Who pays the renewal fee is a matter for your employment contract.
DHA licence renewal, step by step
- Check your CPD target (about 4 to 6 months before expiry). Log in to Sheryan (see our Sheryan login guide) and open your CPD record. Compare it with the table below.
- Upload missing CPD certificates. Use the free Update CPD Points service in Sheryan or the DHA app. Upload proof of attendance or completion. DHA's average processing time is one working day.
- Tell HR you are ready once the points show in your account. The window opens 90 days before expiry.
- The facility submits the renewal in Sheryan, choosing one, two or three years, and pays.
- DHA reviews it. It is usually instant. Allow one working day if your personal records have changed.
- A new eLicense is issued. Validity runs on from the old expiry date, so renewing early loses nothing.
Surgeons: upload a surgical logbook every two years at renewal. It must be on facility letterhead, list procedures and dates, and be stamped by the medical director or verified electronically. Without it, DHA can restrict your practice.
CPD/CME points needed by profession
DHA uses CPD (continuing professional development) and CME (continuing medical education) to mean the same thing. These are the targets from DHA's Update CPD Points service and the unified PQR:
| Licence category | 1-year licence | 2-year licence | 3-year licence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians and dentists | 40 | 80 | 120 |
| Nurses and midwives | 20 | 40 | 60 |
| Pharmacists (all) | 20 | 40 | 60 |
| Allied health (physiotherapists, radiographers, lab staff and others) | 10 | 20 | 30 |
| TCAM practitioners | 10 | 20 | 30 |
The CPD rules that catch people out
- 70% must be in your specialty. Up to 30% can be general professional development.
- Online counts fully. DHA's 2025 licensing manual allows 100% of points online, as long as they relate to your specialty. Older guides that say "30% online maximum" quote DHA's 2014 CPD guideline, which the 2025 manual replaced on this point.
- No carry-forward. Extra points do not roll into the next licence period.
- Highest category applies. If you hold licences in two categories, the higher target applies.
- Not CPD: morning meetings, ward rounds, case reviews, internal department meetings, patient awareness talks, software training, induction, and basic product training.
- Counts as CPD: sitting on a DHA licensing assessment panel counts towards that calendar year.
- Fraud is disciplined. Fake CPD claims go to DHA's Medical Practice Committee.
Where to get accepted CPD points
- DHA-accredited events in the UAE. Conferences and courses held in the UAE must be accredited by a UAE authority. The certificate should show the DHA accreditation and number of points.
- DHA's CME Online list. The DHA medical library lists online platforms whose points DHA accredits or recognises, including BMJ Learning modules (0.5 to 2 points each) and ClinicalKey iPOC credits (DHA CME Online).
- Recognised overseas bodies. DHA's CPD guideline lists GCC authorities, UK and Canadian Royal Colleges, UEMS-EACCME, and US bodies such as ANCC (nursing), ACPE (pharmacy) and ADA (dental). Online certificates count only from DHA-recognised providers.
Keep your original certificates for at least three years. DHA can audit any CPD record.
DHA licence renewal fees
Facility fees from DHA's renewal service page, October 2026. Knowledge and Innovation fees are added at checkout.
| Licence type | Physician / Dentist (AED) | Nurse, Midwife, Pharmacist, Allied, TCAM (AED) |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time, 1 year | 3,000 | 1,000 |
| Full-time, 2 years | 5,000 | 1,500 |
| Full-time, 3 years | 7,500 | 2,500 |
| Part-time | 3,000 | 1,000 |
| Trainee | 3,000 | 1,000 |
| Update CPD points | Free | |
| Renew professional registration (not licensed) | 200 | |
DHA's page shows the two fee columns without clear labels. The split above matches the late penalties, which DHA does label by profession. DHA's exam guideline files pharmacists under allied health, so the lower rate should apply. Confirm on the service page before you budget.
Late renewal penalties and the six-month limit
| Category | Late penalty |
|---|---|
| Physicians and dentists | AED 600 per month |
| Nurses, allied health and TCAM | AED 200 per month |
- An expired full-time licence can be renewed for up to six months after expiry, once the penalty is paid and the requirements are met.
- You cannot practise while expired. Not for one day. Working on an expired licence is a separate violation.
- After six months, a full-time licence cannot be renewed. You start again with a new application.
- Part-time and trainee licences that lapse are simply cancelled, with no penalty and no renewal option.
- A licence is also cancelled if you do not practise for six consecutive months during its validity without an excuse DHA accepts.
Inactive, cancelled or lapsed licence: how to get back
Which route applies depends on what happened.
| Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Licence expired less than six months ago | Facility renews it with the late penalty. Complete CPD first |
| Full-time licence cancelled (you resigned) | Your registration stays active for one year. A new facility can activate a licence on it without a new exam |
| Part-time licence showing "inactive" | It went inactive when your full-time licence was cancelled. It becomes usable again, with its original validity, once a new full-time licence is activated and that facility's medical director approves the part-time licence |
| Registration active but no job | Renew the registration (AED 200) within 90 days before it expires to keep your approved title |
| Registration expired, under 5 years since cancellation, no practice gap | Apply for a new registration. DHA grants the same title without a new exam |
| Practice gap of 3 to 5 years | Meet the PQR gap rules (extra CPD plus supervised training) and pass the DHA exam |
| Practice gap over 5 years (non-UAE nationals) | Not eligible under the PQR |
If your registration is renewed and your verified experience is more than two years old, or your DHA licence was cancelled more than a year ago, DHA asks for updated experience letters, licence and good standing certificate.
Practice gap requirements (PQR)
| Gap | Physicians / Dentists | Nurses | Allied / Pharmacists | TCIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 to under 4 years | 80 credits + 6 months training | 40 + 6 months | 20 + 6 months | 20 + 6 months |
| 4 to under 5 years | 120 credits + 8 months training | 60 + 8 months | 30 + 8 months | 30 + 8 months |
Training must be in an approved facility, and the DHA exam is required after it (UAE nationals excepted). Full licensing steps are in our DHA licence guide and DHA exam guide.
Renewal problems and fixes
- "CPD not achieved" blocks the facility. Upload the missing certificates through Update CPD Points, wait about a working day, then ask HR to resubmit.
- CPD rejected. Usually the activity is not specialty-related, not from a recognised provider, or is on the excluded list. Replace it with an accredited activity.
- Outstanding fine. Pay it in Sheryan first. Renewal will not go through until it is paid.
- Supervisor left. If your licence requires supervision and the full-time supervisor is no longer at the facility, it cannot be renewed until a new supervisor is in place.
- Old employer will not release you. Use Raise License Cancelation Issues in Sheryan with proof of resignation.
Frequently asked questions
How many CME points do I need to renew my DHA licence?
Per year of licence: 40 for physicians and dentists, 20 for nurses and pharmacists, 10 for allied health and TCAM. A three-year licence triples the target, so a physician needs 120.
How much is the DHA licence renewal fee?
For one year, AED 3,000 for physicians and dentists and AED 1,000 for nurses, pharmacists, allied health and TCAM. Two- and three-year options cost less per year. Knowledge and Innovation fees are added.
When can I renew my DHA licence?
The facility can submit renewal up to 90 days before expiry. The new period starts from the old expiry date.
What is the penalty for late DHA licence renewal?
AED 600 a month for physicians and dentists, and AED 200 a month for nurses, allied health and TCAM. After six months expired, a full-time licence can no longer be renewed.
Can all my CPD points be online?
Yes, under DHA's 2025 licensing manual, if the activities relate to your specialty and come from a recognised provider. At least 70% must be specialty-related.
Can I renew my DHA licence myself?
No. Renewal is a facility service. You keep your CPD and documents up to date, and the facility submits and pays.
Run a clinic and want more patients while your team stays compliant? Access One handles healthcare marketing within DHA advertising rules.
Sources
- DHA: Renew Professional License (fees, penalties, conditions)
- DHA: Update CPD Points
- DHA: Renew Professional Registration
- DHA Manual for Licensing Healthcare Professionals, v1.3, July 2025 (PDF)
- Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR) (PDF)
- DHA Continuing Professional Development Guideline (PDF)
- DHA Medical Library: CME Online
- DHA: CPD Accreditation
Published 18 Oct 2026 · Access One
What changed for our clients
UAE clinics, hospitals and home healthcare brands that scaled with Google Ads.
Valiant ClinicPremium clinicNew patients tripled in one quarter.
Rebuilt the account around high-intent searches, each with its own landing page.
Liv HospitalHospitalEvery lead source became easy to measure.
Offline conversions sent back to Google Ads, so the team sees where each booked patient came from.
Justlife Home HealthcareHome healthcareBooked patients per dirham roughly doubled.
Spend moved to Search around urgent needs like post-surgery care and elderly falls.
Doctors For YouHome healthcareClosing rate from under 8% to the high teens.
WhatsApp conversion tracking, Search rebuilt around intent and a new qualifying script.
Clinica RamitaAesthetic clinic, JumeirahWe've seen a real difference, not just with the number of leads, but in the quality of patients coming in.
Infinity DentalDental & aesthetic clinicAfter the Google campaigns were reworked, the leads became much more serious and relevant.
More in DHA licensing
Scale your clinic with Google Ads.
Get a free audit of your Google Ads, your landing page and your tracking. We'll show you exactly where the patients are leaking.