DoH license Abu Dhabi: how to apply, pass the exam and get licensed

DoH, HAAD and دائرة الصحة ابوظبي: same regulator

The Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DoH, دائرة الصحة ابوظبي) regulates every public and private healthcare facility and professional in the emirate. It used to be called the Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD). That is why people still search for "HAAD exam" and "HAAD license". Both now mean the DoH licence and the DoH exam.

A DoH licence is valid only in Abu Dhabi. Dubai has its own regulator (DHA, see our DHA license guide), and the Northern Emirates are covered by MOHAP (see our MOHAP license guide). All three now use the same rulebook for qualifications, the Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR), so preparation work carries over even though the licence does not.

Who needs a DoH license

• Physicians (GP, specialist, consultant) and dentists
• Registered nurses, midwives and assistant nurses
• Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians
• Allied health professionals (physiotherapists, lab technologists, radiographers, dietitians and others)
• Traditional, complementary and alternative medicine practitioners

You can start the professional licence on your own, but you cannot practise until a DoH-licensed facility activates your licence under its establishment.

Eligibility: what the Unified PQR asks for

DoH checks every file against the Unified PQR, issued jointly by MOHAP, DoH, DHA and the Sharjah Health Authority. The current version is the third edition. Key rules from the document:

• General practitioner: two years of clinical experience after internship.
• Specialist and consultant: experience depends on which "tier" your postgraduate qualification falls into. Tier 1 and 2 specialists need no extra experience for the specialist title. Consultants need two years (Tier 1) or five years (Tier 2) after specialisation.
• Good Standing Certificate: must be no more than six months old when you apply.
• Gaps in practice: gaps over three years need CME and supervised clinical training. Non-UAE nationals generally cannot apply after a gap of more than five years.
• Expired licence: if your home licence has expired, it must be less than six months past expiry.
• Exam attempts: three attempts across all UAE authorities combined. After three failures, one final attempt may be allowed with a different authority.

Read the full PQR PDF for your exact profession before you pay anything. Most rejections come from experience letters that do not match the PQR wording.

Step-by-step: how to get a DoH license

1. Create your TAMM account. Go to the Department of Health services on TAMM and sign in with UAE PASS or your ID number. TAMM issues your Unique Identification Number (UIN).
2. Start the healthcare professional licence application. In TAMM, choose the Department of Health services and apply for a medical professional licence. Pick your profession and title carefully. Changing title later means a new assessment.
3. Upload documents for DataFlow. Degree, internship certificate, experience letters, current licence and Good Standing Certificate go to DataFlow for primary source verification (PSV). DataFlow contacts the issuing universities, hospitals and regulators directly. This is the slowest step.
4. Licensing department review. When DataFlow returns a positive report, the file moves to DoH's Health Professionals Licensing Department, which checks it against the PQR.
5. Pay and book the exam (if required). Once approved for assessment, you pay the pre-booking fee in TAMM. A Pearson VUE link then appears in the action menu so you can pick a date and test centre.
6. Sit the exam. Most professions sit a computer-based test. Some titles get an oral assessment instead.
7. Final review and issue. After you pass, pay the remaining fees in TAMM. The licence appears in your TAMM account.
8. Activation by your employer. The DoH-licensed facility that hires you links the licence to its establishment. Only then can you see patients.

DoH exam (HAAD exam): booking and results

DoH exams are delivered by Pearson VUE. You cannot book a seat directly with Pearson. The order is fixed:

1. DoH approves your application for the exam.
2. You log in to TAMM on a computer (DoH recommends Chrome), find your HPREG or HPACT transaction and select PAY.
3. After payment, the Pearson link appears under the action dropdown. Choose date, time and test centre.
4. Print the booking confirmation and bring it to the test centre.

For an oral exam, open "Future Exam Bookings" or "Exam Booking" in TAMM, choose the slot and pay. Results show in TAMM: open your health licences, select the HPREG or HPACT application, then "Additional Details". The result is usually on page 3 or 4.

Under the PQR, exams are in English and no translator is allowed in the oral exam. Oral exams have at least five clinical scenarios. DoH does not publish a pass mark or question count, so treat numbers you see on coaching sites as unofficial.

Some candidates are exempt from the exam, based on recognised international exams or an active licence from specific regulators. The full exemption list sits in the PQR's exam equivalency chapter. Exemption covers only the exam. You still need PSV and every other document.

DoH DataFlow (PSV) for Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi uses its own DataFlow channel, separate from the DHA one. DoH lists these contacts in its official FAQ:

• Website for re-registrations and transfers: dfdoh.com
• Email: se.abudhabi@dataflowgroup.com
• Walk-in office: Tawasul Centre, Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street, Abu Dhabi (Tasheel counters 39 and 40), Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4 pm

If DataFlow already verified your documents for DHA or MOHAP, ask for the existing report to be shared. You usually pay again only for documents not already verified. For a detailed walkthrough of how DataFlow works, see our DataFlow guide.

DoH license fees

DoH does not publish one fee schedule for professional licensing. You pay in stages, and TAMM shows the exact amount before each payment:

Third-party guides quote totals of a few thousand dirhams, higher for physicians and dentists than for nurses and allied staff. We have not been able to confirm those numbers against an official DoH source, so budget from what TAMM shows you. Many employers reimburse licensing costs. Ask before you pay.

How long a DoH license takes

Most applicants report two to three months end to end. DataFlow is usually the bottleneck, because it depends on how fast your university and past employers reply. You can shorten the wait by:

• Emailing your past employers and university in advance so they expect DataFlow's request.
• Making sure your name is spelled the same on passport, degree and experience letters.
• Uploading clear colour scans, not phone photos.
• Getting a fresh Good Standing Certificate just before you apply, so it does not expire mid-process.

Renewal, transfer and moving to another emirate

Renewal: done in TAMM using the same service, with documents re-checked by DataFlow where needed. Keep your CME up to date, as DoH checks it at renewal.

Changing facility within Abu Dhabi: if your licence lapsed or was cancelled when you left a job, re-register with your existing DataFlow data and UIN through dfdoh.com, then finish the steps in TAMM.

Moving to Dubai or the Northern Emirates: the DoH licence does not transfer automatically. You open a new file with DHA or MOHAP. Because all authorities use the same PQR, you often avoid a second exam if your DoH licence is active or expired by less than six months. See our DHA exam guide and MOHAP guide for their rules.

Contacts

• DoH: 800555 (inside UAE) or +971 2 666 4442, Monday to Friday, 7:30 am to 2:30 pm. Exam questions: exam@doh.gov.ae. Technical problems: support@doh.gov.ae.
• Pearson VUE (DoH exams): 8000 444 1158 from the UAE, or HAADcustomerservices@pearson.com.

Frequently asked questions

Is the HAAD exam the same as the DoH exam?

Yes. HAAD was the old name of the Department of Health Abu Dhabi. The exam, the licence and the rules now sit under DoH, and bookings run through TAMM and Pearson VUE.

Can I apply for a DoH license from outside the UAE?

Yes. You can register on TAMM, complete DataFlow and sit the exam at a Pearson VUE centre abroad. You still need a job offer from a DoH-licensed facility before the licence can be activated.

How many times can I take the DoH exam?

Three attempts across all UAE health authorities combined, under the Unified PQR. After three failures, one final attempt may be granted with a different authority.

Can I work in Dubai with a DoH license?

No. A DoH licence covers Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra only. For Dubai you need a DHA licence, though an active DoH licence can help you avoid a repeat exam.

Where do I see my DoH exam result?

In TAMM. Open your health licences, select the HPREG or HPACT application, choose "Additional Details" and look on page 3 or 4.

How much does a DoH license cost?

DoH does not publish one fee table. You pay the application, DataFlow, exam booking and licence issue fees separately, and TAMM shows each amount before payment.

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Sources

• DoH: Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR)
• DoH: Frequently asked questions (licensing, exams, DataFlow)
• TAMM: Department of Health services
• Pearson VUE: DOH licensure examinations

Published 18 Oct 2026 · Access One