DHA Exam for Pharmacists: Pattern, Syllabus, Pass Mark and Eligibility
The DHA pharmacist exam: 150 questions in 3 hours, a 60% pass score, the syllabus our coaching covers, B.Pharm, Pharm.D and D.Pharm, career gaps, attempts and validity.
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The DHA exam for pharmacists has 150 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours for most titles, and the pass score for a pharmacist is 60%. You get 3 attempts, and a pass is valid for 1 year. Which pharmacy title your degree fits decides the exam you book.
Pharmacists from India ask a lot about the DHA exam. This guide covers what pharmacists ask most: the exam pattern, the pass mark, the syllabus, eligibility, attempts and what happens after you pass.
For every profession and the full steps, see the DHA exam guide. Preparing for the exam? See our DHA exam coaching, or let us book your DHA exam.
The DHA exam for pharmacists
The DHA exam is the licensing exam of the Dubai Health Authority. Pharmacists sit the computer-based exam for the Pharmacist title at a Prometric test centre. Passing it gives you a DHA registration certificate, the "eligibility letter", which a licensed pharmacy or healthcare facility in Dubai activates into a licence when it hires you.
Exam pattern and pass mark
- Questions: 150 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours for most titles. The time includes registration and the introduction.
- Pass score for a pharmacist: 60%, under the DHA exam guideline updated in September 2026. DHA can change pass scores without notice.
- Result: pass or fail on Sheryan. DHA does not share your score.
- Language: English.
DHA pharmacist syllabus
The questions follow the Pharmacist title. Our coaching for the DHA pharmacist exam covers:
- Pharmacology
- Clinical pharmacy
- Pharmacy law
- Pharmaceutical calculations
with multiple-choice practice on each topic and mock tests.
Who can take it: B.Pharm, Pharm.D and D.Pharm
The Unified PQR, which DHA, DOH and MOH share, sets the qualification and the experience for the Pharmacist title and for other pharmacy titles. Which title your degree fits, and whether you need experience after qualifying, depends on your degree and your work history.
D.Pharm holders often ask whether they can sit the Pharmacist exam. The answer depends on how DHA grades your diploma. In our cases, diploma (D.Pharm) holders apply as Pharmacy Technician and bachelor's (B.Pharm) holders as Pharmacist. Retail pharmacy experience is not accepted. Send us your certificates on WhatsApp and we check your title before you apply, so you book the right exam.
You also need a Good Standing Certificate from the pharmacy regulator of the country where you last worked, issued no more than 6 months before you apply.
A gap in practice
If you have not practised for more than 2 years, the PQR asks pharmacists for continuing education credits and supervised training: from 10 credits and 4 months of training for a gap of 2 to 3 years, up to 30 credits and 8 months for a gap of 4 to 5 years. Non-UAE nationals cannot apply after a gap of more than 5 years.
Tell us the dates of your gap and we check what DHA will ask for before you apply.
Attempts and validity
- Attempts: 3 in total, with no waiting time between them. After a third fail you cannot apply to DHA for 2 years.
- Across the UAE: 3 attempts across DHA, DOH and MOH, and one last attempt may be granted with a different authority.
- Validity of a pass: 1 year from the result. A facility in Dubai has to hire you and activate your licence within that year.
Step by step for pharmacists
Check your title
Pharmacist or another pharmacy title, from your degree. We can check it with you.
Apply on Sheryan
Create your DHA Sheryan account, apply for your title and upload your documents. Sheryan gives you an eligibility ID.
Book and sit the exam
Book a Prometric slot with your eligibility ID, or let us book it for you. To change the date, reschedule at least 5 calendar days before; Prometric charges a fee.
Dataflow
Your degree, registration and experience are verified at their source. See DHA Dataflow.
Job and licence
A licensed facility in Dubai hires you and activates your licence within the year your pass is valid.
DHA pharmacist exam fee
DHA lists the exam fee for each title in its exam guideline. You pay it to Prometric when you book, and it is non-refundable. We confirm the current fee for your title on WhatsApp before you book. Our coaching fee is separate and is also confirmed before you start.
Booking under the wrong title
Check which pharmacy title your degree fits before you book: the exam follows the title.
Studying from question dumps only
Shared question lists can be old or wrong. Study the topics of your title and practise with mock tests.
Letting the pass expire
Your pass is valid for 1 year. Start Dataflow and your job search early.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass mark for the DHA pharmacist exam?
60%, under the DHA exam guideline updated in September 2026. DHA can change it without notice and shows only pass or fail.
How many questions are in the DHA exam for pharmacists?
150 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours for most titles, including registration and the introduction.
What is the syllabus of the DHA exam for pharmacists?
The questions follow the Pharmacist title. Our coaching covers pharmacology, clinical pharmacy, pharmacy law and pharmaceutical calculations, with practice questions and mock tests.
Can a D.Pharm holder take the DHA pharmacist exam?
It depends on how DHA grades your diploma under the Unified PQR. In our cases, diploma holders apply as Pharmacy Technician, and bachelor's holders as Pharmacist. Send us your certificates and we check which title you can apply for before you book.
Can I get a DHA pharmacist licence without experience?
The experience rule depends on your title and degree under the PQR. In our cases, retail pharmacy experience is not accepted. Tell us your degree and work history and we check it for you before you apply.
How long is the DHA pharmacist exam pass valid?
1 year from the result. A licensed facility in Dubai has to hire you and activate your licence within that year.
Is the DHA or MOH exam easier for pharmacists?
Both follow the same Unified PQR, and both use Prometric. The pass mark is 60% for a pharmacist at DHA and at MOH. Choose the authority where you plan to work: a DHA licence is for Dubai.
Is the DHA pharmacist coaching online?
Yes. It is a 45-day online programme with recorded classes, 3 to 4 live sessions a week, the Trueway app and more than 1,500 practice questions.
