DHA vs DOH vs MOH: Which UAE Health Licence Do You Need?

Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the other emirates do not share one health licence. Which licence you need depends on where your employer's facility is, and the three authorities differ in their exam, their portal and the order of the steps. This guide puts them side by side.

Not sure which one is yours? Send us your job offer on WhatsApp and we tell you the authority and the first step.

The short answer

	DHA	DOH (formerly HAAD)	MOHAP (UAE MOH)
Where it licenses	Dubai	The emirate of Abu Dhabi, including Al Ain	Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah, and federal government facilities in Sharjah
Exam provider	Prometric	Pearson VUE	Prometric
Pass mark	By title: for example registered nurse 50%, general practitioner and pharmacist 60%	Not published; the result is PASS or FAIL on TAMM	60%, shown as pass or fail
Order of steps	Exam first or Dataflow first, then eligibility	Dataflow and the exam, then the employer activates the licence on TAMM	Licence application, Dataflow, exam ID activation, then the exam
Dataflow	DHA Dataflow	DOH Dataflow	MOH Dataflow

All three follow the same qualification rules, the Unified PQR, and hold their exams in English.

Which one is yours

The authority is decided by the facility you will work in, not by the city you prefer:

• A hospital or clinic in Dubai: DHA.
• Abu Dhabi city or Al Ain: DOH. Many people still call it HAAD, the Health Authority Abu Dhabi.
• Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain or Fujairah: MOHAP, the federal Ministry of Health and Prevention. Most people call it the UAE MOH.
• Sharjah: since July 2025, private and Sharjah government facilities are licensed by the Sharjah Health Authority (SHA). Only federal government facilities in Sharjah stay with MOHAP.

Your job offer or your employer's HR tells you the authority. Ask them before you start Dataflow or a good standing certificate, because both are sent to one authority.

Sharjah changed in 2025, and many older guides still say "Sharjah = MOH". If your offer is from a private hospital in Sharjah, your authority is SHA. We handle SHA Dataflow too.

What is the same for all three

• The Unified PQR. One set of qualification and experience rules for DHA, DOH and MOHAP, the third version of 2022, so the same degree and experience rules apply at all three.
• Three attempts across the UAE. The attempts count across the three authorities, not per authority. One last attempt may be granted with a different authority.
• Dataflow. Each authority asks for primary source verification of your degree, registration and experience through DataFlow. A report can be converted for another authority, so you do not always start again.
• A Good Standing Certificate from your council, sent to the authority you apply to. See good standing for DHA, DOH and MOH.

What is different

• The exam provider. DHA and MOHAP exams are taken at Prometric centres; the DOH exam at Pearson VUE. A Prometric account does not book a DOH exam. In Kerala, our candidates sit Prometric exams in Trivandrum and Pearson VUE exams in Kochi.
• The result. DHA publishes a pass mark for each title and keeps a pass valid for one year. DOH shows only PASS or FAIL. MOHAP's pass mark is 60%.
• The portal. DHA works through Sheryan, DOH through TAMM, MOHAP through its own services site.
• The order. For DHA you can take the exam before Dataflow. For MOHAP the licence application and Dataflow come first, then the exam ID activation and the exam.

See the booking page of each exam: DHA, HAAD (DOH) and MOH.

Moving between them

A licence or an eligibility from one authority does not let you work for another. Each authority has its own conditions for a transfer, and the receiving authority decides. A Dataflow report can often be converted rather than redone.

In our cases, an active DHA licence can be transferred to both DOH and MOH, and a professional can hold all three licences at the same time.

Tell us where you are licensed now and where the new job is. We check what the new authority asks for before you resign or book anything.

• Starting with the wrong authority

  Dataflow and the Good Standing Certificate are addressed to one authority. Sent to the wrong one, they have to be done again. Confirm the authority with your employer first.

• Using an old guide for Sharjah

  Since July 2025 most Sharjah jobs are licensed by SHA, not MOHAP. Check the facility.

• Booking the DOH exam at Prometric

  The DOH (HAAD) exam is a Pearson VUE exam, even though many still call it the HAAD Prometric exam.

Frequently asked questions

Is HAAD the same as DOH?

Yes. The Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) is now the Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DOH). Its licensing exam is still often called the HAAD exam.

Is the MOH exam the same as the MOHAP exam?

Yes. MOHAP is the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, usually called the UAE MOH. Its exam is a Prometric exam with a pass mark of 60%.

Which licence do I need for Sharjah?

For a private or Sharjah government facility, the Sharjah Health Authority (SHA), since July 2025. For a federal government facility in Sharjah, MOHAP. Your employer tells you which.

Can I work in Abu Dhabi with a DHA licence?

No. Each authority licenses its own emirates. To move, the new authority's conditions apply; we check them for your case.

Can I hold a DHA, DOH and MOH licence at the same time?

Yes. In our cases, a professional can hold all three UAE licences at the same time.

Do DHA, DOH and MOH all need Dataflow?

Yes. Each needs primary source verification through DataFlow, and a report can be converted for another authority.

Do failed attempts at one authority count at another?

Yes. Under the unified rule there are three attempts across DHA, DOH and MOHAP, and one last attempt may be granted with a different authority.