Opening a healthcare facility in Dubai requires two parallel, independent licensing tracks: a Facility License for the establishment itself, and a separate Professional License for every practising clinician, both issued by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

Since 2 January 2025, registering medicines, medical devices, and licensing most pharmaceutical establishments in the UAE has transferred from the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) to the Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE) — the federal authority empowered under Federal Decree-Law No. (38) of 2024.