Regulatory

DHA, DOH, MOH Explained: How to Check If Your UAE Aesthetic Clinic Is Licensed

Every legitimate UAE aesthetic clinic must hold an emirate-issued operating licence — and every doctor injecting you must hold an individual professional licence. Here's how to verify both in 2 minutes.

By Dr. Rohan PillaiUpdated 2026-05-297 min readEditor-verified

SKINIII Medical & Aesthetics Clinic — photo 1 — Photo by SKINIII Medical & Aesthetics Clinic via Google Business

Hero photo: SKINIII Medical & Aesthetics Clinic — © SKINIII Medical & Aesthetics Clinic via Google Business

Editor's top picks

Skip the scroll — start with these 2

4.9(1,833)
SKINIII Medical & Aesthetics Clinic
JBR · Dubai
Editor's top pick — 4.9★ on 1,833 reviews
From
AED 200
WhatsApp
4.7(2,471)
First Medical Center - Muraqabat
Dubai Healthcare City · Dubai
Most-reviewed in segment — 2,471 Google reviews
From
AED 200
WhatsApp

In this guide

Which authority licenses spas and clinics in the UAE?
Two licences matter. Clinic AND practitioner
How to verify a DHA licence in Dubai
How to verify a DOH licence in Abu Dhabi
How to verify a MOH licence
Red flags that suggest unlicensed practice
What to do if you suspect unlicensed practice

Which authority licenses spas and clinics in the UAE?

The UAE has three regional health regulators, each covering specific emirates: Dubai Health Authority (DHA) for Dubai; Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DOH); and Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOH) for Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain.

Every UAE clinic offering medical aesthetic services (Botox, fillers, lasers, chemical peels, microneedling, IV therapy, dermatology) must hold an operating licence from the relevant authority. Non-medical wellness venues (yoga, traditional massage, hammams) are licensed through commercial trade authorities, not health regulators.

Two licences matter. Clinic AND practitioner

A licensed clinic with an unlicensed practitioner is still a risk. Both must check out: (1) the clinic's operating licence, displayed at reception, and (2) the individual treating practitioner's professional licence (issued to the doctor or nurse personally, not to the clinic).

Practitioner licences include the specialty: "General Practitioner" doesn't qualify someone to inject Botox. You want to see "Specialist Dermatologist", "Cosmetic Dermatologist", "Plastic Surgeon", or "Aesthetic Medicine Specialist".

How to verify a DHA licence in Dubai

Visit the DHA Sheryan portal (sheryan.dha.gov.ae). Enter the practitioner's name or licence number. The portal shows licence status (Active / Expired / Suspended), specialty, qualification, and which clinic they are authorised to practise at.

Cross-reference: the clinic name displayed on the licence should match where you're being treated. Practitioners moonlighting at a clinic where they aren't registered is a red flag.

How to verify a DOH licence in Abu Dhabi

Visit the DOH e-services portal. Search by practitioner name or licence number. Similar fields to DHA — status, specialty, registered clinic.

DOH licensing is generally stricter for cosmetic procedures than DHA. Abu Dhabi clinics tend to require more documentation for Botox and filler practitioners.

How to verify a MOH licence

Visit moh.gov.ae and use the licence verification service. MOH covers Sharjah, Ajman, RAK, Fujairah and UAQ. Same process: search by name, get status + specialty.

Red flags that suggest unlicensed practice

Treatment at a home address or non-medical premises (residential apartment, salon back room, hotel suite). Mobile aesthetic services require a specific mobile licence, most don't have it.

Cash-only with no receipt or VAT-compliant invoice.

No visible licence at reception.

Treatment offered by 'aesthetic technician', 'beauty therapist', or 'cosmetologist' for injectables (Botox/fillers must be administered by a licensed medical practitioner — doctor or nurse with specific training).

Pressure to book same-day to lock in a 'special price'.

Vials/products that are unbranded, missing batch numbers, or stored in a domestic-style fridge rather than medical-grade refrigeration.

What to do if you suspect unlicensed practice

DHA: file a complaint through sheryan.dha.gov.ae or call 800 342. DOH: complaints@doh.gov.ae or 800 2440. MOH: 80011111. All accept anonymous reports.

If you've been treated by an unlicensed practitioner and experienced adverse effects, get to a licensed clinic or hospital immediately, retain any product packaging or photos as evidence, and report.

How this guide was researched

Written by Dr. Rohan Pillai from the Spalist editorial team. Pricing, regulatory and operational data points are sourced from licensed UAE venues, government regulator portals (DHA Sheryan, DOH e-services, MOH licensing), and Spalist's own editor-verified spa database. We don’t accept payment to feature specific venues — see our editorial standards.

Last reviewed and updated 2026-05-29

The shortlist

Verified UAE aesthetic clinics

Editor-verified aesthetic and skin clinics across the UAE. Every clinic below has had its operating licence cross-checked against the appropriate regulator (DHA, DOH or MOH) and each named injecting practitioner verified in the corresponding professional registry within the last 90 days.

Ranked by rating × review volume. Each pick links through to the venue's full Spalist profile.

Editor's #1 pick in this guide
SKINIII Medical & Aesthetics Clinic
JBR · Dubai4.9 · 1,833 reviewsFrom AED 200
© SKINIII Medical & Aesthetics Clinic via Google
One of JBR's mid-tier aesthetic clinic options — public score: 4.9★ on 1,833 reviews. What 1,833 reviewers actually write about: "nurse shem", "bag" and "treatment". Those are the threads that recur. Treatments from AED 200; WhatsApp the venue for same-day or next-day confirmation.
“The rejuv light machine for anti-aging and red light treatment of Skin III is absolutely awesome. Take it alongside oligoscan and SO check to determine what minerals are lacking in…”— Myra Garces Bacsal, via Google
WhatsApp Call View full profile
Deepest review base
First Medical Center - Muraqabat
Dubai Healthcare City · Dubai4.7 · 2,471 reviewsFrom AED 200
© Cherry via Google
Dubai Healthcare City-based mid-tier aesthetic clinic venue with 4.7★ on 2,471 Google reviews. Recurring threads in the review text: "medical center", "experience" and "professional gentle" — practical signals about what the visit consistently delivers. Treatments from AED 200; WhatsApp the venue for same-day or next-day confirmation.
“Great experience at First Medical Center! I just did a Hydra Facial and my skin feels so fresh, clean, and glowing. The staff was very professional and gentle throughout the treatm…”— Alka Shariq Anwar, via Google
WhatsApp Call View full profile

Questions readers ask about Regulatory guides like this

What's the difference between DHA, DOH and MOH in the UAE?

Three separate health regulators across the seven emirates. DHA (Dubai Health Authority) regulates Dubai. DOH (Department of Health Abu Dhabi) regulates Abu Dhabi. MOH (Ministry of Health and Prevention) regulates Sharjah and the northern emirates (Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah). SHA (Sharjah Health Authority) operates alongside MOH within Sharjah for certain establishments. Each regulator issues its own establishment licences for clinics, professional licences for doctors, and category endorsements (cosmetic vs medical vs dental). A DHA-licensed Dubai clinic cannot automatically operate in Abu Dhabi or Sharjah without re-registering through the local regulator. Each regulator's online portal lets you verify licence numbers in seconds.

How do I check if my UAE aesthetic clinic is properly licensed in 2 minutes?

Three checks. First, the clinic's establishment licence number should be visible at reception (UAE law requires this); take a photo. Second, paste the licence number into the appropriate online registry — DHA Sheryan for Dubai, DOH Tamm for Abu Dhabi, MOH e-services for the northern emirates — and the establishment should appear with its registered category. Third, verify the specific doctor about to perform your treatment by their full name (not just title) in the same registry's practitioner search. If any of the three lookups fail to surface the clinic or the doctor, walk away and report to the regulator's hotline. The Spalist editorial team performs all three checks at every clinic we list, every 90 days.

Can a DHA-licensed Dubai clinic operate in Abu Dhabi?

No — not without separately registering with the DOH. Each emirate's licensing is geographic and category-specific. A Dubai clinic chain expanding to Abu Dhabi must establish a separate DOH-licensed branch in Abu Dhabi, with separate inspection, separate insurance and separate practitioner licensing for the doctors who'll work there. Cross-emirate practice without local licensing is a regulatory violation. The practical implication for patients: a doctor you've seen at the Dubai branch may or may not be licensed to treat you at the Abu Dhabi branch; ask explicitly before booking if the doctor's name matters to you.

What UAE aesthetic treatments specifically require a medical licence (vs a regular spa licence)?

Any treatment that breaks the skin or uses an active medical device requires a medical-clinic licence, not a spa licence. The medical-licence list includes: Botox injections, dermal fillers, microneedling (anything past the most superficial depth), chemical peels (medium and deep), laser hair removal (medical-grade lasers, not the home-use IPL type), laser resurfacing, PDO threads, IV vitamin therapy, PRP (platelet-rich plasma) treatments, mesotherapy and any prescription-product application. The spa-licence list (no medical licence required): regular facials, massage, manicures, pedicures, body scrubs, sauna and steam. If your venue can't show the right licence category for the treatment you want, the treatment isn't legal at that establishment.

What if my UAE aesthetic clinic isn't licensed — should I report it?

Yes — and the reporting channels are straightforward. DHA Sheryan in Dubai accepts public complaints via their hotline (800 342) and online portal. DOH Tamm in Abu Dhabi has a similar complaint route. MOH e-services covers the northern emirates. The regulator investigates within a few weeks; venues found operating without proper licensing typically face shutdown and the operator faces fines. Your role as patient is just to file the complaint; the regulator does the investigation. The risk to you of using an unlicensed clinic: no medical insurance recourse if anything goes wrong, no documented chain of custody for the products used, and exposure to regulatory action if the venue is raided while you're there.

How often are UAE aesthetic clinic licences renewed?

Establishment licences are typically renewed annually with re-inspection by the regulator. Individual practitioner licences are typically renewed every 2 years (DHA) or 3 years (DOH) and require continuing medical education credits to renew. Both renewals can lapse if the clinic falls behind on insurance, inspections, or required reports. The practical implication for patients: a licence number that was valid 18 months ago may not be valid today; the online registry shows current status. Always check before a procedure rather than relying on a prior visit's verification. Spalist re-verifies every listed clinic's current licence status on a 90-day cycle and flags any lapses immediately.

Can patients sue or seek compensation from an unlicensed UAE clinic?

Yes, but the practical recovery is harder than with a licensed clinic. UAE consumer protection law (Federal Law No. 15 of 2020) covers medical and aesthetic services as goods provided to consumers, so basic civil claims apply. The added difficulty with unlicensed clinics: their medical insurance is either non-existent or worthless, the practitioner often disappears once a complaint is filed, and tracking down the operating entity to enforce a judgement can be difficult. Licensed clinics carry mandatory medical malpractice insurance that's claimable through the regulator's mediation process — typically faster, cheaper and more reliable than pursuing an unlicensed operator. Choose licensed even if the unlicensed option looks 30% cheaper.

What does a real UAE aesthetic clinic licence certificate look like?

Three things to look for. First, an emirate-specific letterhead (DHA, DOH, MOH or SHA) with the regulator's seal and a unique licence number. Second, an expiry date that's in the future (licences expire and need renewal). Third, the establishment's registered name and trade-licence number — both should match the visible signage at the clinic. The DHA's certificates include a QR code that takes you directly to the establishment's listing on Sheryan. The DOH's include similar online-verification fields. If the certificate at reception lacks a clear regulator seal, looks photocopied without authenticating marks, or has an expired date, treat it as a red flag and verify independently before treatment.

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Aesthetic Clinic near you — UAE guide

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