DOH /HAAD exam registration steps and complete process cost 2026
DOH Process and Cost Quick Summary
The DOH (HAAD) Abu Dhabi licence has four paid stages: the TAMM application (AED 100), DataFlow verification (AED 1,260 for GPs and dentists, AED 1,680 for specialists and consultants, AED 990 for other categories), the exam (about AED 500 to 590 for a CBT, AED 50 to 100 for an oral) and the licence fee (AED 3,250 for a 2-year physician or dentist licence). For a GP that comes to roughly AED 5,300 before malpractice insurance, using the fees in the DOH Licensing Procedure Manual.
The DOH (Department of Health) Abu Dhabi, formerly HAAD, licenses physicians, dentists, nurses and midwives, pharmacists and allied health professionals. The steps are the same for everyone. The cost is not, because DOH charges by category and title. This page puts each step next to what it costs, so you can budget before you start.
All amounts below come from the DOH Licensing Procedure Manual (LPM 01, issued with Circular 151/2024). DOH can change fees at any time, and the amount TAMM or DataFlow shows at payment is the one that applies. Pearson VUE's own DOH page confirms that exam payments start in TAMM, not on a separate Pearson price list.
DOH exam registration steps at a glance
The full walkthrough with every time frame is in our DOH exam registration guide. This page stays with the money.
How to start your DOH application with TAMM?
Everything starts in TAMM, Abu Dhabi's government services portal. You sign in with UAE PASS, your UIN is generated straight away, and you open a new healthcare professional licence application. Creating the account and UIN costs nothing. The first payment is the AED 100 application fee, paid when you submit the application.
Have your documents scanned in colour before you begin. Most delays at this stage are not about money but about a blurred stamp or an experience letter without exact dates, which then holds up verification too.
What is Dataflow PSV process and cost?
Primary source verification (PSV) means DataFlow contacts your university, hospitals and medical council and asks them to confirm each document. The DOH manual lists 24 working days for this step. In practice it often takes longer, because it depends on how fast your institutions reply. The package fee depends on your category:
| Category | PSV package fee |
|---|---|
| Specialists and Consultants | AED 1,680 |
| General Practitioners and General Dentists | AED 1,260 |
| Other categories (nursing and midwifery, pharmacy, allied health and others) | AED 990 |
| Extra documents added after submission, re-verification | Extra charge, shown on the DataFlow portal |
| Existing DHA or MOHAP report re-issued to DOH | Transfer fee, shown on the DataFlow portal |
If you already hold a positive DataFlow report for DHA or MOHAP, do not pay for a new package. DOH only accepts reports addressed to DOH, so you ask DataFlow to re-issue (transfer) the existing report instead. Read how to transfer a DataFlow report to DOH. If you paid by mistake, check the DOH application and DataFlow refund rules quickly, as the windows are short.
What are other charges for DOH exam?
The exam is paid in two parts for each attempt. First a booking fee in TAMM (AED 100 for physicians, dentists and pharmacists, AED 50 for other categories). Then a scheduling fee when you choose your slot through the Pearson VUE link (AED 450, 470 or 490 depending on the exam). The DOH manual gives these totals per title:
| Title | Exam type | Exam fee per attempt |
|---|---|---|
| General Practitioner | CBT, 120 MCQs, 2.5 hours | AED 570 |
| Specialist or Consultant physician | CBT (100 MCQs, 2 hours) or oral, by specialty | CBT AED 550; oral AED 100 |
| General Dentist | CBT, 150 MCQs, 3 hours | AED 590 |
| Specialist or Consultant dentist | CBT or oral, by specialty | CBT AED 550; oral AED 100 |
| Registered Nurse | CBT | AED 540 |
| Assistant Nurse, School Nurse, Registered Midwife | CBT | AED 500 |
| Pharmacist | CBT | AED 550 |
| Most allied health titles | CBT | AED 500 |
| Nursing and allied titles assessed by oral | Oral | AED 50 |
Doctors sit either the CBT or the DOH oral exam depending on their title, never both, so you pay one exam fee per attempt. If you fail, the next attempt is paid again in full. You can rebook within the same 6-month window without waiting; the limits are on our DOH exam retake policy page. Titles that DOH exempts from the exam pay no exam fee at all; see the DOH exam exemption criteria.
Two rules save money. A CBT can be moved through TAMM up to 72 hours before the appointment at no extra cost, and cancelled with a refund of the booking fee if you are 72 hours or more ahead. A no show does not count as an attempt, but the fee is lost. More on rescheduling the DOH Pearson VUE exam.
How much is the DOH licence fee?
The licence fee is the largest single payment. For physicians and dentists, the DOH manual lists AED 2,500 for a 1-year licence and AED 3,250 for a 2-year licence, and adds AED 100 as an additional application fee. Nurses, midwives, pharmacists and allied professionals pay much lower licence fees; TAMM shows the amount for your title. The manual also notes that malpractice insurance fees may apply; that cost depends on the insurer and your title, and DOH does not fix a price.
Who pays? It depends on your contract. Many Abu Dhabi employers pay the licence fee and arrange malpractice cover, visa and medical fitness, but this is not a rule. Ask before you sign. Our page on finding a job after the DOH exam explains how the facility link works.
What is the total DOH process cost in 2026?
Adding up the official fees for a first-attempt pass with a 2-year licence (malpractice insurance, document attestation, travel and visa costs not included):
| Stage | GP | Specialist (CBT) | Specialist (oral) | General Dentist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAMM application | AED 100 | AED 100 | AED 100 | AED 100 |
| DataFlow PSV | AED 1,260 | AED 1,680 | AED 1,680 | AED 1,260 |
| Exam (one attempt) | AED 570 | AED 550 | AED 100 | AED 590 |
| Licence (2 years) and additional fee | AED 3,350 | AED 3,350 | AED 3,350 | AED 3,350 |
| Approximate total | AED 5,280 | AED 5,680 | AED 5,230 | AED 5,280 |
What you pay yourself before a job offer is much smaller: the application, DataFlow and exam come to about AED 1,930 for a GP. The licence fee falls due only after a facility links you, and that is often the employer's cost. Budget for at least one extra exam attempt if you are short of preparation time, because that is where most candidates spend more than they planned.
Where can the cost change?
Eligibility rules for each title are on our pages for doctors and dentists. Dentists can prepare with the DOH General Dentist Qbank, and internists sitting the specialist CBT with the DOH Internal Medicine Qbank.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the DOH exam cost in 2026?
The exam fee per attempt is AED 570 for a GP, AED 550 for a specialist or consultant CBT, AED 100 for a doctor's oral exam and AED 590 for a general dentist, according to the DOH Licensing Procedure Manual. Nurses and allied titles pay AED 500 to 550 for a CBT and AED 50 for an oral. The fee is paid in two parts: a booking fee in TAMM and a scheduling fee through the Pearson VUE link.
What is the total cost of a DOH licence for a GP?
About AED 5,280 using the official fees: AED 100 application, AED 1,260 DataFlow, AED 570 exam and AED 3,350 for a 2-year licence with the additional fee. Malpractice insurance, attestation and travel are extra. The licence fee is often paid by the employer.
Is the DOH exam fee paid in US dollars to Pearson VUE?
DOH lists its exam fees in UAE dirhams. You pay the booking fee in TAMM first, and the Pearson VUE scheduling link appears only after that payment. Use a card that allows international online payments, as declined cards are a common booking problem.
Do I pay again if I fail the DOH exam?
Yes. The booking and scheduling fees are paid for every attempt. You can book the next attempt straight away within your 6-month approval window, and the application, DataFlow and licence fees are not repeated within the same application.
Can I save the DataFlow fee if I already did DataFlow for DHA or MOHAP?
Usually yes. DOH accepts only reports addressed to DOH, so instead of a new package you ask DataFlow to re-issue your existing report to DOH and pay its transfer fee. You can add new documents at that stage if anything has changed.
For the full list of DOH QBanks by specialty, see the DOH exam hub.
Paid for the exam? Pass it the first time
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