Dubai Healthcare City Company Setup 2026: DHCA and DHA Licensing, Costs, Visas and Clinics

Dubai Healthcare City company setup is the process of licensing a free zone company or branch with the Dubai Healthcare City Authority (DHCA), the governing body of the Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) free zone, established in 2002 and now governed by Dubai Law No. 16 of 2024, which replaced Law No. 9 of 2011. The DHCA issues commercial licences and permits; anything that counts as healthcare activity also needs licences from the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), because Article 20(b) of the 2024 law says no one may conduct healthcare activity in the DHCC “unless they have obtained the relevant licences and permits from the DHA”. The DHCC free zone has two parts: Phase 1 in Oud Metha, about 4.1 million sq ft dedicated to healthcare and medical education, and Phase 2 in Al Jaddaf on Dubai Creek, more than 19 million sq ft focused on wellness.

The DHCC free zone is known for hospitals, specialty clinics, laboratories, pharmacies and medical education, but its licence list also covers consultancy, IT, retail, hospitality, wellness and regional headquarters. DHCA reported 487 active facilities and a workforce of 12,941 on 9 February 2026. For context on the wider market, see our guides to free zones in the UAE and the Dubai free zones list; if you want one team to run the file, that is our business setup in Dubai service.

This Dubai Healthcare City company setup guide is built from the 2024 law on the Dubai Legislation Portal, DHCA’s September 2026 price list, Rule No. 1 of 2025, the DHCA visa policy and Zawel guideline, and DHCA service pages, all read on 26 September 2026.

DHCC free zone at a glance

What the Dubai Healthcare City free zone is known for

DHCC calls itself “the world’s first enabling healthcare and wellness free zone ecosystem”. Its home page lists ten hospitals, 168 clinical facilities and 4,425 healthcare professionals (a paragraph on the same page still says “five hospitals”, so treat counts as indicative). The February 2026 update reported 487 active facilities, a 30% rise in the workforce to 12,941, a 27% increase in partners expanding, and 58% of Phase 2 projects committed, worth AED 5.4 billion. In October 2025 DHCA announced an AED 1.3 billion Phase 1 plan, including a LEED platinum office building and a purpose-built medical complex, with construction running from December 2025 to November 2027.

What makes the Dubai Healthcare City free zone different from other Dubai zones is the healthcare cluster itself: clinics and hospitals sit next to labs, pharmacies, medical education, insurers and suppliers, and patients arrive by Dubai Metro (DHCC station). DHCC also licenses much more than clinics: Rule No. 1 of 2025 groups activities into ten clusters, from healthcare and education to retail, business support, regional headquarters and property services.

DHCC vs rival locations for healthcare businesses

• Dubai Science Park suits life sciences, pharma offices and labs that want a science-focused community; healthcare activity there also needs DHA approval.
• DAFZA suits pharma and medical-device trading with airport logistics and designated-zone treatment for goods.
• Sharjah Healthcare City is the healthcare free zone option in Sharjah, with its own authority and rules.
• A mainland clinic licensed by DET with a DHA facility licence can operate anywhere in Dubai; compare with our mainland company formation guide.

Two regulators: what the DHCA licenses and what the DHA licenses

This is the single most important point in any Dubai Healthcare City company setup, and it changed in 2024. Before then, the DHCC Regulatory arm (DHCR) licensed healthcare professionals and facilities inside the DHCC free zone; DHCA’s own 2020 Zawel guideline still describes DHCR as overseeing “the licensing of all healthcare professionals”. Dubai Law No. 16 of 2024 moved healthcare licensing to the DHA:

• Article 20(a): no one may conduct “any commercial activity within the DHCC unless they have obtained the relevant licences and permits from the DHCA”.
• Article 20(b): healthcare activity needs licences and permits “from the DHA, in addition to any other permits or approvals to be issued by the DHCA”.
• Article 22: establishment, registration, accreditation and supervision of DHCC establishments are subject to “the legislation regulating the Health Sector as applicable to the DHA”, and to DHCA’s own rules.

DHCC’s website now says it plainly: “All healthcare regulations in the Dubai Healthcare City free zone is managed by Dubai Health Authority”, and the same for “All healthcare professional licensing”. Rule No. 1 of 2025 (effective 2 May 2025) adds that clinical, educational and research facilities must obtain the relevant government permits, including prior DHA approval for specified segments, before the DHCA issues the licence.

Legal forms in the DHCC free zone

Rule No. 1 of 2025, section 5, allows three legal structures, and the 2024 law (Art. 21) lets DHCC establishments be owned by “one or more natural or legal persons, whether or not they are UAE Nationals”. Public joint stock companies are excluded.

In the DHCC free zone a branch can later be converted into an FZ-LLC (AED 3,500 on the price list), and companies can migrate into the DHCC free zone by continuation (AED 5,000). The DHCC Company Regulation requires shareholders to appoint an auditor at each annual general meeting, and the auditor must be registered with the Ministry of Economy. DHCA’s published pages do not state a fixed minimum share capital; the Zawel guideline says capital is deposited as per the board resolution, and that DHCA “has rights to waive share capital deposit requirement”. Confirm the figure for your segment at provisional approval.

DHCC licence types, clusters and activities in the Dubai Healthcare City free zone

Licensing in the DHCC free zone follows a three-tier structure: clusters, segments and activities (Rule No. 1 of 2025). The ten clusters are healthcare, education, research, wellness, hospitality, retail, business support, service provider (support services), regional headquarters and property services. The price list adds a key limit: “Each licensee is permitted to carry out one primary activity under their license”. Extra activities cost AED 1,000 within the same segment or AED 15,000 from a new segment.

Commercial licence, Zawel and commercial permits

• Commercial licence: valid one year and renewed annually; the standard DHCC licence for clinical and non-clinical activity.
• Zawel commercial licence: “Your Instant Commercial License”. No lease or Ejari in year one (mandatory at renewal); a DHCC visa quota of two; FZ-LLC with individual shareholders only; activities that need no external approval, in segments such as advertising, IT, marketing and PR, consultancy and technical services, medical tourism, research and development, gaming, telecom services, HR and recruitment and Web3 services. DHCC advertises “a subsidized package of AED 16,550” for a limited time, excluding visa and immigration charges; standard fees and leasing apply from year two.
• Commercial permits: issued instead of a licence for set periods, such as event kiosks, food trucks, tents and vending machines, and a “Permit to Operate with DED License within DHCC” at AED 15,000 a year for mainland companies.
• Dubai SME route: Rule No. 1 of 2025 refers to the Dubai SME programme for UAE nationals; the price list shows no initial or registration fee for SME applications and an annual licence of AED 1,000 for the first three years and AED 2,000 in years four and five.

Clinical versus commercial activity

Clinical licences (hospitals, outpatient clinics, day surgery, dialysis, labs, pharmacies, home healthcare, telehealth and more) need a business plan, DHA approval and space that meets DHA facility standards. Non-clinical commercial licences (healthcare management consultancy, medical billing, medical equipment trading, IT, marketing, F&B, retail) go through the DHCA alone unless the activity needs another authority’s approval. The DHCA publishes separate guides for clinical applicants, including a “Guideline to prepare Business Plan for DHCC Clinical Facilities” and a “Clinical Program Guide”.

DHCC licence cost: the official fee lines

DHCC licence cost is easier to check than in most zones, because nothing here is sold as a bundle except the Zawel offer.

The DHCA publishes a full Service Price List. The version we used is “effective date: 01st September 2026”. Fees are in AED, non-refundable, paid through the Masaar e-wallet, and “subject to periodic review and change without prior notice”. Government fees such as the Knowledge and Innovation Dirham are added on top.

What the DHCC licence cost means for year one. A standard non-clinical FZ-LLC pays AED 1,550 + 3,500 + 15,000 = AED 20,050 in DHCA licensing fees before rent, the establishment card and visas. A single-specialty clinic pays the same AED 20,050 to the DHCA, plus DHA facility and professional licensing fees, fit-out and rent. A hospital under 50 beds starts at AED 30,050 in DHCA fees. From year two, most licensees renew at the annual segment fee.

Dubai Healthcare City company setup process, step by step

DHCA calls it “the three-step registration” on the Masaar system. The service card breaks it into more detail. Here is the full route with the published clocks, including the DHA track for clinical facilities.

1. Sign up as an investor on Masaar and submit the initial application with the activity, legal form, shareholders, manager and, for clinical activity, a business plan. Pay the AED 1,550 initial application fee.
2. Provisional approval. DHCA issues a Provisional Approval Letter (PAL). The service card gives “Initial Approval: 3-10 Working Days”, depending on the activities and DHCA requirements.
3. Space. The standard licence needs a lease reservation, lease agreement, purchase agreement or title deed. Zawel skips this in year one.
4. DHA approval (clinical only). Apply to the DHA for the facility licence; DHA’s Sheryan “New Facility License” service lists an average of 5 working days and issues an inactive facility licence, which is activated later through DHA’s separate activation service. Professionals apply to the DHA separately.
5. Commercial licence application and payment. Submit the legal documents, pay the registration fee (AED 3,500) and licence fee, deposit capital if required and sign the memorandum and articles.
6. Personnel Sponsorship Agreement and licence. Sign the PSA, then collect the commercial licence (the Zawel guideline says “Immediate” once signed).
7. Establishment card and DHCC visa files through DHCA Government Services; each DHCC visa needs the card first.
8. Bank, tax, UBO and, for clinics, DHA activation, inspection and professional licences before patients are seen.

A non-clinical Zawel licence can be issued within days once documents are ready. A standard non-clinical licence with a lease typically takes two to four weeks on these clocks. A clinic takes months, because fit-out, DHA inspection and each clinician’s licence are on the critical path.

Documents required for DHCC company setup

From the DHCA “Apply for New Commercial License” service card, as applicable:

FZ-LLC

• Business plan (clinical activity only) and a resolution for incorporation.
• Director, manager and legal representative: passport copies (with residence or visit visa page if in the UAE), Emirates ID if resident (optional), and an NOC from the manager’s current UAE sponsor if applicable.
• Individual shareholders: passport copies and Emirates ID if resident.
• Foreign corporate shareholders: certificate of incorporation, memorandum and articles, certificate of good standing or continuity, and UBO details.
• UAE corporate shareholders: trade licence, memorandum and articles, commercial register and UBO details.

Branch

• Business plan (clinical only), resolution to establish the branch, manager’s passport and NOC, and the parent’s incorporation documents or UAE trade licence, memorandum and articles, good standing and UBO details.

The Zawel guideline adds that for corporate shareholders “notarization by the Notary Public and legalization by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Embassy in the country in which the shareholder is incorporated will be required”, that documents must be in English or Arabic or come with a certified translation, and that DHCA may ask for further embassy attestation. Our document attestation service handles the legalisation chain.

Office, clinic and land options in the DHCC free zone

DHCC offers leasing, freehold land purchase and joint ventures across both phases. The Business Options page lists these approximate unit sizes:

The DHCR Employment and Visa Policy (PP/VP/001/03) says eligibility is “based on Leased Area and other activity related factor”. It also allows extra visas for shift operations, up to 100% more with approval, and a further 20% above eligibility on specific approval. It warns that owning freehold property in DHCC “does not entitle the owner to obtain any type of visa” without a commercial licence. The policy is dated October 2020 with a 2023 review date, so confirm the ratios at application.

DHCC visa and residency in the Dubai Healthcare City free zone

“All visa services shall be processed through DHCA only,” says the price list. The DHCA Government Services Office handles establishment cards, employee residence visas, family visas, visit and medical visas, student visas, non-sponsored ID and access cards and Golden Visa packages, working with GDRFA Dubai and ICP.

Establishment card and Personnel Sponsorship Agreement

A Personnel Sponsorship (or Secondment) Agreement must be signed before any visa service. A new establishment card costs AED 1,935 (AED 2,065 express) and renews at AED 1,733. Our establishment card guide explains how it works.

Employee DHCC visa

The employee DHCC visa is sold as a package covering entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID and stamping. For a two-year visa: AED 3,226.73 if the employee is outside the UAE, AED 4,947.63 if inside (status change), and AED 2,678.76 to renew, with a AED 2,500 bank guarantee deposit per employee. One-year packages are also listed. The price list does not publish processing times. For the medical and Emirates ID steps see our medical fitness test and Emirates ID pages.

Shareholders and investors

The visa policy says a shareholder who takes a visa “will be considered as an employee of the company”, and that DHCA may issue shareholder visas “as an investor/partner with specific approval from ROC”. Plan on the employee route unless the Registrar approves the investor category.

Healthcare professionals

A doctor, nurse or allied health professional needs two things: a DHA professional licence and a DHCC visa or employee card. Non-sponsored ID cards cover UAE and GCC nationals and people sponsored by a parent or spouse; non-sponsored access cards cover branch staff sponsored by the parent, employees of other companies with an NOC, and Golden Visa holders. DHCC’s setup page notes that specialists “in the medical, scientific, research and technical fields can apply for 10-year residency visas”; the DHCA’s employee Golden Visa package costs AED 8,110 (AED 8,687 express). See our Golden Visa service.

Family visas

For a DHCC visa for a spouse or child, DHCA publishes family packages, for example a new two-year spouse visa at AED 2,296.50 from outside the UAE or AED 3,755 inside, and a two-year child visa at AED 1,726.50 from outside. Federal salary and document rules still apply. For the free zone versus mainland comparison see free zone vs mainland visas, and for visa handling our free zone visa services.

Employment rules in Dubai Healthcare City

Unlike the DIFC, the Dubai Healthcare City free zone does not have its own employment law. The DHCA visa policy refers to the “UAE federal Labor Law”, employment contracts must be given to the employee and the Authority, and DHCA offers employment contract attestation (AED 100) and a labour disputes management procedure. DHCA staff themselves are covered by HR regulations issued by the Chairman (Law No. 16 of 2024, Art. 11), which do not apply to companies in the zone.

Bank account for a company in the DHCC free zone

Banks ask for the commercial licence, memorandum and articles, share register, UBO details, passports, the lease, a business plan and source of funds. The Zawel guideline says DHCA issues an attested board resolution to help open the corporate account. Clinics should expect questions about DHA licensing status and payer contracts. See our corporate bank account guide.

Tax for companies in the Dubai Healthcare City free zone

Corporate tax. Law No. 16 of 2024 (Art. 15) promises a zero tax rate for 50 years “without prejudice to the federal tax legislation in force”, which means federal corporate tax still applies. A DHCC company can be a Qualifying Free Zone Person if it meets Cabinet Decision No. 100 of 2023 and earns qualifying income under Ministerial Decision No. 229 of 2025. Medical services to patients are generally not on the qualifying list, so most clinics should plan on 9% of taxable income above AED 375,000; Small Business Relief is not available to a Qualifying Free Zone Person. Register with the FTA on time (AED 10,000 penalty if late); see our corporate tax registration guide.

VAT. The Dubai Healthcare City free zone is not a designated zone under Cabinet Decision No. 59 of 2017, so VAT works as on the mainland. Many preventive and basic healthcare services and some medicines and equipment are zero-rated under the VAT law, while elective and cosmetic services are standard-rated; take VAT advice for your service mix.

Beneficial ownership. DHCA lists Cabinet Decision No. 109 of 2023 and Cabinet Resolution No. 132 of 2023 among its rules and offers an “Update Ultimate Beneficiary Owner” service. As a non-financial free zone, the federal UBO rules apply: file within 60 days and report changes within 15 days. See our UBO register guide.

Working with the Dubai mainland from the DHCC free zone

DHCC’s partner page mentions “the ability to operate within Dubai mainland and open branches in other free zones”. The legal route is Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025, which DHCA lists among its rules: DET can license a branch in Dubai, a branch operating out of the free zone (AED 10,000 a year) or a six-month permit for specific activities (the Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit, AED 5,000), each with the free zone’s approval. Healthcare activity on the mainland still needs its own DHA facility licence. In the other direction, a mainland company can operate inside DHCC with DHCA’s “Permit to Operate with DED License within DHCC” at AED 15,000 a year.

DHCC licence renewal, DHCC visa renewals and ongoing compliance

DHCC free zone pros and cons

Who Dubai Healthcare City company setup suits

• Clinics, day surgery centres, hospitals, labs and pharmacies that want to be inside a healthcare cluster.
• International healthcare groups and universities setting up a branch or regional office.
• Healthcare consultancies, medical billing, medical tourism facilitators and health-tech firms that want DHCC’s address and network.
• Investors in the Dubai Healthcare City free zone looking at leased units, freehold plots or joint ventures in Phase 1 or Phase 2.

Who should look elsewhere

• General traders and solo consultants with no healthcare link: a cheaper flexi-desk zone or DMCC may fit better.
• Pharma and device distributors that need warehousing and designated-zone VAT treatment: compare DAFZA.
• Life-science R&D and lab-based companies: compare Dubai Science Park.

Dubai Healthcare City company setup: worked cases

These cases are built from the situations we see most often. Names and identifying details are left out, and the figures are the published ones.

Case 1: a single-specialty outpatient clinic

Two doctors want a dermatology clinic in Phase 1. Route: FZ-LLC with a clinical unit (1,500 sq ft upwards), a business plan, DHA facility approval and a DHA licence for each clinician. DHCA fees: AED 1,550 + 3,500 + 15,000 = AED 20,050, plus the establishment card (AED 1,935), visas and DHA fees. At 1 visa per 80 sq ft, a 1,600 sq ft unit supports about 20 visas. The critical path is fit-out and DHA inspection, not the commercial licence.

Case 2: a healthcare consultancy on Zawel

A consultant who advises hospitals on quality wants a DHCC address fast. She holds the shares personally and the activity needs no outside approval, so Zawel fits: no lease in year one, two DHCC visa slots in the DHCC free zone, and the limited-time AED 16,550 package if it still applies. In year two she needs a DHCC lease and Ejari, and the standard segment fee applies. If she wanted to add a clinic later, that would be a separate clinical licence with DHA approval.

Case 3: a foreign hospital group opening a branch

A European group wants a DHCC outpatient branch. Its documents need notarisation and UAE embassy legalisation; the branch has no separate legal personality, and the parent stands behind it. Branch and FZ-LLC pay the same DHCA fees. Later, if it wants a local subsidiary, the price list shows “Conversion from Branch to FZ LLC” at AED 3,500.

Case 4: a mainland pharmacy chain adding a DHCC outlet

A DET-licensed pharmacy group wants a community pharmacy in DHCC. It can register a branch of a UAE company in the zone (community pharmacy licence AED 15,000 a year) and needs DHA licensing for the pharmacy and pharmacists. For a short-term stand at an event it could instead use a commercial permit.

Case 5: a doctor moving from another emirate

A specialist joining a hospital in the DHCC free zone already holds a professional licence from another UAE regulator. She still needs a DHA licence for Dubai and a DHCC visa or card from her new employer. If she holds a Golden Visa, the hospital applies for a non-sponsored access card rather than a new visa.

What circulates online about the DHCC free zone that is not true

How to verify every figure in this guide

Dubai Healthcare City company setup: how MIRDXB PRO helps

We are an independent PRO and business-setup consultancy in Al Barsha 1, Dubai, and an Amer and Tasheel partner. We are not the DHCA, DHCR or DHA, and DHCC does not list us as a partner. We plan the route, separate official fees from ours in writing, and do the document and government-service work around a DHCC file. It is part of our free zone company setup support.

What we do

• Route check: DHCC standard licence, Zawel, a branch, a mainland DHA clinic or another zone; which cluster and segment.
• Document pack: resolutions, notarisation and legalisation, translations, passports, NOCs and UBO details as DHCA lists them.
• Masaar support: we prepare the application information and track provisional approval and licence issue.
• Government services: establishment card, DHCC visas, family and Golden Visa files, medical and Emirates ID coordination.
• After the licence: bank pack, corporate tax registration, UBO filing and a renewal calendar.

How it works

1. WhatsApp us with the activity, owners, whether it is clinical, and your space plans.
2. We send a written plan with the DHCA and DHA steps, documents, published fees, costs we cannot publish (rent, fit-out, DHA fees) and our fee.
3. You approve; we prepare the file and coordinate with your clinical consultant or lawyer where needed.
4. We finish the chain: licence, card, visas, bank, tax and UBO.

What it costs

DHCA, DHA and government fees are paid at cost against official receipts. Our fee depends on the licence type, owners and visas and is quoted in writing before we start; see our fees page.

Why founders use us

• We publish our sources and show conflicts, such as the SME and Zawel pricing.
• We tell you when DHCC is not the answer.
• We cover the whole chain from documents to visas, bank and tax.
• We are easy to reach: Al Barsha 1, Monday to Thursday and Saturday 09:00 to 18:00, Friday 09:00 to 12:00.

What we will and will not do

We will check your route and cluster before you pay, prepare the documents the DHCA asks for, handle establishment card and visa files, coordinate the DHA track with your clinical team, and separate official fees from ours in writing.

We will not give medical, legal or tax advice, write clinical programmes or DHA facility designs, apply for a professional licence in your name without you, act as nominee shareholder or manager, or promise a licence, DHA approval, visa or timeline that the DHCA, DHA or GDRFA decides.

Related guides

• Free zones in the UAE
• Dubai free zones list
• Dubai Science Park company setup
• Sharjah Healthcare City free zone
• DIFC company setup
• Free zone vs mainland visas
• Corporate bank account in the UAE
• Corporate tax registration
• UBO register in the UAE

Establishment cards, visas, attestation and government filings for free zone and mainland companies are what our PRO services in Dubai team handles every day.