Dubai DHA â Physiotherapy Licensing
Dubai Health Authority â Physiotherapist Registration & Assessment Guide
Physiotherapists seeking to practice in Dubai must meet the UAE Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR) and complete the DHA Sheryan registration and licensing pathway, including eligibility review, Primary Source Verification (DataFlow), a CBT assessment through Prometric if required, DHA registration, and license activation by a hiring facility.
Assessment: Computer-Based Testing (CBT) through Prometric if required for the applied position; an oral assessment may also be required in applicable cases.
Question Count: DHA directs candidates to its live 'Mode of Exam per Specialty' and CBT Assessment Guideline for the current number of questions.
Duration: Check the current DHA specialty-specific assessment information before booking.
Passing Score: Check the current DHA specialty-specific CBT information; do not rely on an unofficial universal PT cut score.
Attempts: Maximum of 3 assessment attempts for each position across the UAE health authorities.
Exam Exemption: Physiotherapist exemption criteria exist under the Unified PQR. Qualifying licenses/good-standing credentials and recognized examination equivalency may exempt an applicant from the licensure examination.
ð DHA PT EXAM ESSENTIAL: CBT BY PROMETRIC IF REQUIRED âĒ UP TO 3 ATTEMPTS âĒ EXEMPTION MAY APPLY
PAY ATTENTION: The Unified PQR includes licensure-exam exemption criteria specifically for Physiotherapists. Applicants with qualifying licenses and Good Standing Certificates from listed jurisdictions may qualify when the stated conditions are met. A valid pass record for the U.S. National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) is also listed as a recognized examination-equivalency route. DHA makes the final eligibility determination under the current rules.
- Physiotherapy qualification and title eligibility under the Unified PQR
- Required professional experience, where applicable
- Professional registration/license and Good Standing Certificate where required
- Primary Source Verification (PSV) of applicable qualification, experience, and registration documents
- CBT assessment result if required
- Any applicable examination-exemption criteria
ð§ Smart Prepster PT Study Focus
DHA's public licensing pages direct candidates to the specialty-specific assessment information rather than publishing one static PT percentage-weighted blueprint. The areas below are Smart Prepster preparation recommendations for a Dubai PT candidate, not official DHA percentage weightings.
Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
Orthopedic assessment, clinical reasoning, treatment selection, exercise progression, and rehabilitation.
Neurological Rehabilitation
Neurological assessment, gait, balance, motor control, functional rehabilitation, and safety.
Cardiopulmonary PT
Assessment, monitoring, exercise tolerance, rehabilitation, precautions, and patient safety.
Therapeutic Exercise
Exercise prescription, progression, mobility, strength, endurance, flexibility, and functional training.
Physical Agents & Modalities
Indications, contraindications, precautions, dosage principles, and safe clinical selection.
Anatomy, Physiology & Biomechanics
Functional anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, movement analysis, and biomechanics.
Special Populations
Pediatrics, geriatrics, women's health, and population-specific assessment and precautions.
Clinical Reasoning & Differential Diagnosis
Red flags, referral, contraindications, patient safety, and treatment modification.
Professional Practice
Ethics, consent, communication, documentation, scope of practice, and patient-centered care.
âïļ Steps to Become Licensed as a Physiotherapist in Dubai
Complete the DHA Self-Assessment Tool
Use Sheryan to check whether your education and professional background appear to meet the Unified PQR.
Complete Primary Source Verification (DataFlow)
Submit qualification, experience, and professional registration documents for PSV and obtain the verification result.
Complete the DHA CBT Assessment â If Required
Generate the DHA CBT eligibility ID and complete the CBT through Prometric. DHA allows DataFlow verification and CBT assessment to be completed in parallel.
Apply for DHA Registration
After completing required verification and any applicable CBT assessment, submit the Get Registered application through Sheryan.
Complete Oral Assessment â If Required
If DHA requires an oral assessment for the applicable position, schedule and complete it as directed.
Receive DHA Registration
DHA registration places the professional in the Dubai Medical Registry. Registration is not yet the final license to practice.
Join a DHA-Licensed Healthcare Facility
The professional must join a DHA-licensed healthcare facility, which then activates the professional license.
Employer Activates the Professional License
The hiring facility activates the professional's DHA registration into a license. The physiotherapist may practice once the license is issued.
ð LICENSING CHECKPOINT: Self-Assessment â DataFlow â CBT by Prometric (if required) â DHA Registration â Oral Assessment (if required) â Employer License Activation â Practice
- 1Confirm first whether you actually need the DHA assessment or qualify for an exemption.
- 2Use clinical scenario questions rather than relying only on recall-based PT questions.
- 3Give strong attention to patient safety, contraindications, red flags, differential diagnosis, and referral decisions.
- 4Practice across all major PT domains instead of focusing only on musculoskeletal rehabilitation.
- 5Before booking, verify the current DHA PT exam mode, number of questions, duration, passing requirement, content, and references.
- DHA Sheryan Self-Assessment Tool
- DHA Get Registered service
- DHA Mode of Exam per Specialty
- DHA CBT Assessment Guideline / Prometric eligibility process
- Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR)
- DHA Activate Professional License service
DHA assessment requirements can vary based on the professional position, candidate eligibility, and applicable exam exemptions. Before scheduling your assessment, always verify the latest exam format, number of questions, duration, passing requirements, and exemption criteria through the official DHA Sheryan guidance.