Dubai
DHA
هيئة الصحة بدبي
Dubai Health Authority licenses pharmacies via Sheryan, with controlled-drug storage and pharmacist-in-charge registration inspected together.
Investors · Facility Type
Open a Pharmacy in the UAE.
Retail pharmacy is one of the most accessible healthcare facility investments in the UAE — steady footfall, recurring revenue, and a licensing path built around drug-handling compliance rather than clinical infrastructure. We manage the DHA, DOH or MOH classification and every controlled-drug approval.
المستثمرون · نوع المنشأة
افتتح صيدلية في الإمارات.
الصيدلية من أكثر الاستثمارات الصحية سهولة في الوصول بالإمارات — حركة عملاء ثابتة وإيرادات متكررة، ومسار ترخيص يركّز على الامتثال في التعامل مع الأدوية أكثر من البنية السريرية. نتولى تصنيف الجهة المختصة وكافة موافقات الأدوية الخاضعة للرقابة.
2–5mo
Typical setup-to-license timeline
مدة زمنية من الإعداد حتى الترخيص
3
Licensing authorities — DHA, DOH, MOH
جهات ترخيص محتملة
AED 500K+
Typical setup investment (location-dependent)
استثمار الإعداد التقديري
1
Pharmacist-in-charge required on site at all times
صيدلي مسؤول حاضر طوال ساعات العمل
The facility type
What counts as a pharmacy — and who licenses it.
نوع المنشأة
ما الذي يُعد صيدلية — ومن يرخصه.
A pharmacy is a licensed retail or hospital-attached outlet authorized to dispense prescription and over-the-counter medication, store and handle controlled substances under strict tracking, and provide basic patient counseling. It is licensed as a healthcare facility distinct from a general retail trade license — drug handling, storage temperature control and a registered pharmacist in charge are all inspected before opening.
Depending on the emirate, your pharmacy is licensed by one of three regulators — each with its own drug-scheduling and storage standards:
الصيدلية منفذ تجزئة أو ملحق بمستشفى مرخص لصرف الأدوية بوصفة طبية وبدون وصفة، وتخزين والتعامل مع المواد الخاضعة للرقابة بتتبع صارم، وتقديم استشارات أساسية للمرضى. وتُرخّص كمنشأة صحية مستقلة عن الرخصة التجارية العامة — يُفتش التعامل مع الأدوية والتحكم بدرجة حرارة التخزين ووجود صيدلي مسجل قبل الافتتاح.
وبحسب الإمارة، تخضع صيدليتك لإحدى ثلاث جهات تنظيمية، لكل منها معاييرها الخاصة بجدولة الأدوية والتخزين:
Abu Dhabi
DOH
دائرة الصحة أبوظبي
Department of Health Abu Dhabi licenses pharmacies through Tamm, with Riayati integration required for prescription tracking.
Northern Emirates
MOH
وزارة الصحة
Ministry of Health and Prevention licenses pharmacies operating in Sharjah, Ajman, RAK, Fujairah and UAQ.
What to plan for
Cost, timeline & the approvals unique to pharmacies.
ما يجب التخطيط له
التكلفة، الجدول الزمني، والموافقات الخاصة بالصيدليات.
Setup cost range
From roughly AED 500K for a standard retail pharmacy in a secondary location, rising sharply with mall or hospital-adjacent premises and initial stock investment.
Timeline
Typically 2–5 months from site selection to opening day, with controlled-drug storage approval and pharmacist-in-charge registration the main variables.
MOH drug-handling approval
A dedicated approval covering storage, refrigeration and dispensing of controlled and scheduled drugs is required in addition to the general facility license.
Pharmacist-in-charge requirement
A named, licensed pharmacist must be present during all operating hours — the license can be suspended if the pharmacy runs without one.
Approvals specific to pharmacies
Beyond the standard facility license, pharmacies require: a dedicated drug-handling approval from the relevant authority covering controlled and scheduled substance storage and dispensing, individual licensing and registration of the pharmacist in charge and any assisting pharmacists, temperature-controlled storage sign-off for refrigerated medication, point-of-sale and prescription-tracking system integration, and Malaffi/NABIDH/Riayati connectivity for dispensing records tied to e-prescriptions.
موافقات خاصة بالصيدليات
بالإضافة إلى الترخيص الأساسي، تتطلب الصيدليات: موافقة مخصصة للتعامل مع الأدوية تغطي تخزين وصرف المواد الخاضعة للرقابة، ترخيص وتسجيل فردي للصيدلي المسؤول وأي صيادلة مساعدين، اعتماد التخزين المبرّد للأدوية، ربط نظام نقاط البيع وتتبع الوصفات، والربط مع ملفي/نبض/رعايتي.
Common questions
Pharmacy licensing, answered.
أسئلة شائعة
ترخيص الصيدلية، موضّح.
Does a pharmacy in the UAE need a licensed pharmacist on site at all times?
Yes — a UAE pharmacy license requires a named, licensed pharmacist in charge present during all operating hours, and the license can be suspended if the pharmacy operates without a licensed pharmacist on the floor.
Can a non-pharmacist investor own a pharmacy in the UAE?
In most emirates a non-pharmacist can hold commercial ownership through the DED trade license, provided a licensed pharmacist is registered as the pharmacist in charge responsible for all dispensing and controlled-drug handling.
How long does it take to license a pharmacy in the UAE?
Typically 2 to 5 months from site selection to opening day, with controlled-drug storage approval and the pharmacist-in-charge registration as the main variables affecting the timeline.
Investors · Pharmacy
Let's scope your pharmacy project.
لنحدد نطاق مشروع صيدليتك.
Tell us the emirate, target location and whether you already have a pharmacist in charge — we'll come back with a feasibility study and a realistic licensing timeline.