The DHA telehealth standards that apply in Dubai today are the Standards for Telehealth Services, version 4, issued on 26 September 2025 and effective 26 November 2025. For a development team, they boil down to a platform that is approved by DHA before launch, hosted on a DESC-certified cloud in the UAE, certified to ISO 27001 and HIPAA, integrated with NABIDH, available in Arabic and English, and built around consent and full documentation of every encounter.
Quick answer
- Only a DHA-licensed facility can deliver telehealth. A platform licence is technology only.
- Platforms need DHA approval before launch and must report changes to core functions.
- Health data stays in the UAE, on a Tier 3 data centre with a DESC-certified cloud provider.
- Facilities must get telehealth accreditation within 24 months of licensing or renewal.
- For cross emirate telemedicine, the patient’s location decides which regulator’s rules apply.
This article is a technical summary, not legal advice. Confirm your case with DHA, DOH or a qualified UAE healthcare lawyer.
Who regulates telehealth in the UAE
Three regulators share the country. The Dubai Health Authority covers Dubai. The Department of Health covers Abu Dhabi. The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) sets the federal baseline and directly regulates the Northern Emirates. A 2026 legal overview notes that the federal rule prevails where federal and emirate rules conflict.
The federal layer comes from Federal Law No. 2 of 2019 on ICT in health fields and Cabinet Resolution No. 40 of 2019, which added telehealth rules to the medical liability regulations.
The DHA telehealth license: which category you need
Section 7 of the DHA standard lists four telehealth license categories:
- Standalone telehealth centre
- Telehealth added to an existing DHA-licensed facility (including school clinics and booths)
- Added booth
- Telehealth platform
The platform category is often misunderstood. Section 7.8 says a platform licence only covers a DHA-approved technology tool that connects licensed facilities to patients. A platform may not deliver clinical services, may not act as a healthcare provider, and may not recruit healthcare professionals to deliver care through it. If you want to run a virtual clinic, you need a facility licence. If you only sell software, the platform route applies.
Accreditation is also new in version 4. Section 5.2 requires accreditation for all telehealth services, facilities and platforms alike, within a 24-month grace period from initial licensing or renewal. Named accrediting bodies include QAI, EIAC, JCI, URAC and NCQA.
The platform checklist from DHA version 4
Section 7.6 lists what a telehealth platform must have. We have turned it into a checklist your engineering and compliance teams can share.
| Requirement | Section | What it means for the build |
|---|---|---|
| DHA approval before launch | 7.6.2 | Budget time for assessment before go-live |
| Legal representation in Dubai | 7.6.3 | A trade-licensed local entity |
| Business Technical Director | 7.6.4 | A named technical owner |
| Support with escalation matrix | 7.6.5 | Defined response and resolution times |
| TDRA-approved communication channels | 7.6.6 | Check your video and messaging stack |
| Tier 3 certified data centres | 7.6.7a | Applies to production and backups |
| DESC-certified cloud provider in the UAE | 7.6.7b | Pick a UAE region that holds this certification |
| HIPAA and ISO 27001 certification | 7.6.7c, d | HITRUST or SOC 2 may be asked for in some cases |
| Report changes to DHA | 7.7 | Core functions, data practices or ownership |
| EHR integration with NABIDH | 7.9.1e | Link to the NABIDH and Malaffi article once it is live |
| Secure UAE servers with backup | 7.9.1h | No offshore replicas |
| Arabic and English consultations | 14.1.6 | Both languages in the patient journey |
Records rules matter for your data model. Section 11 requires every encounter to be written into the medical record, including telephone consultations, with the technology used, all professionals involved, the locations, consent confirmation and the clinical content. Section 11.10 sets a minimum retention of 25 years from the last encounter.
What telehealth cannot be used for in Dubai
Section 4.2 excludes three things from telehealth services.
Your e-prescription module must block narcotic, controlled and semi-controlled medicines. Your triage flow must route emergencies to local emergency services without delay, whatever the patient’s insurance plan. Sick leave issued through telehealth is capped at three days per week under section 17.12.9.
The DOH telemedicine license in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi still works from the DOH Standard on Tele-Medicine, published in September 2020. As the law firm Al Tamimi explained at the time, a DOH licence is required by the healthcare facility to provide telemedicine, whether as a supplementary or the primary service.
A 2026 consumer guide citing the DOH standard adds two useful points: individual professionals do not need a separate telemedicine licence beyond their DOH professional licence, and real-time audio and video is required before any tele-prescription. On the technical side, DOH expects compliance with the Abu Dhabi Healthcare Information and Cyber Security Standard (ADHICS) and integration with Malaffi.
Cross emirate telemedicine: whose rules apply?
This is the question we hear most from founders serving the whole UAE. The DHA standard answers part of it. Section 5.1.2 says providers giving continuity of care to patients outside Dubai must meet the requirements of that jurisdiction. Appendix 2 shows a DHA-licensed physician treating a patient outside Dubai must hold the DHA licence and also comply with the other regulator’s requirements.
Consultants describe the working principle as the patient’s physical location deciding which regulator’s rules govern the consultation. Neelim Healthcare Consulting notes that cross-emirate policy is still evolving as of 2026 and recommends written guidance from both regulators. Treat that as an open question to settle with the regulators, not a solved one.
For the software, this means:
- Ask for, or detect, the patient’s current emirate at booking.
- Route the booking to a doctor licensed for that emirate.
- Apply the right consent form, prescription rules and exchange (NABIDH, Malaffi or Riayati).
- For UAE residents travelling abroad, DHA section 6.5 limits care to advisory and follow-up.
Common mistakes
- Launching on a platform licence and delivering care.
Clinical services need a facility licence. - Offshore backups or logs.
Data localisation covers everything, not just the main database. - Ignoring accreditation.
The 24-month clock starts at licensing or renewal. - One consent form for everything.
DHA expects consent tailored to the service type, plus ambient AI consent where used. - No location check.
Cross-emirate bookings need routing logic. - Prescription module without a controlled-drug block.
FAQ
What are the current DHA telehealth standards?
Standards for Telehealth Services, version 4, code DHA/HRS/HPSD/ST-14, issued 26 September 2025 and effective 26 November 2025.
Do doctors need a separate DHA telehealth license?
Doctors need a DHA professional licence and telehealth privileges. The telehealth licence sits with the facility, under one of four categories.
Can a Dubai doctor consult a patient in Abu Dhabi?
DHA’s standard says the provider must also meet the other jurisdiction’s requirements. Get written guidance from DHA and DOH for your model.
How long must telehealth records be kept in Dubai?
At least 25 years from the date of the last health encounter, under section 11.10.
Sources
- DHA Standards for Telehealth Services, Version 4 (2025)
- DOH Standard on Tele-Medicine (2020)
- Kayrouz & Associates: Licensing and data rules for telehealth providers in the UAE (2026)
- Al Tamimi & Company: The regulation of telehealth in the UAE (2020)
- UAE Expert Hub: Telemedicine in the UAE, rules and limits (2026)
- Neelim: Telemedicine licensing in the UAE and Saudi Arabia (2026)
Related reading: How to start a telemedicine business in the UAE · Custom telemedicine platform in the UAE
