How to Buy a Clinic in Dubai: A Step-by-Step Guide

Why buy an existing clinic

Opening a new clinic in Dubai means clearing the full DHA process before you see a single patient: facility licensing, specialty approvals, layout sign-off, fit-out, inspection and practitioner licensing. Buying an existing facility means that work is already done and already paid for — you acquire an approved licence, an inspected medical-grade fit-out and installed equipment, and in older facilities, approvals a new applicant could no longer obtain.

The buying process, step by step

Every confidential acquisition we handle follows the same five stages. Clinic name, exact address, licence file, financials and equipment register are released only after an NDA is signed.

• Enquire — tell us which reference interests you, plus your background and funding position.
• Sign an NDA — the clinic name, exact address, licence file, financials and equipment register are released only after this.
• Review the information pack — licence file, specialty schedule, itemised asset register, tenancy contract, and financial statements where the facility trades.
• Site visit — arranged discreetly, outside operating hours where confidentiality requires it.
• Offer and transfer — terms agreed, then licence transfer, company transfer and tenancy assignment.

What due diligence should cover

The information pack is where a serious buyer confirms the asset is what the listing says it is. Work through it methodically before making an offer:

• Licence status — is the DHA facility licence active, and does its approved specialty scope match what is advertised? A dormant licence may carry reactivation conditions.
• Specialty schedule — specialty approvals attach to the facility, not the owner, so a broad approved scope is worth materially more than the same premises with a narrow one.
• Asset register — an itemised list of equipment with make, model, serial number and condition; confirm what is included in the price.
• Tenancy contract — rent, remaining term and whether the lease transfers subject to landlord approval; rent is an ongoing obligation, not part of the asking price.
• Financials — where the facility trades, statements should be independently verified; where it is dormant, the asset is priced on replacement cost rather than earnings.

Licence transfer and completion

A DHA healthcare facility licence can transfer as part of a business sale, but it is a regulated process, not an automatic one. The buyer must satisfy DHA requirements on ownership, management and clinical governance, and the facility must remain compliant with the standards in force at the time of transfer.

Completion typically runs three parallel workstreams: the DHA licence transfer, the company (DED) transfer, and assignment of the tenancy subject to landlord approval. Most transactions complete in three to six months from signed NDA, depending on how quickly due diligence is done and how straightforward the licence and tenancy transfers are.

Financing and ownership

Foreign nationals can own healthcare businesses in Dubai, including 100% ownership in most structures; ownership rules interact with licensing, so confirm the structure before making an offer. A non-clinician can own a clinic provided the facility appoints a licensed medical director. Some UAE banks lend against licensed healthcare assets, particularly where there is a trading history and a transferable lease, though terms vary considerably by lender and buyer profile.