Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Activity Code 7020.77 and what does it permit in Dubai
Activity Code 7020.77 refers to Health Planning Consultancies under the ISIC 7020 — Management Consultancy Activities classification. It authorises advisory and strategic services specifically related to healthcare planning and health systems.
Permitted activities include health facility planning and design advisory, healthcare policy development, hospital project feasibility studies, health workforce planning, and public health strategy and programme design.
This licence does not permit clinical practice, patient diagnosis, pharmaceutical activity, or any regulated medical function. The scope is strictly advisory — covering systems, structures, and strategy rather than patient care or treatment.
Who are the typical clients for a Health Planning Consultancy in Dubai
Health planning consultants in Dubai typically serve a broad range of organisations across the public and private healthcare ecosystem. Common client categories include:
- Hospitals and hospital developers
- Clinics and outpatient facilities
- Insurance providers and insurance network managers
- Government health departments and DHA-regulated entities
- Real estate developers building or repositioning medical facilities
The sustained demand is driven by new hospital commissions, restructured insurance networks, and increased government contracting of external advisory firms — a trend that has accelerated significantly over the past decade.
Should I set up a mainland or free zone licence for health planning consultancy
The right jurisdiction depends on your intended client base and business model. A mainland licence issued by Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) is generally required if you plan to contract directly with UAE government health entities, DHA-regulated facilities, or participate in government tenders.
A free zone licence offers 100% foreign ownership, faster incorporation, and lower initial costs. It suits international consultancies, remote advisory models, and boutique firms testing the UAE market. Free zone entities can still serve UAE-based clients via a local service agent arrangement or by establishing a branch.
Neither option is universally better. If direct government contracting is central to your model, a mainland presence is typically necessary. If you are focused on private-sector or international clients, a free zone structure may be more efficient.
What is the typical timeline to obtain a Health Planning Consultancy licence in Dubai
Setup timelines vary by jurisdiction. A free zone licence can typically be obtained in 3–7 working days, making it the faster route for consultants who want to begin operating quickly.
A mainland licence through the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) generally takes 2–4 weeks, reflecting additional regulatory steps and approvals involved in the process.
Delays most commonly occur when approvals are left to the end of the process rather than addressed in sequence. Approaching the setup steps in order — including any DHA verification required for your specific scope — helps avoid unnecessary holdups.
Is there a minimum share capital requirement for a Health Planning Consultancy licence
For most free zone structures, there is no mandated minimum share capital requirement when setting up a Health Planning Consultancy licence in Dubai. This makes free zones particularly accessible for solo consultants and smaller advisory firms.
Mainland structures may have different requirements depending on the legal form chosen — for example, an LLC may carry nominal capital requirements under DET rules. It is advisable to confirm the current requirements with your chosen jurisdiction or a licensed business setup adviser before proceeding.
What role does the Dubai Health Authority play in licensing a health planning consultancy
The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) is one of the key regulatory bodies relevant to health planning consultancies in Dubai, alongside the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and MOHAP (Ministry of Health and Prevention).
Depending on the nature of your advisory work, DHA registration or approval may be required even though Activity Code 7020.77 is a consultancy licence rather than a clinical one. Consultants whose scope touches DHA-regulated facilities or public health programmes should verify their specific requirements directly with the DHA before committing to a legal structure.
What makes Meydan Free Zone a suitable option for health planning consultants
Meydan Free Zone is frequently used by solo consultants and boutique advisory firms entering the UAE market. It offers competitive licence fees, a central Dubai location, and a straightforward remote incorporation process.
A key practical advantage is that no physical office is required — a flexi-desk arrangement satisfies the registered address requirement. This removes the overhead of a full office lease while keeping the entity properly incorporated and compliant.
For international consultancies or individuals testing the UAE market before committing to a larger footprint, Meydan Free Zone provides a cost-effective and administratively simple entry point.
Can a free zone health planning consultancy serve clients based in the UAE
Yes, a free zone-licensed health planning consultancy can serve UAE-based clients, but with some structural considerations. Free zone entities are permitted to work with private-sector clients in the UAE, including hospitals, clinics, and insurance providers.
However, direct government contracting — such as tendering for DHA or other public health entity contracts — will typically require a mainland presence through the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). Free zone entities can access some UAE market activity via a local service agent arrangement or by establishing a mainland branch if needed.
If government or public-sector clients are a significant part of your target market, it is worth factoring the mainland route into your setup decision from the outset.
Health Planning Consultancy License in Dubai
Dubai keeps building healthcare. New hospitals are being commissioned, insurance networks are being rebuilt, and government health bodies now hire outside advisers at a pace that did not exist ten years ago. If you plan health facilities and health systems for a living, there is steady paid work here.
This guide covers what the health planning consultancy license lets you do, who your clients will be, where to set up, and how to get licensed. The work is advisory only. You will not treat patients, so the rules are lighter than they are for a clinic, but they are not absent.
Key Stats at a Glance
What This License Covers
Activity code 7020.77 sits inside ISIC 7020, Management Consultancy Activities. It is advice work applied to healthcare planning and health systems, not medical practice.
The license lets you do this:
- Advise on health facility planning and design
- Develop healthcare policy and advise on it
- Run feasibility studies for hospital projects
- Plan the health workforce and assess capacity
- Design public health strategy and programmes
It does not let you practise clinically, diagnose patients, handle pharmaceuticals, or run any regulated medical function. The line is clear. You advise on systems, structures and strategy. You do not touch patients or treatment.
Who Your Clients Will Be
Your buyers sit across the public and private sides of healthcare:
- Hospitals and hospital developers
- Clinics and outpatient facilities
- Insurers and the people who manage insurance networks
- Government health departments and bodies the Dubai Health Authority regulates
- Property developers building or repositioning medical facilities
How they buy matters as much as who they are. Private hospitals, clinics and insurers can appoint you straight away. Government health bodies mostly run tenders, and a tender usually asks for a mainland company. Work out which group pays your bills before you pick a jurisdiction.
Mainland or Free Zone: Where to Set Up
This is the biggest choice you will make when setting up, and it decides both your cost base and who you can sell to.
Take a mainland license from the Department of Economy and Tourism if you plan to work directly with UAE government health bodies or with facilities the Dubai Health Authority regulates. Public tenders and direct public sector contracts generally want a DET-licensed company.
A free zone license gives you full foreign ownership, a faster setup and a lower starting cost. It suits international firms, remote advisory work and small firms testing the UAE market. You can still serve UAE clients through a local service agent or by opening a branch, but selling straight to government usually needs a mainland presence.
Meydan Free Zone in practice
Meydan Free Zone charges competitive license fees, sits in central Dubai, and lets you set up remotely. No physical office is needed, because a flexi-desk covers your registered address. For a solo consultant or a small advisory firm, that removes the cost of a full office lease while keeping the company properly registered.
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Step by Step Setup Guide
- Step 1, pick your legal structure: Choose a sole establishment, an LLC, or a free zone company. Professional consultancy licenses suit sole practitioners and small partnerships. Most foreign founders pick a free zone company.
- Step 2, book your trade name: Use the DET portal for a mainland company, or the Meydan Free Zone portal for a free zone one. The name must not suggest clinical practice, medical treatment or any regulated health function.
- Step 3, apply for initial approval: Send passport copies, your proposed activity list, and a short business plan if the authority asks for one. Health-adjacent activities sometimes attract extra questions.
- Step 4, sort your space: A flexi-desk works in a free zone. On the mainland, DET wants a tenancy contract registered with Ejari. Do not sign a long lease before your activity is approved.
- Step 5, get your final license: If your work sits close to facilities or services the Dubai Health Authority regulates, register with the authority or get a No Objection Certificate where it applies.
- Step 6, open a corporate bank account: Banks treat health consultancies as low risk. Expect standard checks: license copy, passport, proof of address and a short business overview.
Most delays come from leaving approvals to the end instead of taking the steps in order.
Compliance and What You Need in Place
Dubai Health Authority
The Dubai Health Authority regulates the health sector in Dubai. If you advise on facility design, health systems architecture or programmes the authority oversees, you may need to register with it or engage with it formally, even though 7020.77 is a consultancy license and not a clinical one. Check your scope with the authority before you settle on a structure.
Ministry of Health and Prevention
The ministry sets federal health policy. Its framework matters if you work across more than one emirate or advise on federal health programmes.
License renewal and scope
Renew your license every year with the authority that issued it. Keep your activity scope accurate as well. Working outside your permitted activities creates real risk, and it is the kind of problem that surfaces at renewal.
VAT
Register for VAT with the Federal Tax Authority once your taxable turnover passes AED 375,000 a year. Health consultancy services are usually standard rated at 5%.
Professional indemnity cover
This is sensible for any adviser, and government or institutional clients often insist on it before they sign.
Market Opportunity
Demand here comes from building work. Dubai is commissioning new hospitals, and every one of them needs facility planning, feasibility work and workforce planning before it opens. Insurance networks are being restructured, which creates advisory work of a different kind. Government health bodies now buy outside advice at a pace that did not exist ten years ago.
The client list is wide, which helps. Hospitals, clinics, insurers, government departments and property developers repositioning medical assets all buy this work, so you are not tied to one buyer or one budget cycle. Healthcare systems across the region are getting more complex, and complexity is what people pay advisers to sort out.
Conclusion
A health planning consultancy license in Dubai is a clean, workable structure for advisers working between healthcare and commercial strategy. The scope is well defined, the regulatory load is proportionate, and the demand is real.
Your jurisdiction choice sets your client access and your costs. Both routes work. Mainland suits government-facing work. A free zone suits international advisory and remote work. Get the structure right at the start and the rest is routine.
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