Skip to content 
Hospitals and clinics across Sharjah are shifting from MOHAP licensing to the Sharjah Health Authority. Here's who's affected, what the Assessment Certificate involves, and how to keep your license active without a gap in practice.
In This Guide
If you're a nurse, doctor, or allied health professional working in Sharjah under an MOH (Ministry of Health and Prevention) license, you may have noticed something new on your facility's compliance checklist: an SHA Assessment Certificate. This isn't a rumor or a paperwork formality — it reflects a genuine jurisdictional shift happening across the emirate right now, and it's worth understanding before it affects your ability to renew or activate your license.
Why MOH Licenses Are Moving to SHA
For years, healthcare facilities in the northern emirates — including many in Sharjah — operated under MOHAP, the federal health regulator. That's changing. As Sharjah Health Authority (SHA) has matured into its own independent regulatory body, it has progressively taken over licensing and oversight responsibilities for facilities and professionals within Sharjah's jurisdiction, including the Sharjah Healthcare City (SHCC) free zone.
The result: some hospitals and clinics that previously operated — and licensed their staff — under MOHAP are now transitioning to SHA. This isn't uniform across the emirate. Some facilities remain under MOHAP, while others have moved, or are moving, to SHA oversight. Which category your employer falls into determines whether this affects you at all.
Who This Actually Affects
You likely need to pay attention to this if:
- You currently hold a valid MOH/MOHAP professional license and work at a facility in Sharjah.
- Your employer has confirmed, or is in the process of confirming, that their facility license now falls under SHA rather than MOHAP.
- Your MOH license is coming up for renewal and your HR or PRO team has flagged an SHA requirement.
- You're applying to a new role at a Sharjah facility and the offer letter references SHA rather than MOHAP.
If none of the above applies — your facility remains under MOHAP — you can continue as normal. This guide, and the broader move to SHA, only applies once your specific facility has transitioned.
What Is the SHA Assessment Certificate?
The Assessment Certificate is SHA's way of reviewing your existing MOH credentials against its own qualification standards before allowing your license to be activated or renewed under its jurisdiction. Think of it less as a brand-new license application and more as a credential bridge — SHA is confirming that what MOHAP already verified about you also satisfies SHA's own requirements.
It's issued through the same portal used for full SHA licensing (sha.shj.ae), and the underlying document standards mirror the Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR) shared across MOHAP, DHA, DOH and SHA — so if your MOH file is in good order, this stage tends to move quickly.
Important: An Assessment Certificate is a prerequisite step, not the finish line. Depending on your profession and category, SHA may still require exam clearance or PSV verification before your license is fully active under its jurisdiction.
The Transfer Process, Step by Step
Confirm your facility's jurisdiction
Ask your HR or PRO team directly whether your facility now operates under SHA. This single confirmation determines everything that follows.
Create an SHA portal account
Register on sha.shj.ae using your email address. Note: some facilities advise against using UAE Pass for this step — check with your employer first.
Submit the Assessment Certificate request
Upload your MOH license, qualification documents and experience letters for SHA's review against its recognition standards.
Respond to any follow-up requests
SHA may request translated documents, clarifications, or additional evidence — respond promptly to avoid processing delays.
Receive your Assessment Certificate
Once approved, this certificate allows your facility to proceed with activating or renewing your professional license under SHA.
Documents You'll Need
- ✓Valid MOH/MOHAP professional license — current and unexpired
- ✓Academic certificates — degree, diploma and transcripts
- ✓Experience certificates — matching the profile on your MOH file
- ✓Passport copy — valid, with a recent photo on white background
- ✓Certified translations — for any document not already in English or Arabic
Everything should be double-checked against your original MOH submission first — mismatches between what MOHAP has on file and what you submit to SHA are one of the most common causes of back-and-forth requests.
Fees & Timeline
| Item | Who Typically Pays | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| License activation fee | Employer | Varies by facility and profession |
| Assessment & DataFlow transfer fee | Candidate | Varies by profession category |
| Processing time | — | Around 4 working days once all documents are complete and approved |
That four-working-day estimate assumes a clean, complete submission. Missing documents, translation gaps, or mismatched details between your MOH and SHA files are what typically stretch this timeline out.
Common Mistakes That Cause Delays
- Assuming every facility is affected. Confirm your specific employer's jurisdiction before starting anything.
- Using UAE Pass without checking first. Some facilities require the standard email registration instead.
- Submitting untranslated documents. Anything not in English or Arabic needs a certified translation.
- Letting your MOH license lapse mid-transfer. Keep your existing license active until the SHA Assessment Certificate is confirmed.
- Incomplete applications. A single missing document can reset your place in the review queue.
Applying for SHA licensing from scratch instead?
If you don't hold an MOH license and need to go through SHA's full three-stage licensing process — assessment, exam, and initial to full license — see our complete guide.
FAQ
Do all MOH license holders in Sharjah need to transfer to SHA?
No. Only professionals at facilities that have moved, or are moving, into SHA's jurisdiction need an Assessment Certificate. Facilities remaining under MOHAP are unaffected.
Will I need to retake an exam if I already passed the MOHAP exam?
Not necessarily. SHA reviews your existing qualifications and, in many cases, your prior MOHAP evaluation can support the Assessment Certificate without a new exam — though this depends on your profession and category.
What happens if I don't get the Assessment Certificate?
Your facility may not be able to activate or renew your professional license under SHA jurisdiction, which can affect your ability to continue practicing at that facility.
Can my employer handle this on my behalf?
Typically, the Healthcare Facility Representative Officer (HRO) submits or supports the application, but you'll still need to provide accurate personal and professional documentation.
How long does the MOH to SHA transfer take?
Processing is typically around 4 working days once your documents are complete, though document gaps or translation requirements can extend this.
