Elderly care licence in Dubai, by care level
Social care for seniors sits with the Community Development Authority, and nursing care brings in the Dubai Health Authority.
- Usual route
- Mainland (DET)
- Extra approval
- CDA or DHA
- Timeline
- Months
- AML
- Not a DNFBP activity
An elderly care licence in Dubai starts with a DET trade licence, and the kind of care you give sets the regulator. The Community Development Authority (CDA) licenses social care, including day care and residence without nursing. A nursing home is a long-term care facility licensed by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), with licensed nurses on staff.
- Covers
- Residential homes and day centres for older people
- Not covered
- Nursing visits at home and domestic carers employed by families
- Premises
- A building fitted for residents or day guests
- Timeline
- Months, led by the premises and the regulators' inspections
What an elderly care licence covers
The business looks after older people in a place you run, by day or around the clock. What happens inside that place sets the licence.
Covered
Not covered
- Covered by Home healthcare
- Covered by domestic worker recruitment under MOHRE
- Covered by Physiotherapy centre
Tick what you plan to do. The result shows here.
We fix the wording before you apply. Send us your list on WhatsApp
A day centre that later adds overnight stays or nursing changes its licence, so we plan the care levels you expect in year two.
Where an elderly care home is licensed
Residents and day guests come from the city's neighbourhoods. That points to a DET licence, with CDA and DHA approving the care.
| If most of your clients are | Likely route | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Families wanting a day centre nearby | Mainland (DET) | DET issues the licence and CDA permits the social care service |
| Residents who need nursing every day | Mainland (DET) | DHA licenses the nursing home as a long-term care facility |
| A hospital group adding long-term beds | Either route | The group's existing health regulator usually carries the new facility |
A free zone company running care on the mainland needs a DET branch licence or permit (Executive Council Resolution 11 of 2025). Fees from families sit outside QFZP qualifying income.
Several free zones license this activity; we match the zone to your visas, office and banking. Compare free zones
Three questions. The closest row is marked in the table above.
Your likely route shows here.
Nursing home and care centre approvals
CDA regulates social care, from day programmes to residence for non-health reasons. Once nurses give care every day, DHA licenses the place as a health facility. Mixed models usually need both.
Before the licence
- Trade name and initial approvalDET
The licence
- Trade licenceDET
Alongside the licence
- Social care facility permitCommunity Development Authority (CDA)
- Nursing home facility licenceDubai Health Authority (DHA)
- Care staff and nurses licensedCDA and DHA
After the licence
- Inspection before first residentsCDA or DHA
- Corporate bank accountThe bank
We check the building against both regulators before the lease.
Which regulator does each part of your care bring?
Tick everything your centre will offer. The heaviest item shows which regulator your model answers to.
Care levels tend to rise as residents age, so we plan the licence for the care you expect to give, as well as day one.
Tick every service you plan to offer
| What you plan | Points to |
|---|---|
| A CDA social care permit beside your DET licence | |
| A CDA social care permit beside your DET licence | |
| A CDA social care permit beside your DET licence | |
| The CDA permit, plus DHA approval for the health services inside | |
| A DHA nursing home licence, with licensed nurses on every shift | |
| A DHA nursing home licence, with licensed nurses on every shift |
Tick a line to see where your plan points.
What banks see in elderly care
Bank viewStandard; monthly family fees and a large lease
Banks treat an elderly care business as a standard service company once its regulator has approved it. Income arrives as monthly fees from families. Some pay from abroad. The early months carry a long lease and a fit-out before the first resident arrives, which is where questions start. We put the CDA or DHA approval, the lease and the fee agreement into the account file together.
AMLNot a DNFBP activity; the bank's own customer checks still apply.
Where elderly care setups get stuck
Licensing a day centre, then adding beds
Overnight residence is a different service from day care. Adding it later takes the file back to CDA, and a building chosen for daytime guests may not suit people who live there.
Nursing tasks in a social care home
Giving medication and nursing care every day moves the home towards DHA's long-term care licence. Staff hired as caregivers cannot fill nursing roles.
A villa chosen for its looks
Bedrooms, bathrooms and access have to suit older residents, and inspectors look at them closely. A handsome villa with stairs and narrow doorways can fail on access alone.
Questions about a elderly care licence
A question about your plan? Describe your elderly care plan and an advisor replies on WhatsApp.
Ask on WhatsAppHow much does an elderly care licence cost in Dubai?
Does a nursing home need a DHA licence in Dubai?
Who licenses an elderly day care centre in Dubai?
Can a foreigner start a senior care business in Dubai?
Related pages
ActivityHome healthcare licence in DubaiClinical care at home needs a DHA licence and a medical director, while personal care at home is a separate permit.
IndustryClinic and healthcare business setupA clinic license in Dubai is two licences: the DHA facility licence and one for every practitioner.
JurisdictionDubai mainland company setupSuits businesses that sell to UAE customers or bid for Dubai tenders.
Day centre, care home or nursing home? Pick the regulator before the building
Fifteen minutes with a senior advisor on the care you plan to give and the building you have in mind. You leave with the regulator, the route and the order of approvals.
On the call
- The activity wording that fits your plan
- The route, and the approvals in order
- A written quote before any work starts
