Veterinary clinic licence, from primary to hospital
A veterinary clinic licence comes from DET and Dubai Municipality, and your clinic category sets how many vets you need.
- Usual route
- Usually mainland
- Extra approval
- Municipality clinic
- Timeline
- Weeks to months
- AML
- Not a DNFBP activity
A veterinary clinic licence in Dubai is a DET trade licence with a clinic licence from Dubai Municipality. Every vet needs a licence from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE). The clinic category sets the minimum team: one vet for a primary clinic, two for clinics offering surgery and inpatient care, three for a hospital.
- Covers
- Examining, treating, vaccinating and operating on animals
- Not covered
- Selling live animals, grooming or boarding healthy pets
- Premises
- A clinic unit with its own entrance and set rooms
- Timeline
- Weeks to months; vets' licences and the category set it
What the clinic can treat and sell
A vet clinic examines, treats and vaccinates animals. The category you are licensed in decides how far the treatment goes.
Covered
Not covered
- Covered by Pet shop
- Covered by a separate animal care activity
- Covered by a veterinary medicines trading licence
Tick what you plan to do. The result shows here.
We fix the wording before you apply. Send us your list on WhatsApp
Vet clinics may not sell, trade or rehome live animals, so a pet shop beside the clinic needs its own licence.
Where a vet clinic can open
A treating clinic sits on the Dubai mainland under DET and Dubai Municipality, because animals and their owners come through the door.
| If most of your clients are | Likely route | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Pet owners in residential communities | Mainland (DET) | DET issues the trade licence and Dubai Municipality licenses the clinic |
| Stables, farms and camel owners | Mainland (DET) | A specialised clinic for that species, often with a mobile unit |
| Clients buying advice, with no animals seen | Either route | A consulting office treats no animals, though its vet still holds a MOCCAE licence |
A free zone vet business opening a mainland clinic needs a DET branch licence or permit (Executive Council Resolution 11 of 2025). Fees from pet owners do not count as 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.
Veterinary clinic licence and vet licences
Dubai Municipality licenses the clinic, and every vet needs a licence from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE). The clinic category sets how many vets and which rooms you need.
Before the licence
- Trade name and initial approvalDET
The licence
- Trade licenceDET
Alongside the licence
- Clinic category and layout agreedDubai Municipality
- Vets and nurses licensedMinistry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE)
- X-ray licence, if radiologyFederal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR)
After the licence
- Clinic licence and inspectionDubai Municipality
- Corporate bank accountThe bank
We size the unit to the category before you sign.
Which clinic category fits your plan?
Tick the services you want in year one. The heaviest one shows the category and add-ons the clinic needs.
Adding rooms or moving up a category later needs a fresh layout approval, so we plan the unit for the services you expect in year two.
Tick every service you plan to offer
| What you plan | Points to |
|---|---|
| a primary veterinary clinic with one MOCCAE-licensed vet | |
| a radiology unit and a FANR licence for the X-ray equipment | |
| a mobile clinic attached to your fixed clinic and staffed by its vets | |
| a larger clinic category with two licensed vets, a surgery unit and housing for sick animals | |
| an on-site veterinary pharmacy, which only the larger clinic categories may run | |
| a specialised clinic for that species, with at least two vets trained in it | |
| a veterinary hospital with at least three vets and round-the-clock emergency cover |
Tick a line to see where your plan points.
Card takings, imports and the bank
Bank viewStandard; equipment imports and medicine purchases draw questions
Banks see a vet clinic as a standard service business, paid mostly by card from pet owners. Questions come early. Large sums often leave for X-ray, ultrasound and surgical equipment bought abroad before the first appointment, and medicine orders follow every month. We put the clinic licence, the equipment invoices and your registered medicine suppliers into the account file together, so each payment has a clear reason.
AMLNot a DNFBP activity; the bank's own customer checks still apply.
Common snags in a vet clinic file
A surgical plan built on one vet
A primary clinic runs on one licensed vet. Surgery with overnight care or a pharmacy counter calls for a larger category with at least two vets. With one vet hired, the opening menu shrinks to match.
Pets for sale in the waiting area
Veterinary facilities may not sell, trade or rehome live animals. Puppies or kittens on offer beside the consulting room need a separate pet shop licence and their own premises rules.
A mall unit without its own entrance
A clinic inside a mall or a multi-storey building needs a separate, independent entrance. Units reached only through a shared lobby do not fit, so we check the entrance before the lease.
Questions about a veterinary clinic licence
A question about your plan? Describe your veterinary clinic plan and an advisor replies on WhatsApp.
Ask on WhatsAppHow much does a veterinary clinic licence cost in Dubai?
What does Dubai Municipality require for a vet clinic?
Do vets need a MOCCAE licence to work in Dubai?
Can a vet clinic sell pets in Dubai?
Can I run a mobile vet clinic in Dubai?
Related pages
- ActivityPet shop licence in DubaiA pet shop licence is simple for food and supplies; live animals add Dubai Municipality approval and Ministry import permits.
JurisdictionDubai mainland company setupSuits businesses that sell to UAE customers or bid for Dubai tenders.
BankingCorporate banking and what UAE banks decide onCorporate bank account opening in Dubai, prepared before you apply: the file a UAE bank reads, the right bank for your profile and a strong first file.
Primary clinic now, or room to grow? We settle it with the floor plan
Fifteen minutes on the animals you will treat, your vets and the unit. You leave with the clinic category, the route and the order of the DET, Dubai Municipality and MOCCAE steps.
On the call
- The activity wording that fits your plan
- The route, and the approvals in order
- A written quote before any work starts
