The pharmacy business in Dubai is quite lucrative

According to recent statistics, “The Pharmacies market in the United Arab Emirates is forecasted to achieve a revenue of US$5.27bn by 2024. The revenue is expected to exhibit a compound annual growth rate (CAGR 2024-2029) of 4.41%, resulting in a market volume of US$6.54bn by 2029.”

The pharmacy business has huge potential, and even a foreigner can open it. Therefore, expats are always interested in knowing how to start a pharmacy business in Dubai.

So, Prospr is here to provide assistance and guidance regarding this matter. Here is a comprehensive guide explaining how to start your pharmacy in Dubai.

What is a Pharmacy license in Dubai?

The first step of setting up a pharmacy business is to acquire a pharmacy license, an official permit allowing you to buy/sell or manufacture pharmaceutical products in the UAE, as per UAE’s Federal Law No. 4, 1993. Once you have this license, you can open your pharmacy in the residential area and start selling medical products at retail prices to private stores and individual housing areas.

How to get a Pharmacist License in Dubai

You must go through two phases to get a pharmacy business license in the UAE.

PHASE 1-Initial approval

Before you get a license, it’s vital to have this specific business approval from

Health Regulation Department (HRD).

You will apply for the pharmacy business. In this application, you will mention everything about your business location, such as the complete address and blueprint. You will provide all the documents that offer a full description of the general cross-section of the pharmacy building structure.

HRD will review your application, which may take one or two weeks. Authorities will study every document you provide. It’s possible that your application gets rejected by authorities as the approval process is strict. You don’t have to feel bad; you should try to correct all the deficiencies and issues highlighted by authority. Once you made the fix, re-submit your application.

The Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED) issues your pharmacy license in Dubai. However, if you don’t get an approval, you can’t get a permit at DED.

Remember that initial approval is only valid for up to six months. Pharmacy owners should follow all the rules and regulations and may expect surprise inspections from DHA. There is no period of initial approval for factories.

Read all about additional approval required for 7 different businesses in UAE

Pharmacy business – PHASE 2-Final Inspection

Suppose your application gets approved by HRD regulations. In that case, the authority will send a letter of approval to DED – when you plan to open a pharmacy in the Mainland or Free Zone Authority FZA- when you plan to run a pharmacy in a free zone.

Once initial approval is done, you must apply again for a final pharmacy inspection. The authorities will inspect your store when the Dubai Health Authority issues the pharmacy license. When you pass the inspection, then you can get the permit. Otherwise, you won’t be able to get a license.

Requirements for medical warehouse and pharmacies

Here are some requirements that every medical warehouse and pharmacy needs to meet

There must be:

A refrigerator with a digital thermometer
Shelves and storage tanks to preserve medicines
Signage in Arabic and English (all characters in one standard size)
Name of pharmacy represented the Pharmaceutical Licensing Committee
Proper AC based on area size
Working fire extinguishers
Proper devices to deter insects
Curtain for glass exposed to the sun
Air-tight lockers to preserve controlled medicines

Here are some documents required to get a pharmacy business license in Dubai

Copy of sponsor’s valid passport, sponsor’s family book, passport of all shareholder/s and manager/s, valid ID card
Site geometric plan approved by the engineering consulting office
Land planning map for the facility site approved by the municipality
Recent color photograph in white background
Ejari certificate with lease agreement
Character reference documents of the owner and the pharmacist in charge
Copy of valid trade license issued by DED
Business plan
Copy of license of the pharmacist responsible for pharmaceutical facility
Partnership contract guaranteeing shareholders’ rights
Copy of the Memorandum of Association
Copy of the feasibility study

Prosper can help you get a complete feasibility study. We have market research experts who can provide deep insight into the market so you can easily make informed decisions. Could you send us an inquiry to hello@prosprplus.ae?

Pharmacy business license requirements in Dubai

Before you think about opening a pharmacy store in UAE, it’s vital to understand some basic requirements that you need to fulfill.

Pharmacist-in-charge

As you are going to sell pharmaceutical products in your store, the very first thing you need to do is to hire an experienced pharmacist. That expert will be in charge. He must have two years of pharmacist experience and meet the DHA‘s qualification requirements. Another thing you need to do after getting a license is hire a qualified pharmacist alongside pharmaceutical technicians as staff.

DHA license display

Another thing you need to do is display your DHA license in a prominent place where everyone can see that you have acquired it. Customers who visit the permit will trust your pharmacy and know you can sell medical products.

Understand; How to get DHA license in Dubai

Space

You need to lease a minimum area of 30 square meters for your pharmacy in Dubai. Your pharmacy store must be more than 200m from the nearby pharmacy. It’s vital to lease a ground floor for your pharmacy. However, there are some exceptions to the pharmacy situation in the commercial center of Dubai.

Your facility must not be linked with any other commercial activity—the medical warehouse area must be the least meters in size, excluding toilets and the administrative office. Internal pharmacies in the hospital must be of reasonable length. You can’t own more than two pharmacies in the UAE.

Local sponsor

If you plan to set up a business in Dubai Mainland, you need to hire a local sponsor. Check our comprehensive guide about local sponsors. This UAE citizen will hold 51 percent of your Pharmacy business, and you will have 49 percent.

Let Prospr help you set up a Pharmacy Business in Dubai.

UAE has stringent regulations and multiple restrictions for foreigners setting up pharmacy businesses. If you think about a pharmacy company setup in Dubai, you must comply with all the rules and regulations set by the UAE Ministry of Health and DHA. At Prosper, we understand how hard it is to digest all these regulations, laws, and rules. Therefore, offer a helping hand to our business consultants who stand by your side and help you get your pharmacy license in UAE in no time. Book a consultation now!

Category: Business in Dubai

Samad Ahmed

Samad is a tech enthusiast dedicated to delivering socially responsible, ethical, and transparent products in the MENA region. With over a decade of business experience, he continues to support the entrepreneurial community as the owner of Prospr, a company specializing in business setup services across the UAE, particularly in Dubai.