CPD requirements for renewing your UAE therapy licence
How many hours you need
Requirements differ by professional category. Broadly:
| Category | CPD/CME per year of validity |
|---|---|
| Physicians and dentists | 40 points |
| Nurses, midwives and pharmacists | 20 points |
| Technicians and other allied health professionals | 10 hours |
Most therapy professions sit in the allied health category. Multi-year renewals scale accordingly, so a two-year renewal requires double the annual requirement.
The deadlines that matter
- 90 days before expiry — the renewal window opens. This is when to act.
- Expiry date — late penalties start accruing immediately, reported at around AED 200 per month for allied health, and AED 600 per month for physicians and dentists.
- Six months past expiry — standard renewal is no longer available. At that point the facility must cancel the licence before reactivation can begin, which is a much longer and more disruptive process.
That six-month point is the one to protect against. It turns an administrative task into a serious problem affecting your right to work.
Practical advice
- Put your expiry date and a reminder 120 days before it in your calendar the day you receive your licence.
- Confirm your exact requirement with your own authority. Categories vary and this guide is general.
- Check that a course counts before you take it. Accreditation recognised in one jurisdiction is not automatically recognised by your UAE authority.
- Keep certificates as you go, in one folder, rather than reconstructing a year of CPD under deadline pressure.
- If your employer offers in-house CPD, confirm it is accredited for your renewal rather than assuming.
Free and low-cost CPD
A reasonable amount of free continuing education exists online, particularly for occupational therapy, where several providers offer free accredited courses and webinars. Speech therapy has somewhat fewer free options.
The important caveat: it is your responsibility to confirm a course is accepted by your specific authority. Courses accredited by a professional body in the United States or United Kingdom are not automatically recognised for a UAE renewal. Check first, then enrol.
If you also hold Indian registration
Registration with the Rehabilitation Council of India runs on its own cycle: renewal every five years, revised down from seven, requiring 100 CRE points across the period. If you are maintaining both, track them separately. They are different systems with different requirements and different deadlines.
Common questions
How many CPD hours do allied health professionals need in the UAE?
Generally 10 CPD hours per year of licence validity for technicians and other allied health professionals. Physicians and dentists need 40 points per year and nurses and pharmacists 20. Confirm your exact category with your authority.
Can I carry forward extra CPD points?
No. Surplus points do not carry forward to the next renewal cycle, so the requirement must be met each cycle.
What happens if my UAE licence expires?
Late penalties accrue from the expiry date, reported at around AED 200 per month for allied health. After six months past expiry, standard renewal is no longer available and the facility must cancel the licence before reactivation can begin.
Do free online CPD courses count towards UAE renewal?
Only if your authority accepts them. Accreditation from a professional body in another country is not automatically recognised. Confirm before enrolling.
Looking for a therapy role in the UAE?
TheraLoom is an independent talent network for therapy, rehabilitation and special education professionals. Free for candidates, and your CV is never published or browsable.
Upload your CV