Yes, but a health advertisement needs its own licence. The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) licenses health advertisements across media and digital platforms, and a licensed health advertisement must carry its licence number. This is in addition to the creator's own Advertiser Permit from the UAE Media Council.
NXTSTAR sets up the creator's trade licence and Media Council permit, and tells you what to ask the clinic or brand for before you post.
Last reviewed: by the NXTSTAR team.
Rules are set by the authority and can change. Confirm the current position before you apply.
Two approvals for one post
- The creator: an Advertiser Permit from the UAE Media Council, built on a trade licence with an electronic media activity.
- The advertisement: a health advertisement licence from MOHAP. MOHAP offers licences for healthcare institutions, for non-healthcare institutions, for websites and for social media.
MOHAP says it reviews a health advertisement application and either approves it or asks for amendments or more documents, and gives a completion time of one to three working days.
What to ask the clinic or brand for
- The health advertisement licence number for the specific advertisement you will publish.
- Confirmation that the wording and visuals you post match what was licensed.
- Documentation for each product featured, which MOHAP requires in the application.
- For clinics in Dubai, confirmation that the content follows the Dubai Health Authority's standards for medical advertising on social media.
Fitness and wellness content
A workout video with no promotion is not an advertisement. A sponsored post for a gym, a supplement or a treatment is. If the product makes a health claim, treat it as health advertising and ask the brand for its licence before you publish.
What NXTSTAR does, and what we do not
We handle the creator side: the trade licence and the Media Council permit.
The health advertisement licence is applied for by the advertiser, usually the clinic or brand. We do not review medical claims.
Common questions
A clinic invited me for a free treatment in return for a reel. What do I need?
Your own Advertiser Permit, and the clinic's health advertisement licence for that content. Free treatment in return for coverage is advertising.
Who applies for the health advertisement licence?
The advertiser. MOHAP has separate services for healthcare institutions and for non-healthcare institutions advertising health products or services.
Does the licence number have to appear on the post?
MOHAP states that a health advertisement must have a licence number, and that a health facility's official account must state its medical advertisement licence number.
How much does it cost?
We do not publish prices. Ask us for a written quote for your situation.
Sources
The rules on this page come from the authority's own published material, checked on 6 October 2026.
Working with clinics or health brands?
Tell us what you want to do and we will tell you which route fits, what it involves and what we would need from you.