DHA pharmacist exam (Dubai): format, pass mark and practice

The Dubai Health Authority licenses pharmacists in Dubai through a computer-based exam. Here is what DHA publishes about it, how MediHelp practice works, and what it costs.

Short answer

The DHA licensing exam for pharmacists (code PHO5481) has 150 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours and a pass mark of 60%, with a fee of USD 240, according to the DHA assessment guideline listed below. The clinical pharmacy exam (PHO5482) has the same length and a 70% pass mark. DHA lists 14 content areas without weights.

Official exam facts

Taken from our licence guide, checked against the official sources listed below. Where an official figure could not be confirmed, the page says so instead of guessing.

The DHA exam for pharmacists

Source: the DHA licensing assessment guideline (CBT), September 2026, hosted on Sheryan. It lists 14 content areas without weights: toxicology, medicinal chemistry, compounding, pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics, pharmacognosy and supplements, pharmacy calculations, pharmacogenomics, infection control, pharmacokinetics, disease-state management, medication safety, over-the-counter medicines, pharmacy law and ethics, and clinical pharmacology.

DHA pharmacy exams (checked 30 October 2026)
Title	Code	Questions and time	Pass mark	Fee
Pharmacist	PHO5481	150 MCQ, 3 hours	60%	USD 240
Clinical Pharmacy	PHO5482	150 MCQ, 3 hours	70%	USD 240
Pharmacy Technician	PHT5451	150 MCQ, 3 hours	55%	USD 240

Attempts: 3 across all UAE authorities combined. Failing the third blocks a new DHA application for 2 years, though a fourth and last attempt may be allowed with permission, at DHA or another UAE authority. There is no waiting period between attempts, and each needs a new booking and fee (DHA Manual, chapter 72025859775.pdf)).

The guideline lists nine references, including the APhA Complete Review for Pharmacy, Comprehensive Pharmacy Review, Goodman and Gilman, Shargel, Ansel, Aulton and Rascati. DHA may change content, format or pass score without updating the document.

Appeals: send a letter to info@dha.gov.ae within one month of the result.

Facts last checked: 2026-10-30

How MediHelp exam prep works

Practise by topic, difficulty or weak spots. Choose a module, a difficulty or let the app pick the topics you get wrong most.
Sit timed mock exams. Timed mocks of 25 to 150 questions, so the pace feels familiar before the real exam.
Learn from every explanation. Each question explains why the right option is right and why the others are wrong, with public references you can open.
Review what you forget. A spaced-repetition review queue brings back the questions you missed or flagged.
Track progress, study offline. See topic mastery and results. Modules you bought also work offline.

What the question bank covers

Eight topic modules that together cover the 14 DHA content areas: therapeutics, pharmacology and toxicology, pharmaceutics, medicinal chemistry and pharmacognosy, calculations, medication safety and over-the-counter medicines, practice and ethics, and regulation.
Single-best-answer questions in the exam's style, with timed mocks.
Explanations and public references on every question.

Pricing

Question bank (one-time, no subscription)	USD 19.99
Egypt, card on the website	EGP 999.99
Pro+ yearly with this bank	USD 59.99 · EGP 2,999.99
Pro+ yearly with all five Gulf banks	USD 89.99 · EGP 4,499.99

Prices in US dollars. In the app you pay through the App Store or Google Play, which show the price for your country. On the website, card payments are made in Egyptian pounds (EGP) where the amount is shown before you pay. Gulf banks are not included in plain Pro+. Prices checked: 2026-10-30.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are on the DHA pharmacist exam?

The DHA guideline lists 150 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours for the Pharmacist exam (PHO5481).

What is the DHA pass mark?

60% for Pharmacist (PHO5481), 70% for Clinical Pharmacy (PHO5482) and 55% for Pharmacy Technician (PHT5451), according to the DHA guideline. DHA may change the content, format or pass score without updating the document.

What does the DHA pharmacist exam cover?

DHA lists 14 content areas without weights, including toxicology, medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics, pharmacy calculations, pharmacokinetics, medication safety, over-the-counter medicines, pharmacy law and ethics, and clinical pharmacology.

How many attempts do I get?

The DHA licensing manual counts three attempts across all UAE authorities combined, with a fourth and last attempt possible only with permission. There is no waiting period between attempts, and each needs a new booking and fee.

Are these real exam questions?

No. All MediHelp questions are original practice questions written to match the published blueprint and style. We never use leaked or recalled exam content.

Can I try it before I buy?

Yes. Every exam bank has free sample questions with answers and explanations.

Is it a subscription?

No. A question bank is a one-time purchase with nothing to renew. Gulf banks are not part of plain Pro+; they are sold as a bank, or inside the Pro+ yearly bundles.

The licence path, step by step

Documents, primary-source verification, fees, timelines and renewal for this authority are in our licence guide.

Read the licence guide

Tools for the calculation questions

Pharmacist exams include pharmacy calculations. The free MediHelp clinical calculators show every formula and step.

Clinical calculators

Official sources

Written by Omar Mahmoud, BSc Pharm, licensed pharmacist (SCFHS, Egypt MOH) · Author

MediHelp is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA). Exam rules, fees and dates change: confirm them with the official body before you book. MediHelp questions are original practice questions written to match the published blueprint and style. We never use leaked or recalled exam content, and we do not promise a pass.