To practise as a health professional in Saudi Arabia you need two separate decisions from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS): professional classification, then professional registration. Classification can be done from your home country. Registration cannot, because it needs a Saudi resident ID. Both are handled online through the commission’s Mumaris Plus portal.
Many applicants talk about “SCFHS registration” as if it were one step, and then find their file stalled halfway. This guide follows the commission’s own FAQ and requirements pages, checked in November 2026, and sets out the process in the order you will meet it.
This is general information, not legal or licensing advice. Requirements can change and depend on your profession and country of training; confirm your case with SCFHS through Mumaris Plus.
Classification, registration and the other terms you will see
The SCFHS FAQ defines six application types. Knowing which one you need saves weeks.
| Term | What it does | Where you can apply from |
|---|---|---|
| Professional classification | Assigns your professional degree (your grade and title) after your qualifications, experience and professional evaluation are checked | Inside or outside the Kingdom |
| Professional registration | Records you in the SCFHS database so you can practise | Inside the Kingdom only; needs lawful residence |
| Qualification study | Reviews a qualification that is not on the Mumaris Plus list | Before classification |
| Certificate recognition | Accepts a qualifying programme of at least one academic year | After classification |
| Re-classification | Updates your classification, for example for promotion or a change of specialty | After classification |
| Re-registration | Renews an expired registration or updates the degree on it | Inside the Kingdom |
Step 1: Gather and authenticate your documents
Start here, because verification takes longest. SCFHS asks for these documents for classification:
- A copy of your qualification, showing the issue date, graduation date, certificate title and specialty.
- All earlier qualifications. The commission’s example: a sub-specialty consultant needs the bachelor’s certificate, the general specialty certificate and the sub-specialty certificate.
- Your internship certificate and academic record. For academic degrees the record must show the programme details, duration and any practical or internship component.
- A clinical training completion certificate if your qualification includes training. For fellowships and boards, the certificate must show the programme, duration, start date and completion date.
- A valid professional registration certificate from the official body in the country where you practised, plus a verification letter for it.
- Your passport (non-Saudis) or national ID (Saudis).
- A medical report if you are over 65, issued by someone other than your employer.
Verification. Qualifications issued outside the Kingdom need a result from a verification company approved by SCFHS. If you apply on the strength of a bachelor’s degree, the bachelor’s must be authenticated; if you rely on postgraduate degrees, those must be authenticated and the bachelor’s does not need separate authentication. The FAQ notes that where Dataflow is used, the commission needs the final Dataflow report, so a delayed report will hold up your file.
If your country has no registration body, SCFHS accepts an official letter from that country’s Ministry of Health confirming your practice, together with an experience letter verified by an approved company.
The experience requirement
Non-Saudis need at least one year of experience; graduates of Saudi universities are excepted. Saudis do not need experience, but their practice must not have stopped for more than two years. Volunteer experience can count if it is in the same specialty, authenticated by an acceptable body and equivalent to real practice.
Step 2: Create a Mumaris Plus account and apply for classification
The commission’s sequence for first-time applicants is:
- Create a Mumaris Plus account, or log in if you have one.
- Apply for professional classification. If your qualification is not on the list, apply for qualification study first.
- Once classified, apply for professional registration before you start work in the Kingdom.
Upload clear scans and check that your name is spelled the same way, and dates agree, across your passport, degree certificates and experience letters. A mismatch gives the reviewer a reason to come back with questions.
Step 3: Complete the evaluation SCFHS assigns you
Classification does not always need an exam. The FAQ says the outcome depends on your case and is one of three routes, each with its own processing time:
| Route | What it involves | Processing time stated by SCFHS |
|---|---|---|
| Direct decision | Classified on your documents | 7 working days |
| Electronic written exam | Computer-based test at Prometric or Pearson VUE | 30 working days |
| Practical evaluation | Oral or practical exam | 35 working days |
For the practical oral exam, SCFHS says there are one to four stations, each with an examiner who assesses clinical performance through cases. The exam lasts 20 to 90 minutes, but you should plan for the whole day. Online exam links are emailed 48 hours beforehand to the address registered in Mumaris Plus, so check your spam folder. Results appear on Mumaris Plus within up to 14 working days.
If you fail and further attempts are allowed, you pay the evaluation fee again and are rescheduled. If not, the request goes to the classification department.
A note for nurses: the SNLE
SCFHS publishes an applicant guide for the Saudi Nursing Licensure Examination (SNLE). According to that guide:
- It has 200 multiple-choice questions in two parts of 100, with 120 minutes for each part and a scheduled 30-minute break.
- It is delivered by computer at SCFHS-approved Prometric centres in Saudi Arabia and abroad.
- The passing score is 500 on a 200 to 800 scale.
- You can sit up to four attempts a year until you pass. A missed test, or arriving more than 30 minutes late, counts as an attempt unless you document an accepted reason.
- Results are announced two to six weeks after the testing window closes.
The guide describes eligibility in terms of a BSN or equivalent and includes students close to graduation, so it is written mainly for new graduates. Experienced nurses trained abroad should follow whatever evaluation route their classification application is given. Nurses preparing for the Saudi market can tailor their CV with the nurse resume builder.
Step 4: Arrive, get your residence ID and apply for registration
Registration is the step that lets you practise. SCFHS lists these requirements:
- A valid resident ID (non-Saudis) or national ID (Saudis) at the time you submit.
- A letter of employment if you are working, issued within the three months before you apply by the personnel affairs department or the facility’s representative. It must confirm clinical practice in your specialty, your professional category and your start date, and be signed and stamped.
- A medical report if you are over 65.
SCFHS says registration and re-registration take five working days. Your certificates can be printed or viewed through “My Certificates” in Mumaris Plus.
Watch the one-year clock. The FAQ says that if your classification was issued more than a year ago, you must apply for re-classification before registration. If your employer’s hiring process is slow, raise this with them early.
Step 5: Keep your registration valid
A registration is valid for two years. The renewal window opens three months before it ends, and a fine applies if you renew more than 31 days after expiry. If it has lapsed for more than a year, you start again with a new registration.
Renewal depends on continuing professional development (CPD) hours:
| Practitioner | CPD hours needed to re-register |
|---|---|
| Technicians | 20 |
| Specialists | 40 |
| Pharmacists | 40 |
| Doctors | 60 |
The FAQ gives no figure for consultants; check their requirement with SCFHS. If you do not complete the hours, SCFHS grants a one-year renewal, once per registration. Hours from activities outside the Kingdom are submitted through the Mumaris Plus recognition service; for activities in the Kingdom, the provider records attendance. Degrees, diplomas and training certificates do not count as CPD hours, and certificates must be in Arabic or English. The commission’s eCore e-learning programmes can provide up to 12 hours or up to 50% of the requirement.
Five mistakes that delay SCFHS files
- Starting verification late. Classification cannot be completed until the verification result arrives, so start it as soon as you decide to apply.
- Leaving out earlier qualifications. SCFHS wants the full chain, not just your highest degree.
- Submitting an academic record instead of the certificate. The FAQ says an academic record alone is not enough for classification, although a temporary certificate may be accepted for some countries.
- Letting the classification go stale. After a year, you need re-classification before you can register.
- A gap in practice. The FAQ links a break of two years or more in practice outside the Kingdom to re-classification, including retaking the licensing exam; its wording is brief, so confirm your case through Mumaris Plus. SCFHS also runs professional interruption training for practitioners returning after two or more years away from clinical practice.
What SCFHS does not tell you on these pages
The FAQ and requirements pages do not list fee amounts for classification, registration or exams. Check the current fees in Mumaris Plus at the point of payment rather than relying on figures from third-party sites. If your role is in another Gulf country, you will need that country’s regulator instead; health professionals moving between markets can keep one master CV and adapt it with the international resume builder.
Physicians can also start from the physician resume builder.
Frequently asked questions
Can I complete SCFHS registration from outside Saudi Arabia?
You can apply for professional classification from outside the Kingdom. Registration needs a valid Saudi resident ID, so it is completed after you arrive.
How long does SCFHS classification take?
SCFHS states 7 working days for a direct decision, 30 working days where an electronic written exam is required and 35 working days for a practical evaluation, after your documents are complete. Verification time is extra.
How long is SCFHS registration valid?
Two years. You can renew from three months before expiry, and a fine applies if you renew more than 31 days after it ends.
What is Mumaris Plus?
Mumaris Plus is the SCFHS online portal where practitioners create an account and apply for classification, registration, re-registration and related services, and where results and certificates appear.
How many CPD hours do I need to renew?
SCFHS lists 20 hours for technicians, 40 for specialists and pharmacists and 60 for doctors. The FAQ gives no figure for consultants, so check with SCFHS.
Sources
- Mumaris Plus FAQ, Saudi Commission for Health Specialties
- Professional classification requirements, Saudi Commission for Health Specialties
- Professional registration requirements, Saudi Commission for Health Specialties
- Professional classification and registration requirements (index), Saudi Commission for Health Specialties
- Saudi Nursing Licensure Examination (SNLE) applicant guide, Saudi Commission for Health Specialties