Federal Law No. (10) of 2002 on Practicing the Veterinary Medicine Profession
Federal Law No. (10) of 2002
Regulates the licensing and professional practice of veterinary medicine and related veterinary facilities and activities in the UAE, as amended in 2017 and 2023.
Overview
What this legislation covers
Regulates the licensing and professional practice of veterinary medicine and related veterinary facilities and activities in the UAE, as amended in 2017 and 2023.
Who or what it applies to
- Veterinary physicians practising in the UAE.
- Veterinary assistants and related professions where covered by amendments.
- Veterinary clinics, hospitals, laboratories and specialised facilities.
- Veterinary pharmacies, drug warehouses and other establishments brought into the amended framework.
- Commercial productive farms and artificial-insemination centres where relevant.
- Ministry and competent local authorities responsible for licensing and inspection.
Key points
Important points at a glance
Prohibits practising veterinary medicine without the required professional licence and registration.
Defines the competent Ministry/authority framework for veterinary professional regulation.
Sets qualification, recognition, experience and good-standing conditions for veterinary practitioners.
Regulates licensing, renewal, suspension and cancellation of professional licences.
Requires veterinarians to practise within authorised professional scope and facility permissions.
Regulates veterinary clinics, hospitals, laboratories and other facilities covered by the amended framework.
Provides controls for veterinary pharmacies, drug warehouses and related establishments where included by the law as amended.
Federal Law No. (8) of 2017 expanded and amended parts of the professional framework, including related veterinary-assistant activities.
Federal Law No. (7) of 2023 amended multiple provisions of the 2002 law and is currently in force.
Requires professional records and compliance with veterinary-health and biosecurity obligations.
Addresses professional duties, ethics and responsibilities toward animal owners and public health.
Allows regulator inspection and supervision of veterinary premises and practice.
Provides administrative sanctions for non-compliant veterinary facilities, including warning, temporary closure, permanent closure or licence revocation where statutory conditions are met.
Provides offences/penalties for unlicensed or otherwise unlawful practice.
Current veterinary medical-product activities must also be read with Federal Decree-Law No. (21) of 2025.
Practical explanation
Understanding the law
Purpose and practical effect
Regulates the licensing and professional practice of veterinary medicine and related veterinary facilities and activities in the UAE, as amended in 2017 and 2023.
Who and what the law applies to
- Veterinary physicians practising in the UAE.
- Veterinary assistants and related professions where covered by amendments.
- Veterinary clinics, hospitals, laboratories and specialised facilities.
- Veterinary pharmacies, drug warehouses and other establishments brought into the amended framework.
- Commercial productive farms and artificial-insemination centres where relevant.
- Ministry and competent local authorities responsible for licensing and inspection.
Important definitions
- Veterinarian: a person qualified and licensed to practise veterinary medicine under the law.
- Veterinary Facility: a clinic, hospital, laboratory or other establishment licensed for veterinary services.
- Veterinary Assistant / Related Profession: an occupation regulated under the amended veterinary professional framework.
- Veterinary Pharmacy / Drug Warehouse: specialised establishments referenced in the amended legal framework and subject to additional product legislation.
- Competent Authority: the Ministry or local authority assigned licensing/supervision functions.
Main rights, duties and legal consequences
- A qualified practitioner may practise only after receiving the required UAE licence/registration.
- Facilities must employ appropriately licensed professionals and operate within authorised activities.
- Authorities may inspect and discipline practitioners/facilities under the law.
- Animal-health, public-health and professional obligations apply in addition to ordinary commercial licensing.
Practical compliance / procedure checklist
- Verify that the applicant's academic qualification and professional history satisfy current requirements.
- Apply for professional registration/licensing with the competent authority before practising.
- Obtain a separate facility licence where establishing or operating a veterinary clinic/hospital/laboratory.
- Maintain professional and facility licences and comply with renewal/inspection requirements.
- Practise only within authorised scope and follow disease-notification/biosecurity obligations.
- Check Federal Law No. (7) of 2023 for current amended provisions.
- For veterinary medicines/pharmaceutical establishments, apply Federal Decree-Law No. (21) of 2025 in addition to this professional law.
Important dates and deadlines
- Issued: 29 September 2002.
- Effective: 11 November 2002 (30 days after publication, based on the official commencement rule and Gazette metadata).
- Federal Law No. (7) of 2023 is the current major amendment instrument.
- Licence application/renewal periods depend on current implementing and competent-authority procedures.
Enforcement and legal exposure
Unlicensed veterinary practice and facility violations may lead to administrative measures and statutory penalties. The 2023 amendment confirms enforcement tools including facility warnings, temporary or permanent closure and licence revocation in relevant cases.
Practical scenarios
- A foreign-qualified veterinarian must complete UAE recognition and professional licensing before treating animals.
- A clinic licence does not replace the individual practitioner's professional licence.
- A veterinary facility adding a pharmacy or medicine-distribution activity must also comply with specialised pharmaceutical regulation.
- A regulator may take action where a facility repeatedly operates outside licensed scope.
Current-law interaction
The law has been amended, notably by Federal Law No. (8) of 2017 and Federal Law No. (7) of 2023. Veterinary medical products and veterinary pharmaceutical establishments are also subject to the specialised Federal Decree by Law No. (21) of 2025.
Research status and caution
Legal-status and source verification for this package was carried out on 2026-09-08. UAE federal legislation frequently operates together with Executive Regulations, Cabinet resolutions, ministerial decisions, regulator guidance and Emirate-level rules. The current official source should be rechecked before a live filing, licence application, tax position, clinical/veterinary decision, enforcement step or court submission.
The cover is an editorial design supplied by the user. Its visual wording is not used as the sole basis for legal status. Where the cover and current official materials differ, the manifest and legal files record the verified/current framework used for this package.
Practical notes
- Use the current official Arabic text for interpretation and application; the English material in this package is a structured legal-information rendering.
- Verify the latest consolidated law, Executive Regulation, Cabinet/ministerial decisions and relevant Emirate-level rules immediately before case-specific reliance.
- Exact penalties, thresholds, exceptions, licence conditions, medical/technical criteria and procedural deadlines must be checked against the current article and implementing instrument.
- The supplied cover artwork is editorial artwork and does not constitute an official UAE Government publication or legal-status certificate.
Legislation text
Text and provisions
Official-text notice. This file is a comprehensive structured English legal-information rendering based on the official/current sources listed in this package. It is not represented as the controlling verbatim English text. For interpretation and application, the official Arabic text prevails. Exact offence elements, penalties, thresholds, exceptions, licence conditions, technical or medical criteria and deadlines must be checked against the current article and implementing instrument.
Federal Law No. (10) of 2002 on Practicing the Veterinary Medicine Profession
Verified legislative metadata
| Instrument | Federal Law No. (10) of 2002 |
|---|---|
| Issued | 2002-09-29 |
| Effective | 2002-11-11 |
| Status | Active / in force, as amended |
| Official Gazette | Official Gazette No. 387 |
| Official source | UAE legislation source |
Purpose and scope
Regulates the licensing and professional practice of veterinary medicine and related veterinary facilities and activities in the UAE, as amended in 2017 and 2023.
Structured legislative map
Definitions
Defines veterinary professional and establishment concepts; the definitions were expanded by later amendments.
Professional licensing
Requires registration/licensing before veterinary practice.
Qualification requirements
Regulates academic credentials, experience and other eligibility requirements.
Scope of practice
Limits practice to licensed activities and applicable professional standards.
Veterinary facilities
Regulates licensing and operation of clinics, hospitals and other veterinary establishments.
Related professional activities
Covers veterinary assistants and other related roles introduced/clarified by amendments.
Veterinary pharmaceutical interfaces
Links professional/facility activity to separate veterinary medical-product regulation.
Professional duties
Requires lawful, competent practice and appropriate records and care.
Inspection and supervision
Authorises competent authorities to inspect practitioners and veterinary facilities.
Administrative sanctions
Allows measures against facilities and licences for statutory violations.
Criminal offences
Penalises unlicensed practice and specified unlawful conduct.
2017 amendment
Updated the scope and regulation of veterinary professions and related facilities.
2023 amendment
Federal Law No. (7) of 2023 replaced/updated key provisions, including definitions and licensing-related rules.
Interaction with 2025 law
Veterinary medicines and pharmaceutical establishments are now subject to the specialised 2025 decree-law.
Key statutory points
- Prohibits practising veterinary medicine without the required professional licence and registration.
- Defines the competent Ministry/authority framework for veterinary professional regulation.
- Sets qualification, recognition, experience and good-standing conditions for veterinary practitioners.
- Regulates licensing, renewal, suspension and cancellation of professional licences.
- Requires veterinarians to practise within authorised professional scope and facility permissions.
- Regulates veterinary clinics, hospitals, laboratories and other facilities covered by the amended framework.
- Provides controls for veterinary pharmacies, drug warehouses and related establishments where included by the law as amended.
- Federal Law No. (8) of 2017 expanded and amended parts of the professional framework, including related veterinary-assistant activities.
- Federal Law No. (7) of 2023 amended multiple provisions of the 2002 law and is currently in force.
- Requires professional records and compliance with veterinary-health and biosecurity obligations.
- Addresses professional duties, ethics and responsibilities toward animal owners and public health.
- Allows regulator inspection and supervision of veterinary premises and practice.
- Provides administrative sanctions for non-compliant veterinary facilities, including warning, temporary closure, permanent closure or licence revocation where statutory conditions are met.
- Provides offences/penalties for unlicensed or otherwise unlawful practice.
- Current veterinary medical-product activities must also be read with Federal Decree-Law No. (21) of 2025.
Amendments, regulations and interaction with other legislation
The law has been amended, notably by Federal Law No. (8) of 2017 and Federal Law No. (7) of 2023. Veterinary medical products and veterinary pharmaceutical establishments are also subject to the specialised Federal Decree by Law No. (21) of 2025.
How this text should be used
This package is designed for website publication, internal research and client-facing orientation. It maps the instrument's operative subject matter and the current regulatory context verified for this batch. It does not replace article-level reading. Where the answer depends on a defined term, scheduled disease or product, professional qualification, technical standard, licence category, tax period, limitation period, consent requirement, offence, penalty, exemption, transition rule or deadline, open the current official legislation and the relevant Executive Regulation or competent-authority decision before relying on the conclusion.
Source priority
For legal interpretation, the official Arabic legislation is controlling. The official English portal is useful for research but itself states that the Arabic text prevails in case of conflict. Local Emirate rules, regulator circulars and technical decisions may add operational requirements without replacing the federal framework.
Verification
Official source & references
Official legislation sourcehttps://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1093Open ↗Official Gazette: Official Gazette No. 387
This page is a research and educational resource. Legislation can be amended, repealed, supplemented by regulations or interpreted by courts and authorities. Obtain advice before relying on it for a live matter.