Maternity leave, a period abroad, further study, illness or a career pause: many physicians and other health practitioners in Saudi Arabia step away from clinical work at some point. When you come back, the questions are always the same. Is my SCFHS registration still valid? Do I need to sit the licensing exam again? How many CME hours do I need, and can I catch up? This guide sets out what the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) publishes on these points, and where it does not publish a clear rule, it says so and tells you how to confirm your own case.
What SCFHS does and does not publish about breaks in practice
SCFHS has no single published "return to practice" programme for physicians. Instead, the rules that apply to you come from three things: the status of your professional registration, the age of your professional classification, and whether your break involved practice outside the Kingdom. The Commission's Re-Classification service is described as covering, among other things, gaps in professional continuity, but SCFHS does not publish a general definition of an "interruption" or a minimum length that triggers extra requirements for every specialty. If your situation is not covered by the cases below, treat it as one to confirm directly with SCFHS.
Step 1: Check your registration status
Professional registration with SCFHS is valid for two years. SCFHS asks practitioners to apply for re-registration three months before the registration ends, and states that a fine is issued once the registration has been expired for 31 days. What you apply for on return depends on how long ago the registration ended:
- Registration still valid: apply for Professional Re-Registration in Mumaris Plus before it ends.
- Registration ended less than one year ago: Re-Registration is still the route.
- Registration ended more than one year ago: SCFHS says you apply for Professional Registration as a new registration, not a renewal.
Your registration dates are shown in your Mumaris Plus account, and your registration card can be printed from "My Certificates".
Step 2: Check whether you need re-classification
Classification comes before registration. SCFHS addresses two common return situations in its Mumaris FAQ:
- Classified (passed the exam) but never registered, then away from practice: if less than one year has passed since the classification was issued, apply for Professional Registration. If more than one year has passed, apply for Professional Re-Classification first, then for registration once the new classification is issued.
- Classified and registered, with experience gained outside the Kingdom: SCFHS directs you to Re-Classification, with proof that practice was not interrupted for two years or more, and states that the professional licence exam must be retaken. Read the current requirement in Mumaris Plus before you apply, because this is the case where a break of two years or more matters most.
For non-Saudi practitioners who left the Kingdom on final exit for more than 180 days, SCFHS says a practitioner who was classified but not registered applies for Re-Classification, and one with a valid registration applies for Re-Registration before it ends, provided there has been no break in practice.
Two further points from the FAQ are worth knowing. Enrolment in an educational programme does not count as practice unless it includes professional training in the same field. And some specialties have their own rules: graduates in medical devices with a break, for example, must complete rehabilitative training and pass the exam. Check whether your specialty has a similar provision.
Step 3: Work out your CPD and CME hours
Re-registration requires a set number of CPD hours. SCFHS lists the requirement as 20 hours for technicians, 40 for specialists, 40 for pharmacists and 60 for doctors; consultants are referred to the regulations. If the hours are not complete, SCFHS allows renewal for one year, and this is available only once.
SCFHS does not publish a separate rule requiring you to "make up" hours for the time you were away. What it does publish is the per-cycle requirement above. In practice, a returning practitioner usually needs to make sure the current cycle's hours are complete before re-registration falls due. Your Mumaris Plus account shows a counter of required and due hours and your CPD record, so start there.
Points that help when catching up:
- Activities must relate to your field or to skills that support your practice.
- Hours from accredited activities inside Saudi Arabia are recorded automatically once the provider confirms attendance on the Mustamir platform. You do not upload them yourself.
- Hours earned abroad, or through self-learning, go through the Recognition of CPD Hours service in Mumaris Plus.
- Academic degrees and diplomas are not counted as CPD hours.
A short checklist before you return
- Sign in to Mumaris Plus and note your classification date, registration end date and CPD hours counter.
- Decide which service applies: Re-Registration, new Professional Registration, or Re-Classification.
- Get an employment letter issued within the last three months that states your specialty, category and start date. Re-registration also needs your national ID or Iqama, and a medical report if you are over 65.
- Plan accredited CPD activities to close any gap in hours before you apply.
- If your case does not fit the published scenarios, contact SCFHS through Tawasul or call 920019393 before you apply, so you do not pay for the wrong service.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to sit the SCFHS licensing exam again after a break?
Not in every case. SCFHS states an exam retake for practitioners re-classifying with experience from outside the Kingdom, and specialty-specific rules exist for some groups. For a break inside the Kingdom with a valid or recently expired registration, the published route is re-registration or new registration. Confirm your own case in Mumaris Plus or with SCFHS.
My registration expired while I was away. Can I still renew it?
If it ended less than one year ago, apply for Re-Registration. If it ended more than one year ago, SCFHS says you apply for Professional Registration as a new registration.
How many CME hours does a physician need for re-registration?
SCFHS lists 60 hours for doctors, 40 for specialists and pharmacists and 20 for technicians. If they are not complete, a one-year renewal is available once.
Do online CME courses count?
Yes, provided they are accredited by SCFHS, relevant to your field, and recorded by the provider. Accredited activities in the Kingdom appear in your Mumaris Plus CPD record once the provider confirms your attendance.
Catching up on hours with Mulhim
Mulhim is an SCFHS-accredited CPD provider (No. AC10000415) offering online, self-paced courses worth 5 CME hours each, so you can study around a return-to-work schedule. Completed hours are sent to Mumaris Plus and usually appear within 24 to 48 hours. Browse accredited courses, or choose a 20, 30 or 40-hour bundle if you have a larger gap to close.
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