License for medical practice in Ukraine

In Ukraine, licensing is mandatory for any medical practice – that is, the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of patients by doctors and other medical professionals (Part 1, Article 7 of the Law on Licensing). A license is issued only by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine (Kyiv).

The scope of licensing requirements includes: 1) the necessary qualifications of employees (doctors, nurses, etc.), 2) required documents (application, certificates regarding the material and technical base, constituent documents, specialists’ diplomas, a conclusion from the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection confirming that the premises comply with sanitary standards, etc.), 3) premises requirements (non-residential, separate entrance, accessibility for people with reduced mobility, equipment according to the “model equipment list”), and 4) necessary equipment (metrologically verified equipment, medical devices, licenses for medical products/medicines used, a waste disposal contract, etc.).

Submitting the full set of documents to the Ministry of Health gives the authority 10 working days to make a decision; payment of the fee (1 subsistence minimum) must be made within 10 days after a positive decision. The license is issued for an unlimited term. Violations (operating without a license or while it is suspended) result in a fine of UAH 17,000–34,000 (Part 1, Article 164 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses), and repeated violations – UAH 34,000–85,000 (Part 2, Article 164). Under martial law, some military medical institutions in combat zones may operate without a license on the basis of declarations (CMU Resolution No. 314/2022 (as amended), appendix ** “*”).

In 2025–2026, the conditions were updated: a psychiatric examination requirement (including drug testing) was added for all institution employees, and an electronic applicant account was introduced (CMU Resolution No. 148/2026, MOH Order No. 144/2026). Below is a detailed review of entities, requirements, procedures, exceptions, liability, and advice.

Entities that require a license

A license is mandatory for all entities engaged in medical practice: these are legal entities and individual entrepreneurs that provide medical services to patients (doctors, dentists, rehabilitation specialists, nurses, massage therapists, etc.), as well as medical institutions (clinics, hospitals, polyclinics, diagnostic centers, etc.), including private and public ones. Registered legal entities (LLC, PE, non-profit enterprise, JSC, etc.) and individual entrepreneurs may obtain a license.

A license is required for any “medical practice” activity – that is, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention (the list is in Clause 15, Part 1, Article 7 of the Law on Licensing). A license is not required for the manufacture of medical devices, production of medicines, or household services, etc.

Exceptions: As provided by Article 35-2 of the Law “Fundamentals of Health Care Legislation” and CMU Resolution No. 314, a license is not required for medical practice carried out by military units in combat zones/occupied territories (while performing combat missions). Under CMU Resolution No. 148 dated 09.02.2024, military health care institutions in the ATO zone under contracts with the National Health Service of Ukraine may provide medical care on the basis of declarations without a license.

Other temporary permits are not provided by law, but a license may be temporarily suspended (for up to 6 months) or partially suspended upon application (new rules, see below).

Differences depending on the type of entity

Requirements for the applicant

• Staff qualifications: There must be at least one medical worker on staff for each declared doctor specialty and junior specialist specialty. All doctors must have higher medical education, a valid certificate, and attestation (according to MOH requirements). Feldshers/nurses must have appropriate secondary medical education. Since 2025, legislation has introduced a new rule: all employees of the institution (medical and non-medical) must undergo a preventive psychiatric examination (including testing for psychoactive substances). This is a requirement of CMU Resolution No. 781/2025, and the procedure is regulated by the Ministry of Health.
• Premises: Must be non-residential (office, medical room) with a separate entrance; in a multi-storey building – a separate room on the floor; adapted for people with reduced mobility (ramp, etc.). Premises for medical practice must comply with sanitary standards: an Act of sanitary-epidemiological inspection from the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection is required (obtained before submission, and a copy must be attached). The list of premises and their equipment must be indicated in the “Information” form (Annex 2).
• Equipment: The institution must be provided with the necessary medical equipment and instruments according to its activity profile. The Ministry of Health recommends compliance with the “Model list of material and technical equipment” for primary care (MOH Order No. 148 dated 26.12.2018). A list of metrologically verified devices must be provided. If the institution has an inpatient department, the department’s equipment must be listed separately.
• Documents: The following are attached to the application:
  • Application in the standard form (Annex 1 to the Licensing Conditions);
  • Information on the material base and personnel (standard form, Annex 2);
  • Description of all documents attached (Annex 3).
  • Copies of constituent documents: for legal entities – charter/regulations, decision/protocol on establishment, certificate of state registration (EDRPOU); for individual entrepreneurs – extract from the register or individual entrepreneur certificate.
  • Copies of documents for the premises: purchase/sale or lease agreements, owner’s decision granting the right to use the premises.
  • Copies of IDs and diplomas of all medical staff (doctors, nurses, feldshers); specialists’ certificates; certificates of advanced training and attestation. If a doctor worked intermittently, documents confirming work experience must be added (employment record entries).
  • Sanitary certificates: a copy of the SES report confirming the premises comply with requirements. In the case of specialized care, a copy of the inpatient facility report must be added (relevant to psychiatry, neurology, surgery, etc.).
  • Other documents: contract for the removal/disposal of medical waste; fire/electrical safety conclusion; documents confirming the availability of a license to sell medicines (if there is a pharmacy point), etc. (The list is specified in the Licensing Conditions; for example – Annexes 1–9 to Resolution No. 781/2025).

SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS: all copies must include confirmation of validity (certified by the person or by a notary). Please note: the application must include a description (a list of all attached papers with numbering). Experts advise submitting documents in two copies and using updated forms from official websites (the Ministry of Health publishes sample forms).

Procedure for obtaining a license

1. Preparation: Check that all conditions are met (premises, staff, equipment). Collect and complete the forms (Annexes 1–3), gather all supporting documents (certificates, attestations, agreements, certificates). Obtain sanitary permits.
2. Submitting the application: Personally (or through an authorized person) bring the application to the Ministry of Health (Licensing Department, Kyiv) or send it by registered mail with an inventory of enclosures. Since 2026, an electronic application can be submitted through the applicant’s “electronic account” (CMU Resolution No. 148/2026).
3. Review: The Ministry of Health reviews documents within up to 10 working days (Part 8, Article 13 of the Law on Licensing). In practice, this may take up to one calendar month. The Ministry checks whether the applicant complies with the licensing conditions.
4. Decision: If the result is positive, the Ministry of Health issues a decision to grant the license (not individually – for the institution or the individual entrepreneur). After the decision, the applicant pays a fee in the amount of 1 subsistence minimum (the current amount can be checked on the website of the Ministry of Social Policy). This payment must be made within 10 days from the date of the decision. After payment, the license enters into force (a ready certificate is issued). If the decision is negative or the fee is not paid, the license is not granted.
5. Additional steps: After obtaining the license, contact the National Health Service of Ukraine (if the institution enters into contracts), update the data on the State Service of Medicines website (add the license to the electronic register). In case of changes (staff, address, equipment, etc.), submit a notification to the Ministry of Health within the deadlines provided by MOH Order No. 144/2026 (through the electronic account).

Liability and sanctions

Carrying out medical practice without a license (or while it is suspended) is punishable by a fine of UAH 17,000–34,000 (Article 164 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses, Part 1). A repeated violation carries a fine of UAH 34,000–85,000 (Part 2 of Article 164). In addition, the Cabinet of Ministers may suspend the license partially or fully (temporarily for up to 6 months) or revoke it (in cases of gross violations under Article 16 of the Law on Licensing). Typical mistakes: inaccurate names/addresses (they must fully match the register data) and omitted practice addresses (all offices/branches); incorrect forms or missing documents (constituent documents, premises inspection reports, etc.); failure to pay the fee. To avoid problems, experts advise submitting documents with a detailed inventory of enclosures and using the official sample forms of the Ministry of Health.

Regulatory acts and sources

The main rules are set out in the Law of Ukraine “On Licensing of Types of Economic Activity” No. 222-VIII dated 02.03.2015 (Part 1, Article 7) and CMU Resolution No. 285 dated 02.03.2016 “On Licensing Conditions for Carrying Out Medical Practice” (as amended in 2025–2026). The Cabinet of Ministers also adopted amendments: No. 781 dated 27.07.2025 (new requirements, including psychiatric examination) and No. 148 dated 05.02.2026 (introduction of the applicant’s electronic account).

Under martial law, CMU Resolutions No. 314 dated 18.03.2022 (as amended) and No. 148 dated 09.02.2024 are in force (allowing military health care institutions to operate under declarations without a license). Details of qualification requirements and the list of specialties are set out in MOH orders (for example, the Procedure for Psychiatric Examinations, List of Specialties No. 446/2019, etc.). A list of current regulations can be found on the portals of the Verkhovna Rada, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Health (section “Licensing”).