- The Kuwait MOH licensing exam is delivered by Prometric for the MOH Medical Licensing Department.
- Prometric publishes official blueprints for 9 exams; each has 150 MCQs in 170 minutes plus a 10-minute break (Anesthesia 190).
- Pass marks: 60% for GP, RN and Lab Technician; 65% Registrar / 70% Senior for specialist exams.
- 3 attempts, at least 6 weeks apart (Ophthalmology 2).
- A separate KMLE/KDLE for new graduates is reported to start on 1 January 2027.
What is the Kuwait MOH exam?
Healthcare professionals who want to practise in Kuwait need a licence from the Ministry of Health. The Medical Licensing Department licenses health professionals and institutions (pharmacy has its own department), and for many professionals licensing includes a computer-based exam delivered by Prometric at test centres worldwide (Prometric Kuwait MOH page).
Prometric groups the exams by grade: “Seniors” exams for consultants, senior specialists, specialists and senior registrars, and “Register” exams for registrars. Its blueprint document is titled “Kuwait Licensing Exam”.
Kuwait MOH exam vs KMLE
“KMLE” is widely used online as shorthand for the Kuwait MOH exam, but the Prometric document never uses that term. In 2026, Kuwaiti media reported a ministerial decree creating a new Kuwait Medical Licensing Examination (KMLE) and Kuwait Dental Licensing Examination (KDLE) for new graduates, governed by a board at the Kuwait Institute for Medical Specialization (KIMS) and effective 1 January 2027. Format, fees and delivery partner had not been published officially when we checked. Read KMLE vs Kuwait MOH Prometric exam for the details and sources.
The 9 exams with an official blueprint
Each official exam page shows every section and its exact number of questions, plus high-yield topics and sample questions.
| Exam | Sections | Largest section | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anesthesia | 12 | Airway (15) | Registrar 65% · Senior 70% |
| Dermatology | 13 | Cutaneous Neoplasms (21) | Registrar 65% · Senior 70% |
| General Practitioner | 4 | Medicine (45) | 60% |
| Critical Care (Intensive Care) | 13 | Pulmonary Disease and Mechanical Ventilation (23) | Registrar 65% · Senior 70% |
| Internal Medicine | 13 | Infectious Diseases (17) | Registrar 65% · Senior 70% |
| Lab Technician | 6 | Microbiology (30) | 60% |
| Obstetrics and Gynecology | 10 | General Obstetrics (36) | Registrar 65% · Senior 70% |
| Ophthalmology | 10 | Anterior Segment (26) | Registrar 65% · Senior 70% |
| Registered Nurse | 4 | Adult Nursing (60) | 60% |
Format, pass marks and attempts
- Questions: 150 computer-based multiple-choice questions.
- Time: 170 minutes with a 10-minute break; Anesthesia 190 minutes with a 10-minute break.
- Pass marks: 60% (GP, Registered Nurse, Lab Technician); 65% Registrar / 70% Senior (Internal Medicine, Ophthalmology, Critical Care, Anesthesia, Dermatology, OB/GYN).
- Attempts: three, at least six weeks apart; two for Ophthalmology.
- Not published: fees, exam language, result timing and how long a pass remains valid.
If your specialty isn’t one of the nine
The Ministry licenses many more professions than the nine published blueprints cover. Some specialties are part of a published exam — Cardiology is a 16-question section of Internal Medicine, Neonatology a 3-question part of the GP exam — but that is not a separate licensing exam. For the remaining specialties no official blueprint is published, so confirm your exam category with the Ministry of Health. Our 79-specialty mapping shows the status of each one.
Steps to Kuwait MOH licensing
- 1
Confirm your exam category
Check whether your specialty has an official blueprint, and confirm your category and grade (Registrar or Senior) with MOH.
- 2
Apply through the MOH portal
Applications go through the Medical Licensing Department’s online licence portal, usually with your employer.
- 3
Verify your credentials
Prepare degrees, licences, experience letters and good-standing certificates, and follow the verification instructions you receive.
- 4
Schedule with Prometric
Once eligible, book a test centre and date through Prometric. Follow our step-by-step registration guide.
- 5
Sit the exam
150 MCQs, 170 minutes plus a break. Bring an ID whose name exactly matches your booking.
Specialty groups
How to prepare
Weight your study time by the official blueprint: with 150 questions, a 30-question section is worth five times a 6-question one. Practise daily with explained MCQs, keep an error log, and finish with full 150-question mocks in 170 minutes.
Baseline
Mixed test; map your scores to the blueprint sections.
Largest sections
Cover the highest-weighted sections first.
Weak areas
Finish smaller sections and repeat wrong answers.
Timed mocks
Full mocks at about 68 seconds per question.
Full plan: How to prepare for the Kuwait MOH exam.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Kuwait MOH exam?
It is the computer-based licensing exam required by the Medical Licensing Department of the Kuwait Ministry of Health for many healthcare professionals. Prometric delivers it at test centres worldwide; its official blueprint document is titled “Kuwait Licensing Exam”.
Which exams have an official blueprint?
Nine: General Practitioner, Internal Medicine, Registered Nurse, Ophthalmology, Critical Care, Anesthesia, Dermatology, Obstetrics & Gynecology and Lab Technician. Prometric notes that content, percentages and attempts are subject to change upon department review.
What is the exam format?
150 computer-based multiple-choice questions in 170 minutes plus a 10-minute break. The Anesthesia exam is 190 minutes plus a 10-minute break.
What are the pass marks?
60% for General Practitioner, Registered Nurse and Lab Technician. For Internal Medicine, Ophthalmology, Critical Care, Anesthesia, Dermatology and Obstetrics & Gynecology: 65% at Registrar level and 70% at Senior level.
How many attempts are allowed?
Three attempts at least six weeks apart; Ophthalmology allows two attempts.
Is KMLE the same as the Kuwait MOH exam?
Not exactly. 2026 news reports describe a new Kuwait Medical Licensing Examination (KMLE) and Kuwait Dental Licensing Examination (KDLE) for new graduates, run through KIMS from 1 January 2027. The current Prometric exam covers registrar and senior grades. Follow official MOH and KIMS announcements for details.
Question banks weighted to the official blueprints for all 79 specialties.
Sources: Prometric “Kuwait Licensing Exam”; Prometric Kuwait MOH; Arab Times and Al Rai (KUNA) reports on the KMLE/KDLE, 2026. Checked 1 November 2026. KMLE Exam is an independent exam-preparation resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Kuwait Ministry of Health (MOH), the Kuwait Institute for Medical Specialization (KIMS) or Prometric. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.