How do you register a will in the UAE, and what does it cost?
Non-Muslims can register a will with the DIFC Courts Wills Service or in Abu Dhabi, through ADGM Courts' notary or the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department. A DIFC Full Will costs AED 10,000 for one person and AED 15,000 for a couple's mirror wills, as of 12 November 2026. A will can also appoint guardians for your children.
A will lets you decide who inherits your UAE assets and who looks after your children. Without one, the law decides: for non-Muslims under the civil personal status law, half the estate goes to the spouse and half to the children equally.1 A life insurance payout on death is outside the estate and goes to the policy’s beneficiaries.2
Can you register a will with the DIFC Courts?
Yes, if you are not Muslim and have never been Muslim, are at least 18, and own assets in the UAE or have minor children living with you in the UAE.3 The DIFC Courts Wills Service is a joint initiative of the Government of Dubai and the DIFC Courts, and its authority was re-affirmed by Dubai Law No. 15 of 2017 on inheritance, wills and probate for non-Muslims.4
The service registers several types of will. Fees are set in Article IX of the DIFC Courts fee schedule.
| Will | What it covers | One person | Mirror wills for a couple |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Will | All movable and immovable assets in the UAE, and guardians for minor children in Dubai or Ras Al Khaimah | AED 10,000 | AED 15,000 |
| Guardianship Will | Guardians for children under 18 only | AED 5,000 | AED 7,500 |
| Property Will | Up to five properties in the UAE | AED 7,500 | AED 10,000 |
| Business Owners Will | Shares in up to five UAE companies | AED 5,000 | AED 7,500 |
| Financial Assets Will | Up to 10 UAE bank or brokerage accounts | AED 5,000 | AED 7,500 |
| Digital Assets Will | All digital assets | AED 5,000 | AED 7,500 |
Sources: fees5 and what each covers.3
Part of the fee is a non-refundable booking fee, AED 1,000 for one Full Will. Changing a registered will costs AED 550 per will, and the fees are not subject to VAT.3 Applying for a grant of probate after a death costs USD 1,500.3
You can draft the will yourself or use a template for some types. The service does not give legal advice and accepts wills from lawyers only if they are on its register of wills draftsmen.3
Can you register a will in Abu Dhabi?
Yes. ADGM Courts’ Notary Public, licensed by the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, notarises non-Muslim wills.6 Fees are paid to both ADGM Courts and the Judicial Department.6 The notary can notarise a will over assets inside or outside the UAE, but does not provide a probate service.7
The page said the office reopens on 23 November 2026, refers people to the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department during the closure, and gives a wait of up to four weeks for an appointment once a request is approved.6
Check the ADGM Courts page for the current position before you book.
How does a will fit with your life insurance?
Separately. The payout on death goes to the people the policy names and is not part of the estate.2 Asked whether life insurance forms part of the estate, the DIFC Courts’ FAQ says only that a Full Will covers all movable and immovable property in the jurisdiction it names.3
A will can also appoint guardians for your children, which a life policy does not do.4 Check your policy’s named beneficiaries and your will together, so they point to the same people. See naming beneficiaries.
What can a will under the civil personal status law cover?
The civil personal status law lets the testator leave a will covering all property they own in the UAE to anyone they choose, within the controls in its executive regulations, and requires wills to be recorded in a register. A married couple can fill in a will registration form when they sign a civil marriage contract.1
Ask the court or notary which register your will goes on, and keep the registration certificate with your policy documents.
The small print
- DIFC transitional rules. The DIFC Courts’ FAQ says all previously registered DIFC Courts wills remain valid under the newer law, and that probate orders are executed through the Dubai Courts.3
- Currency. DIFC fees are payable in dirhams or the US dollar equivalent at USD 1 to AED 3.6725.5
- Cancelling an appointment. The AED 1,000 booking fee for a Full Will is kept, and the Government of Dubai Department of Finance charges AED 200 to refund the rest.3
- Law of a will. The Civil Transactions Law applies the law chosen in the will, or the testator’s national law, to its substance, and UAE law to a foreigner’s will over UAE property.2
Sources
7
1UAE Legislation portal, Federal Decree-Law No. (41) of 2022 On the Civil Personal Status. Effective 1 Feb 2023. Last checked 12 Nov 2026. Source document: Federal Decree-Law No. (41) of 2022 On the Civil Personal Status
2UAE Legislation portal, Federal Decree by Law No. (25) of 2025 Promulgating the Civil Transactions Law. Effective 1 Jun 2026. Last checked 12 Nov 2026. Source document: Federal Decree by Law No. (25) of 2025 Promulgating the Civil Transactions Law
3DIFC Courts, Wills FAQ. Last checked 12 Nov 2026. Source document: Wills FAQ
4DIFC Courts, Wills Service. Last checked 12 Nov 2026. Source document: Wills Service
5DIFC Courts, Fees, Article IX, the DIFC Courts Wills Service. Last checked 12 Nov 2026. Source document: Fees, Article IX, the DIFC Courts Wills Service
6ADGM Courts, Notary Public. Last checked 12 Nov 2026. Source document: Notary Public
7ADGM Courts, Notary Public and Wills Office, Wills FAQs. Last checked 12 Nov 2026. Source document: Notary Public and Wills Office, Wills FAQs
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- Lifeinsurancequotes.ae research team
- Last review
- Next review due
- 12 Mar 2027
- Status
- Published