What the law does with your UAE assets if you have no will, for both Muslims and non-Muslim expats, then how to register one: DIFC, Dubai Courts or ADJD, with a checklist to get ready.
What happens to your UAE assets if you die without a registered will depends on whether you are a non-Muslim expatriate or a Muslim. Here is the default in each case.
Under the UAE Civil Personal Status Law (Federal Decree-Law 41 of 2022), a non-Muslim who dies without a will is distributed under a civil default: half of the estate passes to the surviving spouse and the remainder is divided equally among the children, with no distinction between sons and daughters.
Your heirs can instead ask the court to apply your home-country law, but in practice that means attested and translated documents, extra hearings and months of delay while accounts stay frozen. A registered will removes the uncertainty and names exactly who inherits and who guards your children.
The estate is divided according to fixed Sharia shares under the UAE Personal Status Law (Federal Decree-Law 41 of 2024). Set portions go to the surviving spouse, children and parents: for example a wife receives one eighth and a husband one quarter when there are children, and a son inherits twice the share of a daughter. The exact split depends on which relatives survive, and the court confirms it.
A will (wasiyya) cannot override those fixed shares, but it can direct up to one third of the estate to people or causes who are not heirs, and it records your guardianship wishes and asset list, which speeds up the court process.
Banks freeze the deceased's accounts as soon as they're notified, until a court order distributes the estate.
Final salary and end-of-service gratuity form part of the estate; the employer holds them until a succession order.
Without appointed guardians in a registered will, UAE courts decide who cares for your minor children.
| Compare | DIFC WSC | Dubai Courts Notary | ADJD (Abu Dhabi) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration fee (single) | – | – | – |
| Mirror wills (couple) | – | – | – |
| Language | English | Arabic / bilingual (certified translation) | Bilingual English–Arabic |
| Smoothest enforcement | Dubai (direct, Law 2/2025) + RAK | Dubai & UAE onshore courts | Abu Dhabi; recognised UAE-wide |
| Guardianship of minors | Yes (incl. guardianship-only will) | Yes | Yes |
| Probate venue | DIFC Courts (English) | Dubai Courts (Arabic) | ADJD courts (Arabic) |
| Typical extras | Drafting –, +5% VAT on fees | Translation –, typing fees | Drafting/typing if outsourced (indicative) |
Official registry charges as of July 2026, extras indicative; confirm on each registry's fee schedule before booking.
Legal rules on this page: Federal Decree-Law 41/2022 (Civil Personal Status, Art. 11 default, in force February 2023), Federal Decree-Law 41/2024 (Personal Status, in force 15 April 2025), Federal Decree-Law 33/2021 (Labour Law, end-of-service entitlements), Dubai Law 15/2017 (non-Muslim wills registry) and Dubai Law 2/2025 (DIFC Courts enforcement). Registration fees are the registries' published charges as of July 2026: the DIFC Wills Service Centre, the Dubai Courts Notary Public and the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department each publish current schedules, and they change. Treat every figure as a planning input, not a quote.
Educational tool only: not legal, financial or tax advice, and not a substitute for a licensed UAE lawyer or the competent court. Inheritance distributions shown (both civil and Sharia) are simplified illustrations that ignore debts, funeral costs, bequests, and many family configurations. Registration fees and legal references are as of July 2026 and change; verify with the DIFC Wills Service Centre, Dubai Courts, ADJD or your legal adviser before relying on them.
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