RegistrationNEW

DIFC Courts Wills Service Registration

A will speaks only if the right register holds it. The DIFC Courts Wills Service, under Dubai Law No. 15 of 2017, registers wills for non-Muslims and holds them on its official record.

SRAG Wills prepares the file for DIFC registration — checking eligibility, assembling the paperwork, booking the signing appointment, and following up until the will is on the record. Registry fees are set by the authority; our advisory fee is quoted clearly before work begins. Families whose lives sit in Abu Dhabi can register through the ADJD Civil Wills Section instead — see our Will Services in Abu Dhabi section.

What registration does — and what it does not do

What it does

Puts your will on the official register under Dubai Law No. 15 of 2017
The court can issue probate and interim/permanent guardianship orders
Covers your UAE assets, including those acquired after registration

What it does not do

Replace legal advice — the Wills Service itself does not draft or advise
Guarantee enforcement of assets outside the UAE
Stop an interested party from contesting the will in court
Distribute the estate before funeral, administration and debts are settled

DIFC Courts Wills Service — The DIFC Courts Wills Service administers registration for non-Muslims under Dubai Law No. 15 of 2017.

Abu Dhabi Judicial Department — Civil Wills Section — The Civil Wills Section of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department registers civil wills under Abu Dhabi Law No. 14 of 2021.

Dubai Courts — The Dubai Courts hear estate and inheritance files onshore — including probate where no DIFC or ADJD registration exists.

How registration works

Document check

We check your signed draft and identity documents against the authority's checklist before anything is submitted.

Appointment

We book your registration appointment and prepare you for what happens in the room — identity verification and confirmation of your wishes.

On the record

The authority places your will on its record. You keep the confirmation with your signed copy.

Disclaimer: SRAG Wills is a wills consultancy, not a law firm or government body. Registration is completed with the DIFC Courts Wills Service or ADJD; estate and inheritance cases are filed with the Dubai Courts.

Register your will properly

Signed draft in hand? We take it from there — appointment, paperwork, and follow-up.

Chat with Our Advisor Contact Us

We respond within one business day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can register with the DIFC Courts Wills Service?

Three conditions, in the Wills Service's own words. You are not Muslim and have never been a Muslim. You are at least 18 years of age. You own assets in the UAE and/or have minor children residing with you in the UAE. Two notes — you must be at least 18 to register, though capacity rules under Dubai law can differ — take advice if you are under 21. And residency is not required — registration can be completed virtually from anywhere in the world.

What about the Abu Dhabi route?

Abu Dhabi registers civil wills through the ADJD Civil Wills Section, under Abu Dhabi Law No. 14 of 2021 — a separate office, fee schedule, and appointment process. If your family sits in Abu Dhabi, start with our Will Services in Abu Dhabi section; we advise which route fits your case before drafting begins.

What does registration cost?

Registry fees are published by the authority, as of October 2026. DIFC Courts — Full Will AED 10,000 single / 15,000 mirror; Property Will AED 7,500 / 10,000; Guardianship, Business Owners, Financial Assets, and Digital Assets Wills AED 5,000 / 7,500 each; modification AED 550; Grant of Probate USD 1,500. DIFC Courts registration fees are exempt from VAT. Our advisory fee is separate and quoted at consultation. Always confirm current figures on the official fee page.

What happens at the signing appointment?

For DIFC Courts registration — a roughly 20-minute appointment, by video call or in the office, with a Compliance Officer and two witnesses. Witnesses must be 18 or older, carry a passport or Emirates ID, and must not be beneficiaries or guardians (or their spouses). Identity is verified, the terms are read over, and you sign electronically. The electronic will is the original — the Wills Service holds no hard copies. Appointed guardians sign a Guardianship Statement each as part of registration.

What does registration NOT do?

Five limits, all official. It is not legal advice. It does not guarantee enforcement of the will outside the UAE. UAE real property follows UAE law, and anything contradicting public order or morals is void. It does not stop claims — any interested party may contest a will before the court. And the estate is not distributed until funeral, administration, executor, and debt obligations are settled in that statutory order.

Do I need to be in the UAE to register?

No. The Wills Service does not require testators to be UAE residents or visa holders, and registration can be completed virtually. One firm requirement — a basic grasp of English — translators and powers of attorney are not accepted at signing.

How do I change or cancel my registered will?

There are no codicils. Any change means editing the text and signing and registering an entirely new will at a modification appointment — the registry fee is AED 550, as of October 2026. Withdrawing from the Registry is free, by email and a withdrawal form. Note the automatic effects — a later marriage revokes the will entirely unless intent to marry was stated in it, and divorce voids gifts and appointments to the ex-spouse.

Where is my registered will kept, and for how long?

The electronic will is the original — the DIFC Courts Wills Service registers and holds no hard copies. The Registry retains the will for 120 years from the testator's date of birth, or 10 years from the Grant, whichever is sooner. You download a registered copy at the end of your appointment; no further action is required.

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