Q Guide: Wills # How to register a will in the UAE: choosing where to register A How to register a will in the UAE comes down to one early decision: where. Expats usually choose between the DIFC Courts, the Dubai Courts notary and the Abu Dhabi courts. Each route has its own rules on who may use it, which language the will is in, who must witness it and what it costs, and those rules shape the will itself. So the route is chosen first, and the drafting follows it. At a glance Wills registration in the UAE is recorded by the registry of the route you choose. Our part is the drafting, the Arabic text and the booking. The routes most expats compare are the DIFC Courts, the Dubai Courts notary and the Abu Dhabi courts. Who may use each route depends on factors such as religion, residence and where the assets are. A will signed before the Dubai notary falls under Dubai's notary law, which makes Arabic the language of the instrument. An English will goes with a certified Arabic translation, and you sign both (Law No. 4 of 2013, Article 27). The registration fee is set by the registry, not by us. Our will drafting starts from AED 4,000. In this guide * Why register at all * The questions that decide the route * The routes, and what to check for each * How the route changes the will we draft * How to register a will in the UAE with us * Cost of registering a will in the UAE * Mistakes we see at registration This guide is for the expat reader who has decided to make a will and now faces the question of where to register it. It sets out the questions that decide the route, what to check about each one, and how the choice changes the document we draft. For the drafting of the will itself, see our [will writing service](https://notariolawyersuae.com/will-writing-services-dubai/). ## Why register at all A will that sits in a drawer has two weaknesses. Nobody may know it exists, and when it is found, someone may question whether you really signed it. Registration answers both: there is an official record of the will and of how it was signed, and your family and executor know where to ask for it. Step by step ## The questions that decide the route Before looking at any registry, answer these about yourself and your estate. ![Older woman writing in a notebook at a garden table](https://notariolawyersuae.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/will-writing-services-dubai-inline1.webp) 01 ### Where are your assets? A flat in Dubai, a bank account in Abu Dhabi, shares in a free zone company, or assets in several emirates. The emirate where the assets sit matters for which court will deal with them. 02 ### What is your religion? The rules that apply to a will in the UAE are not the same for Muslims and non-Muslims. 03 ### Where do you live? A resident with an Emirates ID and a non-resident who only owns property here may have different options. 04 ### Which language do you want the will in? English only, Arabic only, or both. Some routes accept English, others need Arabic. 05 ### Who will be your executor and guardian? Whether they live in the UAE or abroad affects how easily they can act. 06 ### Do you already have a will elsewhere? A home country will must be taken into account so that the UAE will does not cancel it. Case by case ## The routes, and what to check for each ### DIFC Courts The DIFC Courts sit in the Dubai International Financial Centre and run their own services, separate from the onshore Dubai Courts. Many expats ask about DIFC wills first. Before choosing it, confirm who is eligible, which assets a DIFC will can cover, the witnessing and attendance rules, and the fee. ### Dubai Courts notary A will can be signed before the notary in Dubai and registered through the Dubai Courts system. Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013 gives the notary the power to attest wills made by non-Muslims (Article 20). Because Dubai's notary law applies, the instrument is in Arabic, or in another language with a certified Arabic translation, and both versions are signed. That makes the Arabic text central to this route. The step by step Dubai Courts procedure is covered on our sister site's guide to [Dubai Courts will registration](https://notarypublicindubai.com/dubai-courts/will-registration/). ### Registering a will in Abu Dhabi courts The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department is the judicial authority for Abu Dhabi, and expats with assets in Abu Dhabi ask about registering a will there. Confirm who can register, whether the will can be in English, whether witnesses are needed, and the fee, before the will is drafted. ### A checklist to compare the routes For each route you are considering, get a current written answer to these five points before any drafting starts: * who may register on it; * which language the will must be in; * whether witnesses are needed, and who may act as one; * whether you must attend in person or can attend remotely; * the registration fee. We go through the checklist with you at the first meeting from each registry's current published rules, because these are the details that change most often. ## How the route changes the will we draft ### Language A route that needs Arabic means the Arabic is the text that counts. We draft the English and Arabic together and check that names, amounts and property descriptions match in both. See our [legal translation services](https://notariolawyersuae.com/legal-translation-dubai/) for how that alignment works. ### Scope A will registered on one route may cover only certain assets. The scope clause says exactly which assets the will covers, so nothing falls between two wills. ### Revocation The UAE will should cancel only earlier wills that cover the same assets. A general "I revoke all previous wills" can cancel a home country will by accident. ### Witnesses If the route requires witnesses, they must meet its conditions, and a beneficiary is often a poor choice of witness. We tell you before the signing who can and cannot witness. ### Format Some registries use their own template or require specific headings. The content can be the same, but the layout must follow the registry. Step by step ## How to register a will in the UAE with us 01 ### Meeting We go through the six questions above with you and note your assets, family and any existing will. 02 ### Route We agree the registration route and check its current rules together. 03 ### Draft You receive the will in plain English, with each clause explained. 04 ### Arabic text Where the route needs Arabic, the Arabic is prepared and aligned with the English. 05 ### Booking We book the signing and registration appointment and tell you, your witnesses and anyone else attending what to bring. 06 ### Signing and registration You sign in the manner the route requires, and the registry records the will. 07 ### Records You keep the registration record and tell your executor where it is. Prices ## Cost of registering a will in the UAE | Service | Our service price | | --- | --- | | Will | From AED 4,000 | | Legal translation | From AED 50 per page | All service prices are starting prices and are negotiable. Government fees are paid on top, at cost, exactly as the authority charges them. We confirm your final price before you pay. The registration fee is charged by the registry you choose and is paid on top of our drafting price. Mirror wills for a couple are two wills, each registered separately. See our [legal document fees](https://notariolawyersuae.com/legal-document-fees-dubai/) page for the full list. Watch for ## Mistakes we see at registration 01 A template will from the internet that does not follow the chosen registry's format. 02 A beneficiary asked to act as a witness. 03 Names spelled differently in the will and in the passport. 04 A property described by an old address after the owner has moved. 05 A will registered years ago that still names a guardian who has since left the UAE. Wills ## Where this page sits Service hub ### [Wills](https://notariolawyersuae.com/will-writing-services-dubai/) Our will writing service in Dubai drafts wills for expats: guardians, executors, UAE property and bank accounts, in English and Arabic, ready to register. Questions ## Frequently asked questions If your question is not here, ask it on WhatsApp. Tell us what the document is for and who will sign it. [Ask on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/971524841790) ### Where can I register my will in the UAE? The routes most expats compare are the DIFC Courts, the Dubai Courts notary and the Abu Dhabi courts. Which ones are open to you depends on your religion, residence and assets. ### Can I register a will I wrote myself? Possibly, if it meets the chosen registry's rules on format, language and witnessing. Have it reviewed against those rules before you book the appointment. ### Can I register a will if I live outside the UAE? That depends on the route and on where your assets are. ### Do I have to register a will in the UAE? We recommend it, because registration gives your family an official record to rely on. ### Can I change a registered will? Yes, usually by making a new will that revokes the earlier one and registering it on the same route. Guides ## More guides [View all guides](https://notariolawyersuae.com/blog/) * [Can a lawyer be a notary in the UAE?](https://notariolawyersuae.com/can-a-lawyer-be-a-notary/) Can a lawyer be a notary in Dubai and the UAE? Yes, once registered as a private notary. Who may notarise, how to check, and what a lawyer alone can sign. [Read more](https://notariolawyersuae.com/can-a-lawyer-be-a-notary/) * [Is a lawyer a notary public? The difference between a notary and an advocate in the UAE](https://notariolawyersuae.com/is-a-lawyer-a-notary-public-2/) Is a lawyer a notary public in the UAE? Not automatically. The plain answer under UAE and Dubai law, and how a notary differs from an advocate. [Read more](https://notariolawyersuae.com/is-a-lawyer-a-notary-public-2/) * [The UAE Attorney General office: what it does and how it differs by emirate](https://notariolawyersuae.com/the-uae-attorney-general-office/) What the UAE Attorney General office does, how the federal prosecution differs from Dubai and Abu Dhabi prosecution, and the documents people need. [Read more](https://notariolawyersuae.com/the-uae-attorney-general-office/) ## Plan your will registration Call or WhatsApp +971 52 484 1790, or email support@notariolawyersuae.com with the emirates where your assets are. We will go through the routes with you before any drafting begins. Our services ## Other services * [Legal drafting](https://notariolawyersuae.com/legal-drafting-dubai/) * [Legal translation](https://notariolawyersuae.com/legal-translation-dubai/) * [Family and travel documents](https://notariolawyersuae.com/child-travel-poa-consent-letter-dubai-uae/) * [Notary lawyer](https://notariolawyersuae.com/notary-lawyer-in-dubai/) ### Sources for this page * Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013 concerning Notaries Public in the Emirate of Dubai, Article 27 (language of instruments): [https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2013/Law%20No.%20(4)%20of%202013%20Concerning%20Notaries%20Public%20in%20the%20Emirate%20of%20Dubai.html](https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2013/Law%20No.%20(4%29%20of%202013%20Concerning%20Notaries%20Public%20in%20the%20Emirate%20of%20Dubai.html) --- Source: https://notariolawyersuae.com/will-registration-uae/