UAE Civil Law Reforms Prompt Urgent Calls for Expats to Register Wills

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New UAE civil-law reforms prompt fresh calls for expats to register or update their wills.

Federal Decree-Law No. 51 of 2024 and Personal Status Law No. 41 of 2024 took effect on 1 January 2026, fundamentally reshaping how UAE estates are administered.
Expatriates who die without a registered will and no legal heirs will have their UAE assets converted into a charitable endowment (waqf) under government supervision.
The age of legal majority has been reduced from 21 to 18, meaning inherited assets pass directly to beneficiaries at 18 without ongoing guardianship.
Non-Muslim expats dying intestate face gender-neutral default rules, with 50% to the surviving spouse and 50% shared equally among children regardless of gender.
More than 21,000 wills have been registered by expatriates since 2024, reflecting sharply rising demand driven by the new legal framework.
Legal experts urge expats to register wills through the DIFC Wills Service, Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, or Dubai Courts for streamlined probate protection.

Federal Decree-Law No. 51 of 2024 Reshapes the UAE Inheritance Landscape

Two landmark pieces of legislation - Federal Decree-Law No. 51 of 2024 on Civil Transactions and Personal Status Law No. 41 of 2024 - took effect on 1 January 2026, fundamentally altering how UAE estates are administered. These reforms directly affect every expatriate resident with assets in the country, whether bank balances, real estate, or business interests. They give legal rules considerably more precise effect when no valid will exists, closing longstanding grey areas around unclaimed expatriate wealth.

The changes have prompted a wave of guidance from legal experts, courts, and media outlets across the UAE. Registration pathways are available through the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD), the DIFC Wills Service, and Dubai Courts. A critical feature of the new framework is the treatment of heirless estates: assets without a registered beneficiary are now designated as a waqf - a charitable endowment - and transferred to approved foundations under government oversight. Legal commentary is consistent: a locally registered will is the only reliable safeguard for ensuring assets pass according to personal wishes.

Heirless Expatriate Assets Now Transfer to Charitable Endowments

Under the reformed civil law framework, if an expatriate dies without a registered will and no legal heirs come forward, UAE-situated assets are no longer frozen indefinitely. Instead, they are converted into a waqf and transferred to approved charitable foundations under government supervision. This applies to bank accounts, real estate holdings, and business interests located in the UAE.

Al Kabban and Associates describe this as a major change to the Civil Transactions framework, noting that the reform closes a previous grey area about what happens to unclaimed expatriate funds. As Gulf News reports, if intentions are not formally recorded, "the law will determine the outcome." Informal or verbal wishes carry no legal weight - only a properly registered will ensures assets reach intended beneficiaries.

Default Intestacy Rules for Non-Muslim Expats

For non-Muslim expatriates who die without a valid UAE will, the civil law now codifies gender-neutral intestacy rules. Under these default provisions, 50% of the estate passes to the surviving spouse, and the remaining 50% is divided equally among children regardless of gender. Where there are no children, residual shares pass to parents or siblings.

These statutory rules apply automatically when no will is registered - they are not optional or advisory. Legal experts warn that the outcome may diverge significantly from what a deceased resident actually intended, particularly where families have complex or cross-border structures. The only way to override default rules is through a valid, locally registered will.

Age of Majority Falls to 18 - and 15-Year-Olds Can Petition to Manage Assets

The reforms also reduce the age of legal majority from 21 to 18 Gregorian years. Once a beneficiary turns 18, guardianship over their inherited assets ends and legal control passes directly to them. Parents who wish to stage or condition transfers of wealth to children must now address this explicitly in their wills and related planning structures.

Separately, minors as young as 15 may petition a court for permission to manage inherited businesses or substantial assets, subject to oversight by a judicial assistant. As VisaHQ reports, this is framed as support for youth entrepreneurship and earlier financial responsibility. However, it raises the stakes for guardians to set out clear instructions in their wills, particularly around how business interests should be handled if children remain minors at the time of death.

Why a Locally Registered Will Outperforms a Foreign One

Saim Khan, associate at BSA Law, quoted in Khaleej Times, explains that a locally registered will reduces probate delays, limits the risk of account freezes, and prevents unintended default distributions. It also allows parents to appoint guardians for minor children and facilitates smoother execution across banks, land departments, and courts. These benefits apply directly from the point of registration.

Relying solely on a foreign will is generally slower and more uncertain. Overseas wills typically require legalisation, Arabic translation, and UAE court review, and may still be subject to local public-order rules. UAE-registered wills, by contrast, benefit from streamlined and tested probate procedures. Some courts have also introduced interest-free, instalment-based fee options to reduce upfront cost barriers for expatriate families.

Will Registrations Surpass 21,000 as Demand Accelerates

Data from the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court show that more than 21,000 wills have been registered by expatriates since 2024 - a milestone that coincides with growing awareness of the 2026 reforms. The DIFC Wills Service has also reported strong growth in non-Muslim will registrations, signalling a nationwide shift toward structured estate planning.

Legal representation is not strictly mandatory for will registration in all forums - individuals can self-register under defined conditions. However, practitioners consistently observe that professionally drafted wills yield fewer disputes and cleaner probate outcomes. Muhammad Tariq, Managing Partner of Legal Inz, notes in Gulf News that clear documents help keep personal wishes aligned with actual outcomes as families grow and circumstances change.

Implications for Advisers, Wealth Managers, and Employers

These reforms carry direct implications for financial advisers, wealth managers, and corporate HR teams. Advisers are increasingly integrating will-writing and succession planning into standard financial-planning reviews, particularly for clients holding UAE real estate, business interests, or significant bank balances. Aligning investment and ownership structures with local will provisions can prevent practical difficulties such as account freezes and delayed asset transfers.

Corporate employers are being advised to inform staff about the new rules' implications for end-of-service benefits and group life cover, since these benefits now interact more explicitly with will structures and intestacy rules. The broader message from legal and financial commentary is consistent: the UAE's new framework is more transparent and rules-based, but it assumes residents take action. Those who do not register a will are subject to default statutory mechanisms - including gender-neutral intestacy rules and waqf transfers - that may not reflect their personal intentions.