What is the DIFC Wills Service Centre?
The DIFC Wills Service Centre is the official will registry operated by the courts of the Dubai International Financial Centre. It allows non-Muslim expats to register a will under an English-style common law framework, written and enforced entirely in English.
The registry was established under Dubai Law No. 15 of 2017, which created a Register of Wills for non-Muslims at both Dubai Courts and the DIFC Courts. Under current arrangements following Dubai Law No. 2 of 2025, the DIFC Courts handle enforcement of DIFC-registered wills. This generally removes the earlier second probate step through the Dubai Courts, which could add time and cost to the enforcement process.
The will is stored on a searchable electronic registry, which makes it easier for executors to locate and act on when the time comes.
Who can register a DIFC will?
The DIFC route is designed for non-Muslims. Eligibility is verified at registration under the current rules:
- Applicants are generally required to be at least 21 years old.
- The DIFC route is designed for non-Muslims; if you have ever been Muslim or have a mixed-faith situation, confirm eligibility with the registry or in the free Risk Profile Audit.
- Applicants generally need UAE assets (movable or immovable), or dependent minors resident in Dubai or Ras Al Khaimah.
- UAE residency is not required. Non-resident property investors can register.
If you are a Muslim expat from a non-GCC country, the ADJD Non-Muslim Wills Office in Abu Dhabi is the route that accepts your registration, following its 2025 expansion to non-GCC Muslim expats. If you are unsure which registry applies to your family situation, book your free Risk Profile Audit and we will clarify it in 30 minutes.
The common law advantage
DIFC wills operate under common law, the same legal tradition used in England and Wales, the United States, Australia, Canada and India. For expats from these countries, the structure, terminology and logic of a DIFC will feel intuitive rather than foreign.
Under current arrangements, DIFC Courts generally apply the will as written, with judicial discretion that may be more limited than in civil law registries. Civil law registries may apply wider discretion depending on the case, so the comparative level of predictability should be confirmed for your circumstances.
English only: no Arabic translation
One of the most visible differences from the other principal UAE routes is that a DIFC will is drafted, signed, registered and enforced in English. Under current guidance, certified Arabic translation is not required, which reduces the risk of bilingual discrepancies at probate.
Under current guidance for ADJD and Dubai Courts wills, the document is generally bilingual, with Arabic carrying particular importance if the versions conflict. Certified legal translation adds cost and introduces a real risk: if the translation does not match the English precisely, the court may reject the will or rely on the Arabic version. DIFC avoids that translation layer.
For many expats, this alone justifies the higher court fee.
What the AED 10,000 Full Will court fee covers
The DIFC Full Will registration fee is AED 10,000 per person, or AED 15,000 for a Full Will mirror-will couple. This is the registration fee paid directly to the DIFC Courts. It is separate from the cost of drafting the will and from any service or coordination fee.
For context, here is how the numbers compare across the main options available to expats:
| Option | Court fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| DIFC Wills | AED 10,000 per Full Will, AED 15,000 Full Will mirror | English only, common law, direct DIFC enforcement |
| ADJD Wills | AED 950 per person, AED 1,900 mirror | Bilingual, civil law, all seven emirates |
| Traditional law firm | AED 6,500 to 7,000 for drafting | Usually hourly rate, plus the court fee on top |
| DIY template | Around AED 500 | No court registration, no legal review, high rejection risk |
The AED 10,000 single and AED 15,000 mirror figures shown for DIFC are Full Will registration fees. Narrower DIFC will types, including guardianship-only and property-only wills, have lower court fees from AED 5,000; the free Risk Profile Audit confirms which type fits your circumstances.
The court fee is the same whether you use SmartWills or go direct to the registry. What differs is the drafting, coordination and support around it. If you want to see the full cost picture for your specific assets and family, book your free Risk Profile Audit and we will lay out every figure before you commit.
Asset coverage: UAE-wide and beyond
A DIFC will can cover assets across all seven emirates, plus certain foreign assets. This is broader than many expats assume: the DIFC registry is not limited to Dubai property.
The registry offers several will types, each scoped to a category of asset:
- Full Will: all movable and immovable assets, plus guardianship, business interests and digital assets.
- Property Will: UAE real estate, up to a maximum of five properties.
- Financial Assets Will: UAE bank and brokerage accounts, up to ten accounts at UAE branches.
- Business Owners Will: shares in UAE companies, up to five companies.
- Guardianship Will: guardianship for minors under 21 who are resident in Dubai or Ras Al Khaimah.
- Digital Assets Will: cryptocurrency and digital assets.
Mirror wills, where two partners create matching documents, are available for every type. The Full Will mirror registration fee of AED 15,000 covers both partners in a single registration process.
One boundary matters for expats: under Article 17 of the Civil Transactions Law, UAE real estate is generally governed by UAE law despite a foreign will. If you own property in the Emirates, a UAE-registered will is generally needed to direct who inherits it. Without a local will, your Dubai or Abu Dhabi property could be distributed according to UAE default rules.
The remote registration process
DIFC registration is fully remote. The Virtual Registry allows you to submit documents, sign by video link and complete the entire process without visiting a courtroom or government office. Video signing is accepted even if you are outside the UAE at the time of the appointment.
This suits expats who travel frequently or hold assets across multiple jurisdictions. The signing appointment takes around 10 minutes on camera.
For couples registering mirror wills, both partners attend the same video session, which keeps the process efficient and coordinated.
When DIFC is worth the premium
DIFC costs roughly ten times the ADJD court fee. Whether that premium is justified depends on your situation. It tends to be worth it when one or more of the following apply.
You want an English-only process. If you want to reduce the risk of translation discrepancies at probate, DIFC keeps the registration process in English throughout under current arrangements.
You hold assets outside the UAE. DIFC wills can cover certain overseas assets alongside UAE holdings, useful if you already have a home-country will and want an English-language document that sits naturally beside it.
You come from a common law background. UK, US, Australian, Canadian and Indian expats often find the DIFC framework more intuitive and easier to discuss with executors abroad.
You have complex assets. Multiple properties, business shares, brokerage accounts and digital holdings can be covered in a single Full Will, with the court applying the document as written.
You value direct enforcement. Under current arrangements following Dubai Law No. 2 of 2025, DIFC wills are generally enforced directly by DIFC Courts without the earlier second step through the Dubai Courts. This can reduce probate time and cost for Dubai-centric estates.
When ADJD makes more sense
DIFC is not the right answer for everyone, and pretending otherwise would be dishonest. ADJD is the stronger choice in several common situations:
- Budget is the primary factor. At AED 950 per person, ADJD is the most cost-effective court-registered will in the UAE. The mirror fee of AED 1,900 is roughly one-eighth of the DIFC equivalent.
- You are comfortable with bilingual documents. If Arabic translation does not concern you, or your family includes Arabic speakers, the ADJD process is straightforward and well established.
- You are a non-GCC Muslim expat. ADJD expanded in 2025 to accept non-GCC Muslim expats who want to opt out of Sharia distribution. DIFC does not accept Muslim registrants.
- Your assets are spread across emirates and you do not need overseas coverage. Under Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022, ADJD wills can cover assets across all seven emirates, subject to local enforcement steps.
If you are still weighing the two registries, take the 2-minute DIFC vs ADJD quiz. It asks the key questions about your assets, nationality and preferences, then points you toward the registry that could fit you, whether DIFC, ADJD or Dubai Courts, for our partner law firm to confirm.
DIFC vs ADJD at a glance
| Feature | DIFC Wills | ADJD Wills |
|---|---|---|
| Language | English only | English and Arabic, both required |
| Legal system | Common law | Civil law |
| Court fee (per person) | AED 10,000, Full Will registration | AED 950 |
| Court fee (mirror couple) | AED 15,000, Full Will mirror registration | AED 1,900 |
| Coverage | UAE-wide plus some foreign assets | All seven emirates |
| Translation required | No | Yes, certified Ministry of Justice |
| Eligibility | Designed for non-Muslims; confirm prior-faith or mixed-faith cases | Non-Muslim plus non-GCC Muslim expats |
| Remote signing | Yes, video from anywhere | Yes, via WebEx and TAMM portal |
| Enforcement | DIFC Courts, direct (Law 2/2025) | Abu Dhabi Courts |
| Judicial discretion | Generally more limited under current arrangements | May be wider, depending on the case |
Step-by-step: registering a DIFC will
The total time you invest is approximately three hours. The rest is handled by the team.
1
Risk Profile Audit (30 minutes)
A free consultation where we help you compare whether DIFC, ADJD or Dubai Courts could fit your situation, for our partner law firm to confirm, show the exact costs including court fees, and map the timeline. This is where you decide between DIFC and ADJD with full information and zero pressure.
2
Protection Assessment (approximately 2 hours)
You complete an asset checklist, a decision framework for guardians and executors, and executor templates. For couples, this is done together. A Legacy Guide is available via WhatsApp throughout.
3
Drafting (no time required from you)
The UAE-licensed partner lawyers draft your DIFC will in English, structured to meet the DIFC Wills and Probate Registry Rules. You review the draft before it is submitted.
4
No translation step
For DIFC wills, the certified Arabic translation step is skipped entirely. Your will stays in English from first draft to final registration. This is one of the main time and risk advantages of the DIFC route.
5
Facilitated registration (10 minutes)
We book your video appointment with the DIFC Virtual Registry. You join from anywhere, verify your identity on camera in English, and the will is formally registered.
6
Annual Legacy Review
Each year SmartWills coordinates a check of whether your will still matches your situation: new property, another child, a change of executor. If an update is needed, UAE-licensed partner lawyers draft it and SmartWills coordinates the process.
Frequently asked questions
Is the DIFC court fee included in the SmartWills service fee?
No. The AED 10,000 Full Will registration fee is paid directly to the DIFC Courts and is separate from the SmartWills service fee. The service fee covers drafting by UAE-licensed partner lawyers, SmartWills coordination and registration support. Full pricing transparency is provided during your free Risk Profile Audit, so you see every figure before you commit.
Can a DIFC will cover my property and assets outside the UAE?
DIFC wills can cover certain overseas assets alongside UAE holdings. However, under Article 17 of the Civil Transactions Law, UAE real estate is generally governed by UAE law, so a UAE-registered will is generally needed to direct the succession of property in the Emirates. For specifics on how your foreign assets interact with a DIFC will, book your free Risk Profile Audit and we will address your exact situation.
Do I need to be in Dubai to register a DIFC will?
No. The DIFC Virtual Registry accepts video signing from anywhere in the world. You do not need to visit a government office or courtroom. The signing appointment takes approximately 10 minutes on camera.
Can Muslim expats register a DIFC will?
The DIFC route is designed for non-Muslims; if you have ever been Muslim or have a mixed-faith situation, confirm eligibility with the registry or in the free Risk Profile Audit. Under current guidance, eligible non-GCC Muslim expats may use the ADJD route instead.
How long does DIFC will registration take?
Registration timelines depend on DIFC Courts processing, which we do not control. The drafting and coordination work on our side is typically completed within the standard service window. We give you a realistic timeline during your Risk Profile Audit based on current court processing speeds.
What if I already have a will from my home country?
A foreign will may be recognised in the UAE for non-real-estate assets under Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022, but UAE real estate is treated separately under Article 17 of the Civil Transactions Law. A DIFC will can sit alongside your home-country will, covering UAE assets within its scope and in English. During the Risk Profile Audit we map how the two documents interact, for the partner law firm to confirm the legal position.
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