Dubai wills guide
Making a will in Dubai: your options as an expat
Living in Dubai does not limit you to a Dubai court. Based on source material reviewed by QuickWills UAE, both the ADGM and ADJD courts accept applicants from across the UAE — and Dubai also has its own DIFC route, covered below for comparison. QuickWills UAE prepares documents for the ADGM and ADJD routes; the eligibility checker, not this page, determines which one fits.
Key distinction
Where you live and where your will is registered are separate questions.
QuickWills UAE is a self-help document-preparation service, not a law firm. We do not provide legal advice and do not submit, sign, notarise or register your will for you.
What are the will options for Dubai residents?
There is no single “Dubai will”. UAE residents choosing a court route for a will are mainly looking at three: the ADGM Courts’ Notary Public and Wills Office and the ADJD Civil Family Court’s civil wills route — both administered in Abu Dhabi and, based on source material reviewed by QuickWills UAE, accepting applicants from across the UAE — and the DIFC Courts’ Wills Service, a separate Dubai-based route with its own registry. QuickWills UAE prepares documents for the ADGM and ADJD routes only.
The two routes QuickWills UAE prepares
An orientation-level view of the ADGM and ADJD routes for a Dubai resident. The full side-by-side comparison lives on the ADGM vs ADJD page.
Where does DIFC — the Dubai-based route — fit?
The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts run a separate Dubai-based route with its own Wills Service and registry, distinct from both ADGM and ADJD. QuickWills UAE does not currently prepare DIFC wills — it is covered here for comparison only. See the ADGM vs DIFC comparison guide for the detail.
Does a will made outside Dubai cover your Dubai home?
ADGM source material reviewed by QuickWills UAE states that the Notary Public can notarise a will if the assets are located within the UAE, including outside Abu Dhabi — which includes property in Dubai. The official ADJD form covers property situated in the UAE generally; how that applies to a specific Dubai property is a question for a licensed UAE lawyer. Registering a will is also not the same as transferring a property — read the Dubai property will guide for the full breakdown, including the Dubai Land Department’s separate transfer step.
What does a will cost for a Dubai resident?
Keep QuickWills UAE platform fees separate from court/government fees, which differ by route and are paid directly to the relevant court.
- QuickWills UAE platform fee
- AED 950–AED 1,500, depending on will type and identical across both routes. Includes guided document preparation, Arabic translation and court-registration guidance.
- ADGM court/government fee
- Approximately AED 1,520, paid directly to ADGM. Court fees can change.
- ADJD court/government fee
- AED 950 for a single will (AED 1,900 for mirror wills for couples), paid directly to ADJD. Court fees can change.
See the full UAE will cost guide for a route-by-route breakdown.
Can it all be done from Dubai — without travelling?
ADGM
Document submission is digital, and the appointment is a virtual meeting with the Notary Public — but you still attend a scheduled appointment and sign in wet ink.
ADJD
ADJD’s process is fully remote — filed through the ADJD portal and confirmed at a video-call appointment — but registration is still a step you complete directly with the court, not something QuickWills UAE does for you.
QuickWills UAE does not register, file, notarise, sign or witness your will for you. QuickWills UAE is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
What happens without a will?
Without a registered will, your UAE estate is subject to whichever court process applies, and default distribution rules can be fact-specific — no page can predict your own outcome. Read our full guide on dying without a will in the UAE for more detail.
Check which route fits your circumstances
Start with the eligibility checker, compare ADGM and ADJD in detail if you want the full breakdown, or read about preparing a will fully online. The eligibility checker is informational only.
Dubai wills FAQs
Can I make a will if I live in Dubai?
Yes. Based on source material reviewed by QuickWills UAE, both the ADGM and ADJD courts accept applicants from across the UAE — living in Dubai does not rule either route out. Dubai also has its own DIFC Courts Wills Service, which QuickWills UAE does not prepare wills for. Use the eligibility checker to confirm your specific situation; it is informational only and does not make a legal determination.
Do I have to use a Dubai court because I live in Dubai?
No. Where a court is administered is not necessarily where the applicant must live. The ADGM and ADJD routes are administered in Abu Dhabi but, based on source material reviewed by QuickWills UAE, accept applicants from across the UAE. The DIFC Courts run a separate Dubai-based route with its own Wills Service and registry.
Does an ADGM or ADJD will cover my Dubai property?
ADGM source material reviewed by QuickWills UAE states that the Notary Public can notarise a will if the assets are located within the UAE, including outside Abu Dhabi — which includes property in Dubai. The official ADJD form covers property situated in the UAE generally; how that applies to a specific Dubai property is a question for a licensed UAE lawyer. See the Dubai property will guide for the full breakdown.
Can I make my will online from Dubai?
QuickWills UAE's document preparation is done online. Registration itself is not: ADGM uses a virtual notary appointment with a wet-ink signature, and ADJD's process is fully remote — filed through the ADJD portal and confirmed at a video-call appointment — but registration is still a step you complete directly with the court, not something QuickWills UAE does for you.
Does QuickWills UAE prepare DIFC wills?
No. QuickWills UAE currently prepares ADGM and ADJD will documents only. DIFC is discussed on this page for comparison — not as a route QuickWills UAE offers.
Does QuickWills UAE choose a route for me?
No. The eligibility checker at /eligibility derives the likely route from your answers — it is informational, not a legal determination, and you complete registration directly with whichever court applies. QuickWills UAE is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.