DIFC wills: eligibility, registration and fees (2026)
Lida MoghaddamDisclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only. It is based on cited public data and published under Lida Moghaddam's RERA-licensed masthead. It is not financial, legal, or investment advice. Dubai's property market moves quickly, so figures, yields, and rules may change or become outdated by the time you read this. Verify current information with the relevant authority or a qualified professional before acting. Read the full disclaimer.
Table of contents
DIFC wills can be registered by eligible non-Muslims without UAE residence. As of 19 October 2026, registration costs AED 7,500 for a single Property Will and AED 10,000 for a single Full Will, according to the DIFC Courts fee schedule; the Courts' FAQ confirms non-resident access.
Source: withlida.com, 19 October 2026, from the DIFC Courts Property Will, Full Will and Wills Service fee schedule. Amounts are registration fees; professional preparation and later probate are separate.
Last verified: 19 October 2026.
Who can register a DIFC will?
The DIFC Courts FAQ states that an applicant must be non-Muslim, must never have been Muslim, and must be at least 18 years old. It also requires UAE assets and/or minor children living with the applicant in the UAE. These are the service's published eligibility conditions, as of October 2026. Source: DIFC Courts Wills FAQ.
For an overseas Dubai homeowner, the relevant connection can therefore be the UAE asset. For a household considering guardianship provisions, the Full Will's stated child-residence scope also matters, as explained below. A testator is the person making the will.
Is UAE residence required?
UAE residence and a UAE visa are not required to register a DIFC Courts will. The FAQ also says that witnesses can join remotely from abroad and that nominated executors or guardians need not be UAE residents, as of October 2026. Source: DIFC Courts Wills FAQ.
That makes residence status a separate question from service eligibility. An owner living overseas still needs to meet the published conditions and prepare the records for the relevant will type.
What does a Property Will cover compared with a Full Will?
A Property Will addresses identified UAE real estate; a Full Will addresses a broader estate and can combine assets with guardianship provisions. The closer scope match depends on what the document needs to address, with legal suitability assessed by a qualified professional.
The Property Will service permits up to five UAE properties, or shares in up to five properties, as of October 2026. Its geography extends across the UAE, rather than being confined to property inside the DIFC district. The service uses its online Property Will template.
An off-plan home, a property purchased before completion, can be included in a Property Will when the Oqood certificate, the off-plan registration evidence specified by the FAQ, is available. The FAQ describes that certificate as issued by RERA, the Real Estate Regulatory Agency. It separately states that property ownership evidence is not required when registering a Full Will. Source: DIFC Courts Wills FAQ, as of October 2026.
The Full Will service covers a variety of assets and can include guardianship provisions for minor children residing in Dubai or Ras Al Khaimah, as of October 2026. The FAQ describes interim and permanent guardianship appointments. A household considering property alongside other assets or these guardianship provisions therefore has a broader scope question than a property-only registration.
Foreign assets may be included in a Full Will, but enforcement abroad depends on the relevant jurisdiction. The interaction with an existing overseas will also needs qualified legal advice. Source: DIFC Courts Wills FAQ, as of October 2026.
What are single and mirror wills?
A single will is one person's document. Mirror wills are two separate documents for spouses registering at the same appointment, according to the DIFC Courts FAQ, as of October 2026.
The mirror fee in the tables covers the pair. Each spouse still has an individual will. Sharing an appointment does not make the documents a joint will or determine their beneficiaries or provisions.
What does DIFC will registration cost?
The published registration fee already includes the deductible booking amount. Article IX, section B of the DIFC Courts fee schedule gives the following amounts, as of 19 October 2026.
Source: withlida.com, 19 October 2026, from the DIFC Courts Wills Service fee schedule. Balance equals total registration fee minus the listed booking amount. The portal invoice establishes what has actually been collected.
For example, the single Property Will registration subtotal reconciles as AED 750 + AED 6,750 = AED 7,500. A separately agreed professional preparation charge and any later probate costs sit outside that subtotal.
The Courts' FAQ says that legal practitioners set their own charges, separate from registration. Its probate page describes a later executor application with an appropriate fee, as of October 2026.
For cancellation or rescheduling, the applicable type-specific booking amount and conditions are in the current fee schedule. The registration table above uses its Wills Service section. The schedule's separate Notary Service wills entry is a different fee line.
Which records and witnesses are needed?
The published upload requirements distinguish identity documents, Property Will ownership evidence and guardianship statements. Executor and beneficiary passport copies are listed as optional supporting uploads in the DIFC Courts FAQ, as of October 2026.
An executor administers the estate following death; a beneficiary receives something under the will. Gathering their identifying details helps assemble the file. This table records document preparation, without choosing either role.
Source: withlida.com, 19 October 2026, from the DIFC Courts FAQ's document, off-plan and appointment requirements. Preparation notes are a record checklist; the upload column identifies the published status.
The FAQ requires two witnesses aged at least 18, with valid photographic government identification. A witness cannot be a beneficiary, a guardian, or the spouse of either under that will. A family member or executor may witness if eligible. These conditions are stated by DIFC Courts, as of October 2026.
The FAQ's attendance guidance excludes beneficiaries, guardians and their spouses from signing, while expressly allowing a spouse when both are executing mirror wills. The appointment instructions confirm how participants attend in that situation. Source: DIFC Courts Wills FAQ, as of October 2026.
How does remote registration work?
Registration takes place by video call and electronic signature, with the testator and witnesses able to join from different countries. The DIFC Courts FAQ describes this sequence, as of October 2026.
Prepare the document and upload records
The Property Will uses the official online template. For a Full Will, the service page provides routes to create or submit the document. The Wills Service administers registration and does not draft the will or provide legal advice.
Book the registration appointment
After preparation or upload, the portal directs the applicant to schedule and pay towards registration to confirm the appointment. The testator and witnesses receive the video link and preparation instructions nearer the appointment.
Set up the call and signing devices
The FAQ specifies access to a computer or similar device for the call and a touch-enabled phone or tablet for signatures. Participants together may share the video device if everyone is visible. The identity documents at the appointment must match those submitted.
Verify, sign and download
The Compliance Officer verifies identities and goes through the will with the testator. The testator and witnesses then sign electronically on their touch-enabled devices. After the signatures are received, the registered copy becomes available to download.
The FAQ treats the electronic will as the original and says the service does not retain hard-copy wills. Source: DIFC Courts Wills FAQ, as of October 2026.
How are preparation, registration and probate different?
Preparation establishes the document's contents, registration records its execution, and probate concerns estate administration after death. The DIFC Courts probate page, checked 19 October 2026, explains that the nominated executor applies for a Grant of Probate and pays the appropriate fee. Registration is therefore an earlier stage in the process.
For a homeowner, Dubai property gifting concerns a separate lifetime ownership-transfer process. Registering a will records instructions for use following death; it does not perform that lifetime gift transfer.
DIFC wills FAQ, verified 19 October 2026
How much does it cost to register a Will at DIFC Courts?
The official schedule, as of October 2026, lists Property Will registration at AED 7,500 single or AED 10,000 for a mirror pair. Full Will registration is AED 10,000 single or AED 15,000 for a mirror pair. The listed booking amounts are included in those fees.
What are the requirements for making a Will in the UAE?
For this particular service, the DIFC Courts FAQ states the religious, age and UAE asset or child-residence conditions set out above, plus the document and witness requirements. Other registration routes require their own checks; this guide describes DIFC Courts registration as of October 2026.
How do I register a Will in DIFC?
The official FAQ describes preparation or upload through the service portal, appointment booking and payment, followed by electronic signing with eligible witnesses. The remote process is available to eligible non-residents, as of October 2026.
Checked by the publication's independent check, 19 October 2026.
Change log: 2026-10-19 · first published · eligibility, service scope, records and fees checked against DIFC Courts' live pages.
Lida MoghaddamArchitect-turned-real-estate-specialist based in Dubai. She helps buyers, sellers, and investors read property with a designer's eye — structure, location, and long-term value.
