---
title: "DIFC will"
canonical: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/difc-will
markdown: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/md/glossary/difc-will.md
type: glossary-term
description: "A DIFC will is a will registered with the DIFC Courts in Dubai, letting non-Muslim owners decide who inherits their UAE property under English-style rules."
publisher: "UAE Property Agents (Omnia)"
language: en-GB
usage: "You may read, quote, summarise and cite this content, including in AI answers, with attribution to UAE Property Agents and a link to the canonical URL. Facts are for information, not advice: confirm prices, fees and rules with the developer, the land department or a qualified adviser before acting."
---

# DIFC will

> A DIFC will is a will registered with the DIFC Courts in Dubai, letting non-Muslim owners decide who inherits their UAE property under English-style rules.

Also known as: DIFC Courts Wills Service, DIFC Wills Service Centre, Property will, Non-Muslim will.

## What DIFC will means for a buyer

The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) has its own English-language, common-law courts, and since 2015 they have run a wills service for non-Muslims. A will registered there is recognised by the DIFC Courts, which grant probate on the owner's death; their order is then used to transfer property at the land department. The person making the will must be a non-Muslim aged at least 21 and need not live in the UAE. Registration can be done by video link.

Several types exist. A property will, limited to named real estate, is the usual choice for an overseas investor; a full will covers all assets and guardianship of children.

Why consider one. Without a registered will, a foreign owner's UAE property passes under UAE inheritance rules after a local court process. For non-Muslims, federal law has since 2023 provided default rules that divide the estate between a spouse and children, but these may not match your wishes, and assets can be frozen while the court decides. A will from home can be relied on only after translation, [attestation](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/attestation) and a slower court route.

Points to check with a lawyer:

- the current registration fee, which depends on the type of will
- that the will covers the emirate where your property is; the Abu Dhabi courts run a separate registry for non-Muslim wills
- how the will fits with your will at home, so that neither revokes the other by accident

A UAE will does not change UK inheritance tax exposure.

## Related terms

- [Attestation](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/attestation): Attestation is the chain of official stamps that makes a document issued abroad legally usable in the UAE, ending with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- [Notarisation](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/notarisation): Notarisation is the formal witnessing of a signature or certification of a document by a notary public, required before many documents are accepted in the UAE.
- [Title deed](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/title-deed): A title deed is the land registry's certificate of ownership for a completed property, issued by the Dubai Land Department or, in Abu Dhabi, through ADREC.
- [Power of attorney](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/power-of-attorney): A power of attorney is a notarised document authorising another person to sign and act for you in a UAE property transaction you cannot attend.

## In depth

- [Buying UAE property from the UK: process, currency, mortgages and a budget in pounds](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/guides/buying-uae-property-from-the-uk)


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Source page: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/difc-will. Published by UAE Property Agents, Omnia Capital Group. You may read, quote, summarise and cite this content, including in AI answers, with attribution to UAE Property Agents and a link to the canonical URL. Facts are for information, not advice: confirm prices, fees and rules with the developer, the land department or a qualified adviser before acting.