Dubai property inheritance follows UAE law and is completed at the DLD, even if you and your heirs live abroad. If you are a non-Muslim foreigner, you can leave the home to whoever you want with a will registered in the UAE: at the DIFC Courts from AED 7,500, signing by video call from home, or in Abu Dhabi for AED 950. Without a will, the law gives half to the spouse and the other half to the children in equal shares, although an heir can ask for the law of your country to apply. Either way, a UAE court issues the document the DLD needs to put the home in the heirs’ names, for a fee of AED 1,000 per property rather than the 4% of a sale. There is no inheritance tax in the UAE, but your heirs may owe it where they live. We support you at every step, and if your family inherits the home one day, we handle the DLD registration with them and let or sell it.
In this guide9 sections
- What happens to Dubai property when the owner dies
- Without a will: how UAE law splits the estate
- Making a will in Dubai: where to register it and what it costs
- Does a will from your home country work?
- How the heirs put the home in their names at the DLD
- Dubai property inheritance from the UK or the US
- Mistakes that make a Dubai inheritance harder
- Things to keep in mind
- Frequently asked questions
| With a will registered in the UAE | Without a will | |
|---|---|---|
| Who decides the split | You, in the will | UAE law, or your country’s if an heir asks |
| How it is split | As you wrote it | Half to the spouse, half to the children in equal shares |
| Document the DLD receives | The order of the court where the will is registered | An inheritance certificate from a UAE court |
| DLD fee | AED 1,000 per property plus 0.125% of the value | AED 1,000 per property |
| How long it takes | At the DIFC, a few weeks if the case is simple | Longer, and it depends on each case |
What happens to Dubai property when the owner dies
A freehold home in Dubai is registered with the DLD in your name, and that record does not change by itself. When the owner dies, the home does not pass to the family automatically: someone has to show a UAE court who the heirs are and then take that document to the DLD, which issues a new title deed in their names.
Since 1 February 2023, inheritance for non-Muslim foreigners across the UAE has been governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022 on Civil Personal Status. The law treats men and women equally and leaves two routes: you decide with a will covering everything you own in the UAE, or the law splits it if there is none. What you own at home follows its own rules.
Three situations change the process. If the home is in two names, the share of the one who dies goes into their estate. If you bought off-plan and it is still in Oqood, the DLD also asks for the developer’s NOC, and if it has a mortgage, the bank’s. And if it is held by a company, inheriting the shares does not put the home in the heirs’ names: the court has to be involved first, which is worth knowing if you plan to buy property in Dubai through a company.
If the deceased was Muslim, the UAE Personal Status Law applies, based on Islamic law, with fixed shares by relationship and a will that generally covers only part of the estate. That is a different case and best reviewed with a lawyer.
Without a will: how UAE law splits the estate
If a non-Muslim foreigner dies without a registered will, Article 11 of the federal law sets how their UAE assets are split:
- With a spouse and children: half to the spouse and the other half to the children in equal shares, with no difference between sons and daughters.
- No children: the estate goes to the parents in equal shares. If only one is alive, they keep half and the other half goes to the siblings.
- No children or parents: everything to the siblings, in equal shares.
For example, if you are married with two children, your spouse inherits 50% of the home and each child 25%. All three become co-owners at the DLD, so selling or mortgaging it needs all their signatures. If one prefers to step out and hand their share to the others, the DLD registers it as an exit from the inheritance, with a fee of 1% of the value of that share.
There is an important exception: any heir of a foreigner can ask for the succession law that applies under UAE civil law, usually the law of the deceased’s nationality, unless a registered will says otherwise. That can lead to a very different split, more paperwork and sometimes family disagreements. How it applies to your home depends on each case, and it is the main reason to have a will made in the UAE.
Making a will in Dubai: where to register it and what it costs
A non-Muslim foreigner can register a will in several places in the UAE, each with its own rules. For a home in Dubai, these are the three most used:
| DIFC Courts | Abu Dhabi Judicial Department | Dubai Courts notary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who can use it | Anyone who is not and has never been Muslim, aged 18 or over, with assets in the UAE | Any non-UAE citizen, whatever their religion | Non-Muslim foreigners |
| Registration fee | Property Will: AED 7,500, up to five properties. Full Will: AED 10,000 | AED 950 for a regular registration | AED 2,000 to attest the will |
| For a couple | Mirror wills: AED 10,000 for Property Wills and AED 15,000 for Full Wills | One registration each | One will each |
| Signing without travelling | Yes, by video call from any country and without a visa | The application is filed online | It depends on the case |
| Language | English, no translator allowed | Official template in English and Arabic | It depends on the case |
| When the time comes | Probate at the DIFC Courts, USD 1,500, then execution at the Dubai Courts | Handled by the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court | Handled by the Dubai Courts |
The DIFC Courts are the most used by people living abroad. You do not need to be resident or hold a visa, everything is signed by video call from any country with two adult witnesses, and the will is kept electronically. The Property Will is a template filled in on their portal and covers up to five properties in the UAE. If you buy off-plan, you can include the home by uploading the Oqood certificate. The Full Will covers everything you own in the UAE, including what you buy later. Mind the language: the appointment is in English and no translator is allowed.
In Abu Dhabi, the Civil Family Court has an official template in English and Arabic and charges AED 950 for a regular registration. Any foreigner can use it, whatever their religion. The Dubai Courts notary attests a non-Muslim will for AED 2,000.
Some details people miss. Witnesses cannot be heirs or heirs’ spouses. At the DIFC, marrying after registering the will revokes it entirely, and a divorce cancels what you left your ex. And a Property Will only covers the homes listed in it, so if you buy another you have to modify it, for AED 550.
Does a will from your home country work?
It can, but it takes more. A will or a grant made abroad has to reach the UAE legalised in a chain, because the UAE is not part of the Apostille Convention: notary or registry, your foreign ministry, the UAE embassy and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It then needs a certified Arabic translation, and the DLD requires it to be validated by the UAE courts. It is the same route as a power of attorney, explained in the guide to the power of attorney to buy in Dubai.
That is why most people keep two wills: one at home for what they own there and one registered in the UAE just for their UAE assets. They need to be drafted so they do not contradict each other, because a badly drafted new will abroad can revoke the one registered in Dubai, and the other way round.
Some countries reserve part of the estate for children or the spouse. A UAE will lets you leave your Dubai home as you wish, but if the rest of the estate is dealt with at home, the family may challenge the split. How it all fits depends on each case, and it is worth having a succession lawyer at home look at it together with a UAE lawyer.
How the heirs put the home in their names at the DLD
The route is the same with or without a will. What changes is which court is involved and how long it takes:
- The death certificate. If the death happened outside the UAE, legalised in a chain and translated into Arabic.
- The court step. With a DIFC will, the executor applies to its courts for probate, which costs USD 1,500 and is usually granted within a few weeks if the case is simple, and the order is executed at the Dubai Courts. With an Abu Dhabi or Dubai Courts will, that court handles it. Without a will, an inheritance file is opened at a UAE court, which sets the heirs and their shares.
- The letter to the DLD. The court issues a letter addressed to the DLD asking it to put the home in the heirs’ names.
- The NOCs. If the home has a mortgage, the bank’s NOC. If it is off-plan or still in Oqood, the developer’s.
- Registration at the DLD. With a complete file, at a trustee centre or the DLD building, it is registered within 8 working hours and the electronic title deed is issued to the heirs.
Heirs who live abroad only need a copy of their passport, and the DLD lets anyone file the application, heir or not. So someone in Dubai can handle the file with a power of attorney from the heirs. This is what the DLD charges for a flat worth AED 1,000,000:
| DLD fee | Without a will | With a will |
|---|---|---|
| Inheritance registration | AED 1,000 | AED 1,000 |
| Fee for transferring under a will, 0.125% of the value | — | AED 1,250 |
| New title deed | AED 250 | AED 250 |
| Flat map | AED 250 | AED 250 |
| Knowledge and innovation fee | AED 20 | AED 20 |
| Service centre, VAT included | AED 137 | AED 137 |
| Total to the DLD | AED 1,660 €400 | AED 2,910 €710 |
That is about AED 2,900, €710, with a will. It is not the 4% of a sale, which you only pay if you sell the home later, as explained in the guide to Dubai property buying costs. What weighs most in the total cost is lawyers, translations and attestations, and that depends on each case.
Once the home is in your names, you can keep it, let it or sell it. If you are torn between letting and selling, the rent estimator gives you an idea of the rent by area. We help you with the DLD file, and if you decide to let or sell, we handle everything, as explained in the guide to renting out property in Dubai.
Dubai property inheritance from the UK or the US
There is no inheritance tax in the UAE: the federal taxes are VAT, excise tax and Corporate Tax. What changes with your country is what your heirs pay there, how they sign remotely and how the papers arrive. In every case, foreign documents are legalised in a chain and translated into Arabic. What you declare at home while you own the home is in the guide to Dubai property tax for UK and US residents.
Inheriting Dubai property from the UK
Since 6 April 2025, Inheritance Tax depends on long-term residence: if the deceased was UK resident for at least 10 of the previous 20 years, their foreign assets, including the Dubai home, are within UK Inheritance Tax, at 40% above the £325,000 nil-rate band. If not, foreign assets are generally outside it. Dubai is 4 hours ahead of the UK in winter and 3 in summer.
Inheriting Dubai property from the US
If the deceased was a US citizen or resident, the Dubai home is part of their estate for federal estate tax, which in 2026 is only due above $15 million per person. If you inherit more than $100,000 from someone who is not a US person, you report it to the IRS on Form 3520. New York and Miami are 9 hours behind Dubai in winter and 8 in summer.
From anywhere else
The process in Dubai is the same. What your heirs pay at home depends on local rules, so ask an adviser there.
Mistakes that make a Dubai inheritance harder
- No UAE will. The family relies on the legal split and a court, with more papers and more time.
- Relying only on a will from home. It works, but it has to be legalised, translated and validated in the UAE.
- Two wills that contradict each other. A badly drafted new one can revoke the other.
- Not updating it. At the DIFC, a later marriage revokes it, and a new home is not in the Property Will unless you modify it.
- Choosing the wrong witnesses. They cannot be heirs or their spouses.
- Buying through a company without thinking about inheritance. The shares and the home are not inherited the same way.
- Nobody knowing what you own. Leave your family the title deed or Oqood, the contract and where the will is registered.
Things to keep in mind
- Dubai property inheritance is completed at the DLD, with a document from a UAE court.
- Since 1 February 2023, a non-Muslim foreigner can leave everything they own in the UAE to whoever they want with a registered will.
- Without a will, half goes to the spouse and the other half to the children in equal shares, unless an heir asks for another law to apply.
- At the DIFC Courts, a Property Will costs AED 7,500 and is signed by video call from home, in English. In Abu Dhabi, a regular registration costs AED 950.
- The DLD charges AED 1,000 per property, plus 0.125% of the value if inherited under a will, not the 4% of a sale.
- Foreign papers are legalised in a chain and translated into Arabic: an apostille does not work in the UAE.
- There is no inheritance tax in the UAE, but your heirs may owe it at home.
When you buy with us, we remind you to get your will done and support you at every step. And if your family inherits the home, we handle the DLD registration with them and let or sell it.
Frequently asked questions
How does Dubai property inheritance work?
A UAE court validates the registered will or, if there is none, sets the heirs. With its letter, the DLD puts the home in the heirs’ names and issues a new title deed.
What happens to my Dubai property if I die without a will?
If you are a non-Muslim foreigner, UAE law gives half to your spouse and the other half to your children in equal shares. An heir can ask for the law of your country to apply.
Do I need a will in Dubai if I already have one at home?
It is not compulsory, but it helps a lot. A will from home has to be legalised, translated into Arabic and validated in the UAE, and a will registered there avoids that route.
How much does a will in Dubai cost?
At the DIFC Courts, AED 7,500 for a Property Will covering up to five homes and AED 10,000 for a Full Will. In Abu Dhabi, a regular registration costs AED 950. Lawyers’ fees are extra.
Can I make a Dubai will without living there?
Yes. At the DIFC Courts you do not need to be resident or hold a visa, and you sign by video call from any country with two witnesses, in English.
What does the DLD charge to inherit a home?
AED 1,000 per property, plus 0.125% of the value if inherited under a will, and title deed, map and service centre fees. For a flat worth AED 1,000,000, about AED 2,900 with a will.
Is there inheritance tax in Dubai?
No. There is no inheritance tax in the UAE, but your heirs may have to pay it in the country where they live.
Can you inherit an off-plan home in Dubai?
Yes. The DLD also asks for the developer’s NOC, and what happens to the remaining payments depends on the contract. At the DIFC you can include it in the will with the Oqood certificate.
Can I inherit Dubai property from the UK?
Yes. The process is done in Dubai. If the deceased was a long-term UK resident, the home is within UK Inheritance Tax, at 40% above £325,000.
Can I inherit Dubai property from the US?
Yes. If you inherit more than $100,000 from someone who is not a US person, you report it on Form 3520. Federal estate tax is only due above $15 million in 2026.
