For individuals planning their estates or seeking Wills & Succession Planning advice in the UAE, understanding changes in legal capacity is crucial. In early 2026, the United Arab Emirates made the landmark decision to change the age of majority (the age at which a person is legally recognised as an adult.)
The first significant alteration Under the new Civil Transactions Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 51 of 2024 and related enactments) sees the age of majority lowered from 21 (lunar years) to 18 (Gregorian years,) aligning civil capacity with other international norms.
This has the following impact:
Upon attaining the age of 18, individuals may:
- Enter into contracts;
- Manage finances;
- Own property; and
- Engage in Civil and Commercial Activities (without guardian consent.)
It should also be noted that persons aged 15 years and over may petition the court to gain supervised permission to manage inherited or other assets, subject to judicial oversight.
Intestate Succession and Non-Muslim Expat Estates
As mentioned in previous articles, dying intestate means to die without having registered a legally valid will. Under the new changes, the following is now possible:
- In the event that an expat resident dies without a valid will, their financial assets may now be transferred into a supervised charitable endowment (Waqf) which is to be managed by authorities. We are yet to receive clarity on which authorities will be charged with this duty.
These changes are a welcome sight and seem to be aimed at reducing disputes in inheritance and expat estates, while encouraging international residents to invest in the UAE.
What Affect does Legal Capacity have on Wills and Inheritance?
Currently the law (such as Dubai’s Law No. 15 of 2017 governing wills for non-Muslims) requires a testator to be 21 years old in order to have full legal capacity to register a valid will.
While the age of majority is now set at 18, and legal practitioners may see some changes coming in the foreseeable future, I can confirm that we have reached out directly to the ADJD, and the DIFC, and neither have implemented any changes. It should also be noted that we have not received the updated law yet.
Although there may be further implications on inheritance and asset management within the foreseeable future, currently we can only confirm what has been communicated to us directly. It is important for legal professionals to do clear fact-checks prior to posting information which may be incorrect. Until such time as information has been confirmed, please do not make drastic changes to your wills, nor accept information from any person urging you to do so. While we all encourage further improvement on individual autonomy, synergy and reform between inheritance law and estate planning, we will need to wait for a definitive answer from both the ADJD and the DIFC.
Please do ensure that you always consult with a legal professional who is permitted to provide you with legal assistance within the respective emirate in the UAE. We urge that you ask for their license copy (for example Dubai Legal Affairs Department.) Any person providing incorrect legal information, may be held accountable personally.
Our Wills & Succession Planning team can provide expert guidance on inheritance, asset management, and estate planning, ensuring that your estate is structured correctly under the new legal framework. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with our licensed UAE Wills & Estates specialists.
Head of Wills and Inheritance