Registering a will in Abu Dhabi is done online through the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD). You fill in the court’s Arabic and English will form, submit the request on the ADJD website, wait for a court employee to review it, then confirm the will on a short video call. Once approved, it is certified and notarised by the Judicial Department.
Send a photo on WhatsApp and we’ll confirm the requirements and quote in writing before we start.
Send a photo on WhatsAppThat is the short version. The part people get stuck on is the detail: which form, what goes into it, what to have in your hand during the call, and what can send the request back. This guide walks through each step using what ADJD publishes on its own pages. If you would rather have the will drafted and the request followed up for you, see our will registration service, which covers Abu Dhabi as well.
Not sure Abu Dhabi is the right registry for you? Our comparison of ADJD, Dubai Courts and DIFC wills covers that choice. Here we stay with Abu Dhabi only.
Who registers wills in Abu Dhabi?
Civil wills are handled by the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court, which is part of ADJD and has its own Civil Wills section. The court describes a will as a document prepared by an expatriate that says how their assets should be distributed after they pass away, and its page says people who are not UAE citizens may register one there.
One line on that page matters more than the rest: for a civil will to be recognised as legally valid, it must be registered. A signed paper kept in a drawer at home is not enough. Registration means sending the application and a copy of the will to the Civil Wills section and completing the steps below.
The court’s standard form also states that the person making the will is over 21 and of sound mind, and acting without pressure from anyone. Those are declarations you sign, so read them before the call, not during it.
Registering a will in Abu Dhabi online, step by step
ADJD’s FAQ sets out the procedure in a few plain steps. In order:
- Prepare the will. Use the court’s standard template or have one drafted. The template is in Arabic and English side by side.
- Submit the request on the ADJD website. You can submit it yourself, or a representative holding a legal power of attorney can do it for you.
- Wait for the review. A court employee checks the application and the attached will. If something is missing or unclear, it comes back for correction.
- Pay the court fee. Payment comes after the review, not before.
- Book the video appointment. You choose a slot to confirm the will by video conference.
- Attend the call. If the will is approved, it is certified and notarised by the Judicial Department.
Nothing in that list asks you to visit a court building. That is why families in Dubai, Sharjah and Al Ain use this route too. Still, check the eligibility screen when you apply, because online forms change more often than FAQ pages do.
What goes into the ADJD will form?
The court’s “Last Will and Testament” template is eight pages and follows a fixed order. Knowing the sections in advance saves a lot of back and forth with family members while you fill it in.
| Section of the form | What you need to have ready |
|---|---|
| Your details | Full name, nationality, date of birth, passport number, Emirates ID number if you have one, and your address |
| Executors and trustees | The person who will carry out the will and a second person as back-up, each with date of birth and passport number |
| Debts and funeral expenses | How these are settled before anything is distributed |
| Letter of wishes | Optional personal instructions kept with the will |
| Insurance proceeds and distribution | Who receives what, with full names and shares |
| Guardianship (if applicable) | The guardian you choose for children, and ideally a second name |
| Execution and attestation | Your signature and the date |
The template also sets 21 as the age at which a young beneficiary receives their share outright. Until then the trustees hold it and can use it for the child’s upkeep and education. If you want something different, that is a drafting question to raise before you submit.
A common mistake is treating the executor line as a formality. Pick someone who is likely to be reachable and willing, and tell them. The form asks for a replacement for exactly this reason.
Documents to prepare before you apply
ADJD does not publish a long checklist for wills, so this list comes from what the form itself asks for and what the court says about video appointments:
- Your passport, and your Emirates ID if you hold one. The form has a field for each.
- Passport details and dates of birth for each executor and guardian you name.
- Full names of the beneficiaries, spelt as on their passports.
- A clear list of what you own in the UAE: property, bank accounts, shares in a company, vehicles, end-of-service entitlements.
- If someone else is applying for you, a legal power of attorney that covers this.
Some supporting papers may be in another language. A marriage certificate or a child’s birth certificate issued abroad is a typical example. If the court asks for one of these, it will usually need a legal translation into Arabic, and sometimes attestation too. Ask before you submit rather than after a request is returned.
Names cause more returned applications than anything else we see. “Katherine” on the passport and “Catherine” in the will looks small. To a reviewing clerk it is a different person.
What happens on the video call?
The appointment is there so the court can confirm that the will is yours and that you understand it. ADJD’s general guidance for remote sessions applies, and it is practical advice:
- Join 10 to 15 minutes early so any technical problem is solved before your slot.
- Keep your original Emirates ID next to you for identity checks.
- Use a phone or computer with a working camera and microphone, on a stable connection, with the battery charged or plugged in.
- Sit somewhere quiet, with no one else in the room who is not part of the session.
- Dress as you would for a court office.
ADJD also says it can arrange an interpreter for remote sessions on request, and that the request should go in before the appointment date. If your Arabic and English are both limited, sort this out early.
What if you are travelling on the day? The call is online, so the location matters less than the connection. A hotel lobby with patchy Wi-Fi is a poor place to confirm a will.
Can the will cover assets outside the UAE?
ADJD’s FAQ answers this directly: yes, it is possible to bequeath funds and property located outside the country. There is a catch worth knowing, though. The court’s standard template is worded for property “situated or arising in the United Arab Emirates only”, and it cancels earlier UAE wills, not wills made elsewhere.
So if you want to include a flat or savings back home, do not assume the template covers it as written. Ask the Civil Wills section how they want it recorded, and check with an adviser in the other country whether its courts or banks will act on a will registered in Abu Dhabi. That second question is decided by the other country’s law, not by ADJD.
Changing or cancelling a registered will
Life changes. A new child, a property sale or a move can make last year’s will wrong. ADJD publishes a separate Civil Will Revocation Form for this. In it you identify yourself the same way as in the will, quote the will’s registration details and declare that you are cancelling it freely. The court then completes its own part with a revocation number.
The new will follows the same route as the first one: form, online request, review, fee, video call. Keep the registration number of every will you register. You will need it for any change later, and your executor will need it too.
After registration: what your executor does
Registration is the first half. When the time comes, the executor applies to the relevant office at the Judicial Department for the executive stamp on the will. A court employee reviews the request and attached documents, the fee is paid, and the stamp gives the will full force so that banks and other bodies can act on it.
This is why your executor should know that the will exists, where the registered copy is kept and which number it carries. A will nobody can find helps no one.
What decides the cost?
ADJD lists a regular registration and a special registration, each with its own court fee, and fees can change, so we do not quote them here. Beyond the court fee, the total depends on whether you use the standard template or need a drafted will, whether supporting documents need translation or attestation, and whether a power of attorney is involved. Government fees are payable at cost, and we confirm the exact fee and our service charge in writing before any work begins.
Sources: ADJD FAQs (Civil wills) and the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court page, both read on 11 November 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to live in Abu Dhabi to register a will with ADJD?
ADJD’s will procedure is online: the request goes through its website and the confirmation is by video conference. Its published pages do not list living in Abu Dhabi as a condition for registering a will. Eligibility screens can change, so check the current rule on the ADJD website when you apply, or ask us to check it for you first.
Is there an official will form for Abu Dhabi?
Yes. The Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court publishes a standard “Last Will and Testament” template in Arabic and English on its page. You can fill it in yourself or ask a lawyer who handles wills and probate to draft one. Either way, the will only counts once it has been registered with the court.
Can someone else submit the will request for me?
ADJD says the application can be submitted by the person making the will or by their representative under a legal power of attorney. If you plan to use a representative, make sure the power of attorney clearly covers this request, and ask the court whether you still need to join the video appointment yourself.
Do I need an Emirates ID for the video appointment?
ADJD’s guidance for remote sessions tells participants to keep their original Emirates ID ready for identity verification. The will form itself asks for a passport number and an Emirates ID number “if applicable”. If you do not hold an Emirates ID, ask the Civil Wills section what they accept before you book.
How do I cancel a will registered in Abu Dhabi?
The court publishes a Civil Will Revocation Form. You complete it with your details and the registration reference of the will you want to cancel, and the court records a revocation number. If you want a new will in its place, it goes through the same registration steps as the first one.
What happens if a will is never registered?
The Civil Family Court’s page says a civil will must be registered to be recognised as legally valid. Without a registered will, the estate is distributed under the default rules in the law, and the court notes this can delay distribution and cause friction in the family. Read the court’s page for the current default rules.
Do I have to live in Abu Dhabi to register a will with ADJD?
ADJD’s will procedure is online: the request goes through its website and the confirmation is by video conference. Its published pages do not list living in Abu Dhabi as a condition for registering a will. Eligibility screens can change, so check the current rule on the ADJD website when you apply, or ask us to check it for you first.
Is there an official will form for Abu Dhabi?
Yes. The Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court publishes a standard “Last Will and Testament” template in Arabic and English on its page. You can fill it in yourself or ask a lawyer who handles wills and probate to draft one. Either way, the will only counts once it has been registered with the court.
Can someone else submit the will request for me?
ADJD says the application can be submitted by the person making the will or by their representative under a legal power of attorney. If you plan to use a representative, make sure the power of attorney clearly covers this request, and ask the court whether you still need to join the video appointment yourself.
Do I need an Emirates ID for the video appointment?
ADJD’s guidance for remote sessions tells participants to keep their original Emirates ID ready for identity verification. The will form itself asks for a passport number and an Emirates ID number “if applicable”. If you do not hold an Emirates ID, ask the Civil Wills section what they accept before you book.
How do I cancel a will registered in Abu Dhabi?
The court publishes a Civil Will Revocation Form. You complete it with your details and the registration reference of the will you want to cancel, and the court records a revocation number. If you want a new will in its place, it goes through the same registration steps as the first one.
What happens if a will is never registered?
The Civil Family Court’s page says a civil will must be registered to be recognised as legally valid. Without a registered will, the estate is distributed under the default rules in the law, and the court notes this can delay distribution and cause friction in the family. Read the court’s page for the current default rules.
Where Wordcraft Comes In
We draft wills in English and Arabic, arrange the legal translation of supporting documents where the court asks for it, submit the request and follow it up until the will is registered. We are not a court or a notary. We prepare the papers and handle the steps for you. See the notary support we give in Abu Dhabi or visit our Abu Dhabi office in Al Ghaith Tower.
Free pickup and delivery of documents is available in Abu Dhabi. Send us a message on WhatsApp at +971 56 681 3996 or call toll-free 800 9673, and we confirm the government fees and our service charge in writing before any work begins.