How are arbitration awards enforced in the UAE?

Winning an award is not the end; to compel payment you usually need a UAE court to recognise and enforce it. Under Federal Decree-Law No. 6 of 2018, a party seeking to enforce a domestic award applies to the competent Court of Appeal for an order ratifying the award, after which it can be executed like a judgment. The court conducts a limited review: it does not re-hear the merits, but checks that the award meets formal requirements and that no ground to refuse recognition exists, such as the award conflicting with UAE public policy or the arbitration agreement being invalid. Once ratified, enforcement proceeds through the execution court, which can use measures like attaching assets or bank accounts to satisfy the award. In the DIFC and ADGM free-zone courts, separate recognition regimes apply. Because the other side may resist by raising annulment grounds, the enforcement stage can itself be contested. To navigate ratification and execution, you can compare verified UAE arbitration professionals on LEXAI experienced in award enforcement.