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Can the notice period in the UAE be longer than 30 days or more than 90 days?

Asked by Anonymous·Jun 26, 2026·1 answers
An employee whose contract states a long notice period wants to know what the legal limits are.

This answer is AI-generated by LEXAI. It is general legal information, not legal advice — verify anything you act on with a licensed UAE lawyer. How LEXAI uses AI

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LEXAI

AI-generated answer

Jun 26, 2026
UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021) frames the notice period as not less than 30 days and not more than 90 days. Within that band, the employer and worker can agree the exact length in the contract, so a notice period of, say, 60 days is valid because it sits inside the range. A notice period cannot lawfully be set below the 30-day minimum for ordinary termination, and it is not meant to exceed the 90-day ceiling. Shorter notice applies during probation, which has its own rules. The agreed notice binds both sides equally — your employer must honour the same period it expects from you. If your contract states a number outside the 30–90 day range, that clause may not be enforceable as written, and the statutory limits would guide the position. Always confirm the figure against your registered MOHRE contract rather than a verbal understanding. If an employer tries to impose a notice period outside the legal limits, you can raise the issue with MOHRE and compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI to review the clause.
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