Property Inheritance (UAE)

Property inheritance in the UAE determines what happens to real estate when its owner dies — an area where the default rules surprise expatriate families. Absent forward planning, UAE courts may apply Sharia-based inheritance shares to assets located in the UAE, distributing property among heirs in fixed proportions that can differ sharply from what a foreign owner intended, and bank accounts and properties are typically frozen until a court-issued succession determination identifies the heirs. Non-Muslim expatriates now have robust planning tools: registering a will with the DIFC Wills Service or the Abu Dhabi judicial system allows them to choose who inherits their UAE property, and recent federal and emirate-level reforms let non-Muslims elect the law of their home country. Practically, transferring an inherited property requires a succession certificate or probate order, then registration of heirs at the land department. Owners of UAE real estate — especially in joint names or with minor children — should treat a registered will as essential, not optional.