Big Legal Shift: UAE Drops Age of Majority to 18

From the 1st of June 2026, the legal age of majority in the United Arab Emirates was reduced from 21 to 18. This is more than a procedural adjustment, it changes when young adults can make wills, receive inheritances directly and take on important estate-related responsibilities.

This article explains what has changed, why it matters for wills and estate planning, and why it is sensible to review existing UAE wills in light of the new law.

What has changed?

Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025 (“the new Civil Transaction Law”) Promulgating the existing Civil Transactions Law comes into force on 1 June 2026 (Article 3).

Article 84 of this new Civil Transactions Law provides that: “Every person who has reached the age of majority, enjoying full mental capacity, and has not been interdicted shall have full legal capacity to exercise their civil rights.. A person reaches the age of majority upon completing eighteen (18) Gregorian years.”

Under the previous Civil Transactions Law, the majority and therefore full civil capacity was reached at 21, often calculated by reference to lunar (Hijri) years. The new Civil Transactions Law replaces this, sets the benchmark at 18, and confirms that the calculation is in Gregorian years.

From the 1st of June 2026, the legal age of majority in the United Arab Emirates is reduced from 21 to 18. This is more than a procedural adjustment, it changes when young adults can make wills, receive inheritances directly and take on important estate-related responsibilities.

This article explains what has changed, why it matters for wills and estate planning, and why it is sensible to review existing UAE wills in light of the new law.

Why does the change matter for UAE wills?

A person’s legal capacity is fundamental to their ability to make and manage a will. The move from 21 to 18 as the age of majority has several important consequences for wills and estate planning in the UAE.

Therefore, an individual who is 18 or older has full civil capacity to enter into civil acts, contracts, which support their ability to make a valid will governing their UAE assets (subject to the requirements of the chosen will regime and any applicable registry rules).

Beneficiaries who have reached the age of 18 can receive now assets directly in their own name, rather than having those assets held or managed on their behalf as if they were minors until the age of 21. This change may therefore impact the way estates are organized, including the duration for which assets remain under trusteeship.

In the same context, individuals aged 18 and above may also be eligible to act as executors, guardians, or trustees.

This is helpful for families whose children are studying, working or managing their own finances from 18, but it also places greater importance on choosing the right structures and safeguards where significant sums are involved.

Moreover, the reduction in the age of majority supports the ability of 18-year-olds, if otherwise suitable, to be appointed to fiduciary roles, where the relevant regime recognises 18 as the age of majority and the individual has full capacity. In particular the DIFC Wills Service Centre Rules have required testators and executors to be over the “age of majority”. However, the DIFC Courts have adopted an operational age threshold of 18 from 2nd of March 2026. This supports the capacity of 18-year-olds to participate in the DIFC testamentary process, including as testators, executors, guardians and witnesses. That said, registration requirements and practice should always be confirmed with the DIFC Will draftsmen before the time of registration.

For guardianship, the key age threshold is when a child ceases to be treated as a minor. With the move to 18:

   •   Guardianship provisions in wills can be drafted on the basis that a child is treated as having full civil capacity from 18, not 21.

   •   If a will assumes that a child remains a minor until 21, that assumption may not align with the new Civil Transactions Law and could have practical consequences for how long guardians are expected to act.

The change in the age of majority does not reduce the need for a clear and well-drafted UAE will. On the contrary, it highlights how important it is to set out your wishes in a way that reflects the current law and your family circumstances.

The reduction of the age of majority to 18 means that a number of existing wills, which were drafted on the basis that “majority” is 21, may now need to be reviewed. In particular, it is important to consider the following:

   •   If your will describes beneficiaries as minors until they reach 21, or delays control of assets until 21 simply to match the old legal majority, it may now have effects you did not intend. Children aged 18 could now be treated as adults in law while the will treats them differently.

   •   Wills may assume that guardians continue to act until a child reaches 21. In practice, that child may now have full civil capacity at 18. You may wish to revisit how long you expect guardians to remain in place and whether any transitional arrangements are needed between 18 and a later age.

   •    Many wills provide for assets to be held on trust until 21, 25 or another specified age, or to be distributed in stages (for example, part at 21 and the remainder at 25). The new Civil Transactions Law does not prevent you from choosing later ages if that is your preference, but you should check that the ages you have chosen reflect your current intentions, given that legal adulthood now begins at 18.

A review does not always lead to major changes, but it can confirm that your existing arrangements still operate as you intend in light of the new Civil Transactions Law.

The reduction of the UAE age of majority to 18 under Article 84 of new Civil Transactions Law is a straightforward reform, but it has real-world consequences:

   •    Young adults can engage in estate planning earlier and may take a more active role in family wealth decisions.

   •   Beneficiaries aged 18 may receive inheritances and take decisions directly, rather than through trusteeship up to 21.

   •   Families have greater flexibility in appointing responsible 18-year-olds as executors, guardians or trustees, where the relevant framework allows.
 

The shift from 21 to 18 is relatively simple in wording, but it does change how families should think about inheritance planning in the UAE. It brings legal adulthood closer to real-life independence, but it also means older assumptions in wills may need a second look.

If you would like us to review your existing UAE will, or if you are considering making changes in light of the new Civil Transactions Law, feel free to contact us at [email protected]. We can review it together with you and ensure that it still reflects your original intentions.

A person’s legal capacity is fundamental to their ability to make and manage a will. The move from 21 to 18 as the age of majority has several important consequences for wills and estate planning in the UAE.

Therefore, an individual who is 18 or older has full civil capacity to enter into civil acts, contracts, which support their ability to make a valid will governing their UAE assets (subject to the requirements of the chosen will regime and any applicable registry rules).

Beneficiaries who have reached the age of 18 can receive now assets directly in their own name, rather than having those assets held or managed on their behalf as if they were minors until the age of 21. This change may therefore impact the way estates are organized, including the duration for which assets remain under trusteeship.

In the same context, individuals aged 18 and above may also be eligible to act as executors, guardians, or trustees.

This is helpful for families whose children are studying, working or managing their own finances from 18, but it also places greater importance on choosing the right structures and safeguards where significant sums are involved.

Moreover, the reduction in the age of majority supports the ability of 18-year-olds, if otherwise suitable, to be appointed to fiduciary roles, where the relevant regime recognises 18 as the age of majority and the individual has full capacity. In particular the DIFC Wills Service Centre Rules have required testators and executors to be over the “age of majority”. However, the DIFC Courts have adopted an operational age threshold of 18 from 2nd of March 2026. This supports the capacity of 18-year-olds to participate in the DIFC testamentary process, including as testators, executors, guardians and witnesses. That said, registration requirements and practice should always be confirmed with the DIFC Will draftsmen before the time of registration.

For guardianship, the key age threshold is when a child ceases to be treated as a minor. With the move to 18:

   •   Guardianship provisions in wills can be drafted on the basis that a child is treated as having full civil capacity from 18, not 21.

   •   If a will assumes that a child remains a minor until 21, that assumption may not align with the new Civil Transactions Law and could have practical consequences for how long guardians are expected to act.

The change in the age of majority does not reduce the need for a clear and well-drafted UAE will. On the contrary, it highlights how important it is to set out your wishes in a way that reflects the current law and your family circumstances.

The reduction of the age of majority to 18 means that a number of existing wills, which were drafted on the basis that “majority” is 21, may now need to be reviewed. In particular, it is important to consider the following:

   •   If your will describes beneficiaries as minors until they reach 21, or delays control of assets until 21 simply to match the old legal majority, it may now have effects you did not intend. Children aged 18 could now be treated as adults in law while the will treats them differently.

   •   Wills may assume that guardians continue to act until a child reaches 21. In practice, that child may now have full civil capacity at 18. You may wish to revisit how long you expect guardians to remain in place and whether any transitional arrangements are needed between 18 and a later age.

   •    Many wills provide for assets to be held on trust until 21, 25 or another specified age, or to be distributed in stages (for example, part at 21 and the remainder at 25). The new Civil Transactions Law does not prevent you from choosing later ages if that is your preference, but you should check that the ages you have chosen reflect your current intentions, given that legal adulthood now begins at 18.

A review does not always lead to major changes, but it can confirm that your existing arrangements still operate as you intend in light of the new Civil Transactions Law.

The reduction of the UAE age of majority to 18 under Article 84 of new Civil Transactions Law is a straightforward reform, but it has real-world consequences:

   •    Young adults can engage in estate planning earlier and may take a more active role in family wealth decisions.

   •   Beneficiaries aged 18 may receive inheritances and take decisions directly, rather than through trusteeship up to 21.

   •   Families have greater flexibility in appointing responsible 18-year-olds as executors, guardians or trustees, where the relevant framework allows.
 

The shift from 21 to 18 is relatively simple in wording, but it does change how families should think about inheritance planning in the UAE. It brings legal adulthood closer to real-life independence, but it also means older assumptions in wills may need a second look.

If you would like us to review your existing UAE will, or if you are considering making changes in light of the new Civil Transactions Law, feel free to contact us at [email protected]. We can review it together with you and ensure that it still reflects your original intentions.