Onshore, the UAE has federal courts and separate emirate-level judicial bodies such as Dubai Courts and the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, all applying the federal Civil Procedure Code. The DIFC and ADGM financial free zones run their own English-language common law courts, which parties can choose by written agreement. Onshore arbitration is governed by Federal Law No. 6 of 2018, as amended in 2023, and the UAE has been party to the New York Convention since 2006, which supports enforcement of foreign awards. Pre-action conciliation is part of the onshore court process.
Onshore courts
Civil and commercial litigation onshore follows the Civil Procedure Code (Federal Decree-Law No. 42 of 2022), whether the case is in a federal court or a local court such as Dubai Courts or the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department. Cases start in the Court of First Instance; judgments may be appealed to the Court of Appeal within 30 days, or 10 days in urgent matters.
Before filing, many disputes pass through dispute resolution committees or mediation and conciliation centres; if settlement fails, the claimant obtains a no-objection letter and files the claim. In commercial cases the claimant can usually choose between the court where the defendant resides, where the contract was made or performed, or where it should have been performed.1234
Arbitration onshore and in the free zones
Federal Law No. 6 of 2018, in force since 4 July 2018 and amended by Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2023, applies to arbitrations seated in the UAE, to international commercial arbitrations abroad where the parties choose it, and to disputes governed by UAE law. The arbitration agreement must be in writing, although an exchange of emails can be enough. A company can agree to arbitrate only through a representative authorised to do so, otherwise the agreement is void.
An action to annul an award must be brought in the court of appeal within 30 days of notice of the award. To enforce, a party applies for confirmation and an enforcement order, which should be decided within 60 days. The Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) administers cases under its 2022 rules. In Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi International Arbitration Centre (arbitrateAD) administers cases under its own rules; the government portal still describes the Abu Dhabi Chamber's commercial conciliation and arbitration centre founded in 1993. State the seat and institution expressly in the clause.567891011121314
DIFC and ADGM courts
The DIFC Courts, established by Dubai Law No. 12 of 2004 as amended in 2011, are an English-language common law jurisdiction for civil and commercial matters. Parties with no DIFC connection can opt in by specific, clear and express written agreement, before or after a dispute arises. The courts have a Small Claims Tribunal (claims up to AED 500,000, or up to AED 1 million by written election), a Court of First Instance with arbitration, technology and construction, and digital economy divisions, and a Court of Appeal whose decisions are final. The DIFC legal database lists the DIFC Arbitration Law (DIFC Law No. 1 of 2008, amended in 2013) for DIFC-seated arbitration.
ADGM in Abu Dhabi directly applies English common law. Its courts operate under the ADGM Courts, Civil Evidence, Judgments, Enforcement and Judicial Appointments Regulations 2015, and its Founding Law was amended in respect of Article 13 with effect from 14 May 2020. Choosing a DIFC or ADGM forum changes the procedure, the language and the route to enforcement, so the choice should be made deliberately in the contract.151617181920
Enforcing foreign judgments and awards
Recognition and execution of foreign judgments is dealt with in the Civil Procedure Code, and the original foreign judgment must be attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Enforcement is supervised by the execution judge of the Court of First Instance. The DIFC Courts state that their judgments can be enforced through treaties such as the GCC and Riyadh conventions and through reciprocal arrangements with certain foreign courts.
The UAE acceded to the New York Convention on 21 August 2006, with effect from 19 November 2006 and no declarations shown, so awards made in other contracting states can be enforced under it. Before choosing a forum, check where the counterparty's assets are and confirm current court practice for recognising foreign judgments and awards.121222311
| Forum | Basis | Language and law |
|---|---|---|
| Federal and local courts (e.g. Dubai Courts, Abu Dhabi Judicial Department) | Civil Procedure Code, Federal Decree-Law No. 42 of 2022 | UAE procedural law |
| DIFC Courts | Dubai Law No. 12 of 2004, as amended by Dubai Law No. 16 of 2011; jurisdiction by written opt-in | English language, common law |
| ADGM Courts | ADGM Courts, Civil Evidence, Judgments, Enforcement and Judicial Appointments Regulations 2015 | English common law applied directly |
| Onshore arbitration | Federal Law No. 6 of 2018, amended by Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2023 | As agreed by the parties |
| Dubai International Arbitration Centre | DIAC Arbitration Rules 2022 | As agreed by the parties |
| Abu Dhabi International Arbitration Centre (arbitrateAD) | arbitrateAD Rules | As agreed by the parties; the older Abu Dhabi centre defaulted to Arabic |
How it works, step by step
- Attempt settlement through the relevant committee or mediation and conciliation centre and obtain a no-objection letter if it fails.3Court-attached committees and mediation centres
- File the statement of claim in the Court of First Instance with jurisdiction.14Federal or local court
- Appeal within 30 days of judgment (10 days in urgent matters) if needed.2Court of Appeal
- Enforce the judgment through the execution judge; for foreign judgments, attest the original with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs first.21Execution judge, Court of First Instance; Ministry of Foreign Affairs
No timings or fees are shown unless an official source states them.
Documents usually needed
- Contract with a clear governing law, forum and arbitration clause naming the seat and institution
- Board resolution or power of attorney confirming authority to agree to arbitration
- Legal translations of foreign-language documents where the onshore court requires them
- Attested original of any foreign judgment to be enforced
- No-objection letter from the mediation or conciliation stage
- Written DIFC or ADGM jurisdiction clause where those courts are chosen
Common mistakes
- Naming an institution that no longer operates under that name, or leaving the seat unclear, in the arbitration clause.
- Assuming English will be used in Abu Dhabi centre arbitration without expressly agreeing it.
- Missing the 30-day appeal deadline.
- Overlooking the pre-filing conciliation step, which can delay filing.
- Signing an arbitration clause through a person without specific authority to agree to arbitration.
- Missing the 30-day deadline to bring an action to annul an onshore award.
When the business crosses borders
- Foreign parties often weigh an onshore forum against a DIFC or ADGM seat or court; the choice affects procedure, language and the route to enforcement and should be made deliberately in the contract.
- Foreign judgments need attestation and recognition before execution; treaty arrangements may help in some cases.
- Award enforcement strategy should consider where the debtor's assets are located: onshore, DIFC, ADGM or abroad.
Questions businesses ask
Do I need a no-objection letter before suing onshore?
Often yes. Many disputes first go to a dispute resolution committee or mediation and conciliation centre, and the claim is filed after a no-objection letter if settlement fails.3
What law governs arbitration seated onshore?
Federal Law No. 6 of 2018 on Arbitration, as amended by Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2023.56
Is the UAE party to the New York Convention?
Yes. It acceded on 21 August 2006 and the Convention entered into force for the UAE on 19 November 2006.23
Can parties with no DIFC connection use the DIFC Courts?
Yes, if they agree in writing, before or after the dispute arises, through specific, clear and express provisions.16
What this guide does not yet confirm
These points need checking with a qualified local professional in the United Arab Emirates before you rely on them.
- The DIFC Arbitration Law record is labelled 'Inactive' on the DIFC site while still listed under DIFC Laws; whether a newer DIFC arbitration law applies was not confirmed.
- The ADGM Arbitration Regulations could not yet be checked from an official page.
- The relationship between arbitrateAD and the former Abu Dhabi Commercial Conciliation and Arbitration Centre, and the year of the current arbitrateAD Rules, were not confirmed on the centre's site.
- The arbitration law articles cited were read from the legislation platform text; changes made by the 2023 amendment were not compared article by article.
- Detailed conditions for enforcing foreign judgments under the Civil Procedure Code (reciprocity and related tests) could not yet be checked from the law text.
- The mechanics of enforcing DIFC and ADGM judgments in onshore courts, and vice versa, were not confirmed.
- The federal mediation law and its current number were not confirmed.
- Onshore court fees and typical timelines are not stated.
Sources and review status
Each statement is numbered to the source it was checked against. We use official sources where we can, and each statement says whether it was checked against an official or a secondary source. Sources last checked on 19 October 2026. None of it has been professionally reviewed yet: it is research checked against official and secondary sources by WONE Global, not legal or tax advice.
Civil, commercial and personal status procedure before UAE courts is governed by the Civil Procedure Code, Federal Decree-Law No. 42 of 2022, which also covers appeals and enforcement of judgments. Federal procedural law applied by federal and local onshore courts; not the DIFC or ADGM courts.
A Court of First Instance judgment may be appealed to the Court of Appeal within 30 days of judgment, or 10 days in urgent cases. Onshore courts.
Before filing, disputes may go to dispute resolution committees or mediation and conciliation centres; if settlement fails, the party obtains a no-objection letter and then files its statement of claim. Onshore courts; committees include commercial dispute resolution, family guidance and labour committees.
In commercial cases the claimant may choose the court where the defendant resides, where the agreement was made or wholly or partly performed, or where it should have been performed. Onshore courts.
Federal Law No. 6 of 2018 on Arbitration applies to arbitrations conducted in the UAE, to international commercial arbitrations abroad where the parties choose it, and to disputes governed by UAE law. Onshore UAE. The same portal page notes that the arbitration law works alongside the civil procedure rules on execution and that parties often choose arbitration to avoid lengthy court processes.
Federal Law No. 6 of 2018 on Arbitration was amended by Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2023. Federal.
Content of the amendment was not reviewed.
Federal Law No. 6 of 2018 Concerning Arbitration is in force; it was issued on 3 May 2018 and entered into force on 4 July 2018. Federal; onshore. The record shows one amendment.
An arbitration agreement must be in writing or it is void, and an exchange of letters or emails can satisfy the writing requirement. Onshore arbitration under Federal Law No. 6 of 2018, Article 7.
Article text read from the legislation platform download; the 2023 amendment (Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2023) was not compared article by article, so confirm the provision against the consolidated text.
A legal person can agree to arbitration only through a representative authorised to conclude arbitration agreements; otherwise the agreement is void. Onshore arbitration under Federal Law No. 6 of 2018, Article 4(1).
Article text read from the legislation platform download; the 2023 amendment (Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2023) was not compared article by article, so confirm the provision against the consolidated text.
An action to annul an arbitral award must be brought before the competent court of appeal within 30 days of notice of the award, and the court's judgment can be challenged only by cassation. Onshore arbitration under Federal Law No. 6 of 2018, Article 54; grounds for annulment are in Article 53.
Article text read from the legislation platform download; the 2023 amendment (Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2023) was not compared article by article, so confirm the provision against the consolidated text.
A party seeking enforcement applies to the chief justice of the court for confirmation of the award and an enforcement order, which must be decided within 60 days, and a complaint against the order may be filed with the court of appeal within 30 days of notification. Onshore arbitration under Federal Law No. 6 of 2018, Articles 55 and 57.
Article text read from the legislation platform download; the 2023 amendment (Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2023) was not compared article by article, so confirm the provision against the consolidated text.
The Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) is Dubai's autonomous arbitration institution and administers cases under the DIAC Arbitration Rules 2022. Dubai.
The Abu Dhabi International Arbitration Centre (arbitrateAD) acts as a neutral dispute resolution forum for commercial and government entities and administers cases under the arbitrateAD Rules. Abu Dhabi. The centre's own page does not state its relationship to the Abu Dhabi Commercial Conciliation and Arbitration Centre or the year of its current rules.
The Abu Dhabi Commercial Conciliation and Arbitration Centre was established in 1993 by the Abu Dhabi Chamber; its default language is Arabic unless the parties expressly choose English, and conciliators' decisions are not binding. Abu Dhabi.
The centre is reported to have been relaunched under a new name; the government portal still uses this name. Confirm current name and rules.
The DIFC Courts were established by Dubai Law No. 12 of 2004, as amended by Dubai Law No. 16 of 2011, and form an English-language common law jurisdiction with jurisdiction over civil and commercial matters only. Dubai International Financial Centre.
Parties with no DIFC connection may use the DIFC Courts if they agree in writing, before or after the dispute arises, through specific, clear and express provisions. DIFC Courts. Claims up to AED 500,000 can go to the Small Claims Tribunal.
The DIFC Courts comprise a Small Claims Tribunal, a Court of First Instance with specialist divisions (including an Arbitration Division, a Technology and Construction Division and a Digital Economy Court) and a Court of Appeal whose decisions are final. DIFC Courts. The Small Claims Tribunal hears non-employment claims up to AED 500,000, and up to AED 1 million where all parties elect it in writing.
The DIFC legal database lists the Arbitration Law, DIFC Law No. 1 of 2008, with an amending law, DIFC Law No. 6 of 2013. DIFC-seated arbitration.
The record page labels the law 'Inactive' while the database still lists it under DIFC Laws; no replacement arbitration law appeared in the database. Confirm the current status before relying on it.
ADGM directly applies English common law, and its courts operate an end-to-end electronic courts platform. Abu Dhabi Global Market.
The ADGM Courts, Civil Evidence, Judgments, Enforcement and Judicial Appointments Regulations 2015 were enacted in December 2015, and amendments to Article 13 of ADGM's Founding Law (Abu Dhabi Law No. 4 of 2013) took effect on 14 May 2020. Abu Dhabi Global Market. The content of the Article 13 amendments could not yet be checked.
To enforce a judgment issued abroad, the original judgment must be attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and judgments are executed under the supervision of an execution judge at the Court of First Instance. Onshore courts; recognition conditions are in the Civil Procedure Code and were not reviewed.
The DIFC Courts state that their judgments can be enforced through treaties including the GCC Convention and the Riyadh Convention and through reciprocal arrangements with certain foreign courts, and that enforcing a non-DIFC judgment in the DIFC costs 1% of its value, with a minimum of US$100 and a cap of US$20,000. DIFC Courts enforcement page; the named reciprocal arrangements include courts in New York, Singapore, London and Hong Kong.
The UAE acceded to the New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards on 21 August 2006, with entry into force on 19 November 2006, and the status table shows no declarations or reservations. Federal; applies to recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards.
Alongside the federal courts, emirate-level judicial bodies such as Dubai Courts and the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department operate courts and public prosecution. Emirate-level; the portal does not list every emirate with its own courts.
Questions on this topic
24 statements on courts, arbitration and enforcement in the United Arab Emirates
