Amending a DIFC Will: modification, administrative update or full review?
DIFC Courts treats a modification as a new Will: edit the Will text, book a registration appointment and sign the replacement. Codicils are not accepted, and the current published modification fee is AED 550 per Will. Address, phone and passport-detail updates may be administrative instead, but life events and asset changes need a substantive review.
Talk to a person. Message us on WhatsApp
Changes that commonly trigger review
DIFC lists marriage, divorce, birth or adoption, guardian changes, major financial changes, beneficiary changes, death or incapacity of a named person and significant legal changes. Do not wait for a crisis to discover the registered wording is outdated.
Modification replaces the Will
The registry says any update to the Will is considered a new Will and codicils are not accepted. The intended changes are made in the Will text and a new signing appointment is booked. Keep the new registered copy and retire working drafts so the family can identify the operative document.
Administrative details may be updated without modification
DIFC says changes of address or personal details for people named in the Will can be treated as administrative case-file changes. Communicate them promptly through the registry channel and keep evidence of the update.
Full versus asset-specific Wills
DIFC says a properly drafted Full Will can cover later-acquired movable and immovable assets within its stated jurisdiction. Property, Business Owners and Financial Assets Wills list specific assets, so additions or substitutions may require modification.
Marriage, divorce and other wills need legal attention
DIFC states that a later marriage revokes the Will unless the stated rules are satisfied, while divorce invalidates the gift to the former spouse rather than automatically the whole Will. Another Will can also create conflicts. Obtain legal advice rather than applying a website summary to your facts.
Legal-review notice
Check the current DIFC fee and procedure before booking. The Deedbox cannot decide legal effect, capacity, conflicts or whether a change can safely be handled administratively.
Questions
Can I add a codicil to a DIFC Will?
No. DIFC Courts says it does not accept codicils; a modification requires a new Will to be signed.
How much is a DIFC Will modification?
DIFC Courts currently publishes AED 550 per Will. Verify the live fee schedule before booking.
Do I need to modify a Full Will for every new asset?
Not always. DIFC says a properly drafted Full Will can cover later-acquired assets within its stated jurisdiction, but obtain legal review of the wording and circumstances.
What this page does not do
- This is general legal information, not legal advice, a registry approval, a notarial acceptance decision or a prediction of a court outcome.
- The receiving authority, bank, company, registry, notary or court decides what wording, form, identity evidence and supporting documents it will accept for the particular transaction.
- Official procedures and fees can change. Follow the current authority page and obtain qualified legal review before signing, registering, revoking or relying on a document.
Sources last checked