The UAE has set out reforms to its legal system that formally establish 18 as the age of adulthood, strengthen the rights of people as young as 15 to manage their own financial affairs and give greater decision-making powers to its judiciary.
The government said the new Civil Transactions Law – established through a federal decree – would serve as a “pivotal legislative milestone” and help modernise the country's legal landscape.
The age of majority, when a person is legally defined as an adult, will be reduced from 21 lunar years to 18 Gregorian years, using the calendar adopted by a majority of the world.
A person aged 21 in lunar years would be aged about 20 under the Gregorian system. The government said the switch had been made to align with “prevailing comparative legal systems”.
“This change unifies the legal age for full capacity, ensures consistency with other national legislation such as juvenile and labour laws, and harmonises civil and criminal responsibility standards, thereby enhancing legal clarity and coherence,” the government media office stated.
While the new law formally classifies 18 as the age of majority, people of this age are already allowed to marry, take on full-time employment and drive.
The law also lowered the age at which a minor may seek judicial authorisation to manage their assets from 18 Hijri years - about 17.5 years in the Gregorian calendar - to 15 Gregorian years.
This decision has been made to support entrepreneurship and youth participation in economic activity, within a structured legal framework.
Key points
- The new law grants courts broader discretion when referring to the principles of Sharia, in cases where an applicable legislative provision is absent
- Financial assets in the UAE belonging to a foreigner with no heirs shall be designated as a charitable endowment
- Courts will be empowered to appoint a judicial assistant to support people with reduced capacity to express their will
- An advanced framework will be established to govern pre-contractual negotiations, ensuring all fundamental information is disclosed
- The law permits the combination of blood money – compensation paid by the guilty party to family members of a person killed – with additional damages where death or injury results in material or moral harm not fully covered by blood money
- A dedicated legal framework for non-profit companies is introduced, requiring reinvestment of profits into the company’s objectives, supporting sustainable development
