UAE laws by sector
UAE personal status, family, child protection, social welfare and community legislation.
Federal Law No. (28) of 2005
Federal Law No. (28) of 2005 was the long-standing federal personal-status statute regulating marriage, divorce, maintenance, parentage, custody, guardianship, wills and inheritance. It is retained here as a historical law because the 2024 Personal Status reform replaced it from 15 April 2025.
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Federal Decree by Law No. (50) of 2023
This decree-law regulates public welfare associations in the UAE, including establishment and declaration, governance, membership, boards, funding, activities, foreign relations, transparency, AML/CFT safeguards, supervision, dissolution, social solidarity funds and compliance. Important executive and administrative-penalty regulations were issued in 2025.
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Federal Decree-Law No. (41) of 2022
The Civil Personal Status Law provides a federal civil family-law regime for non-Muslim UAE citizens and non-Muslim foreigners within its statutory scope. It regulates civil marriage, divorce, post-divorce financial matters, child custody, inheritance, wills and parentage, with detailed executive rules issued in 2023.
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Federal Decree-Law No. (41) of 2024
The decree-law issues a new federal Personal Status Law governing core family-status matters including marriage, divorce, maintenance, parent-child matters, custody, guardianship, wills and inheritance within its statutory scope and conflict-of-laws rules. It replaced Federal Law No. (28) of 2005 and entered into force on 15 April 2025.
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Federal Decree by Law No. (26) of 2025
The UAE's federal child-digital-safety framework protects children using digital platforms and assigns obligations to digital platforms, internet service providers and child caregivers. It establishes a Child Digital Safety Council, risk-based platform classification, age verification, privacy and reporting requirements, and a transitional compliance period.
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