UAE Civil Laws in English | Civil Transactions Code

UAE civil laws are anchored in the federal Civil Transactions Law, the principal codification of private law in the federation. It governs the formation, performance, and termination of contracts, the law of obligations including unjust enrichment and tortious liability, ownership and other real rights over movable and immovable property, security interests, and the rules on succession and gift. The Civil Transactions Law draws on the broader civil-law tradition of the region while reflecting principles of Islamic jurisprudence on consideration, contractual cause, and prohibition of usury.

The translations collected here include the Civil Transactions Law and its amendments together with the Code of Civil Procedure, the Law of Evidence in Civil and Commercial Transactions, and selected federal legislation on personal status. They are essential reading for litigation and contractual practice in the onshore courts. For specialised commercial regimes see UAE Commercial Laws; for the broader catalogue see UAE laws in English.

What is the UAE Civil Transactions Law?

Federal Law No. 5 of 1985, the UAE civil code: contracts, tort, property and the general law of obligations. It is the text UAE courts reach for when no specific statute answers the question, which makes it the single most-cited law in UAE civil litigation.

How does the Civil Transactions Law interact with the Commercial Transactions Law?

Commercial matters between merchants go first to the commercial code; the civil code fills every gap and governs non-commercial dealings. Most substantial UAE contract disputes end up citing both.