PART SIX · 32 · Reference

Laws & Regulations Index

Authored by10 Leaves & Legability Reading time · 3 min Updated · Q1 2026

Index of DIFC Laws & Regulations

The DIFC operates on a layered legal system — federal UAE law (for criminal and certain federal matters), Dubai law (for the Centre's establishment), and a body of DIFC-specific Laws, Regulations, and Enacted Instruments covering every area of commercial, financial, and civil practice.

This index groups the principal DIFC Laws by subject area. All Laws and Regulations are published at the DIFC Legal Database¹ (the canonical reference) and the DFSA Rulebook portal².

Corporate & Commercial

Companies Law — DIFC Law No. 5 of 2018 (as amended): governs Private Companies (Ltd), Public Companies (PLC), Recognised Companies, Branches, and the UBO regime.
Operating Law — DIFC Law No. 7 of 2018 (as amended): licensing, Commercial Licences, Data Protection registration, and the Commissioner's oversight.
Contract Law — DIFC Law No. 6 of 2004: codified general contract law based on common-law principles.
Law of Obligations — DIFC Law No. 5 of 2005: tort, unjust enrichment, and related private-law doctrines.
General Partnership Law — DIFC Law No. 11 of 2004; Limited Partnership Law — DIFC Law No. 4 of 2006; Limited Liability Partnership Law — DIFC Law No. 5 of 2004.
Prescribed Company Regulations (2019, amended 2024) — the regulatory instrument under which the DIFC's SPV regime operates.
Foundations Law — DIFC Law No. 3 of 2018: the DIFC's statutory foundation vehicle.
Trust Law — DIFC Law No. 4 of 2018.
Insolvency Law — DIFC Law No. 1 of 2019; Security Law — DIFC Law No. 8 of 2005.

Financial Services

Regulatory Law — DIFC Law No. 1 of 2004 (as amended): constitutes the DFSA and sets the regulatory perimeter.
Markets Law — DIFC Law No. 1 of 2012: prospectus, disclosure, market abuse, and securities offerings.
Collective Investment Law — DIFC Law No. 2 of 2010: funds regime.
Investment Trust Law — DIFC Law No. 5 of 2006.
Law Regulating Islamic Financial Business — DIFC Law No. 13 of 2004.
Ultimate Beneficial Ownership Regulations (2018).

Family & Wealth

Family Arrangements Regulations 2023 — governs DIFC Single Family Offices and family entities.

Employment & People

Employment Law — DIFC Law No. 2 of 2019 (as amended).
DIFC Employee Workplace Savings (DEWS) Scheme — mandatory end-of-service savings regime for employees.

Data, Digital & AI

Data Protection Law — DIFC Law No. 5 of 2020 (amended 2022) — aligned with GDPR standards, with cross-border transfer regime and a Commissioner of Data Protection.

Courts & Dispute Resolution

DIFC Courts Law — Dubai Law No. 2 of 2025 (consolidating earlier Dubai Law No. 12 of 2004 and Law No. 16 of 2011).
DIFC Arbitration Law — DIFC Law No. 1 of 2008 (as amended 2013) — modelled on the UNCITRAL Model Law.
Dispute Resolution Authority (DRA) Law — DIFC Law No. 7 of 2014.

Wills

DIFC Wills Service Centre Regulations — common-law wills for non-Muslims with assets or children in the UAE.

Real Property

Real Property Law — DIFC Law No. 10 of 2018 — registration, leases, and freehold in the DIFC's real-estate footprint.
Strata Title Law — DIFC Law No. 5 of 2007.

Intellectual Property & IT

Intellectual Property Law — DIFC Law No. 4 of 2019 — copyright, trademarks and related rights within the Centre.
Electronic Transactions Law — DIFC Law No. 2 of 2017.

All Laws are available in consolidated form via the DIFC Legal Database¹. Practitioners should rely on consolidated versions — many DIFC Laws have been amended multiple times since enactment.