New Civil Transactions Law introduces legal and contractual reforms
Law lowers age for managing assets and introduces judicial assistance
Dubai: Dubai Courts has highlighted a series of key amendments introduced under the UAE's new Civil Transactions Law No. 25 of 2025, including lowering the age of majority to 18 Gregorian years and introducing new legal mechanisms aimed at enhancing contractual certainty and protecting vulnerable individuals.
In a social media post outlining the changes, Dubai Courts said the law reduces the age of majority from 21 lunar years to 18 Gregorian years, a move intended to align the age of civil responsibility with the age of criminal responsibility.
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The legislation also lowers the minimum age at which a minor may apply for permission to manage their own assets from 18 Hijri years to 15 Gregorian years. According to Dubai Courts, the amendment is designed to encourage greater participation by young people in economic activities within a clearly regulated legal framework.
Among the new provisions is the introduction of a judicial assistance system for individuals who are unable to express their will, allowing courts to appoint a judicial assistant to support them in managing legal affairs.
The law also introduces the concept of a "framework agreement", a mechanism intended to regulate recurring or long-term contractual arrangements more efficiently and with greater legal clarity. Dubai Courts said the measure is expected to strengthen contractual stability and facilitate transactions.
The updated legislation further clarifies rules governing legal capacity and domicile. It states that individuals acquire full legal capacity upon reaching the age of 18 Gregorian years, provided they possess full mental capacity and are not subject to legal restrictions.
The law also defines the age of discernment at seven Gregorian years, while confirming that children below that age are considered incapable of exercising civil rights independently. Individuals who have reached the age of discernment but not the age of majority, as well as adults deemed legally imprudent, are classified as having limited legal capacity under the legislation.
