Civil marriage costs in the UAE depend on where the couple applies and which additional services they actually need. The court fee is only one part of the budget in some cases. Translation, a prenuptial agreement, certificate attestation or destination-country legalisation can add further costs.
There is also an important difference between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Abu Dhabi Judicial Department publishes fixed fees for its standard and urgent civil-marriage services, while Dubai Courts publishes a marriage-certificate issuance fee but states separately that the Marriage Official fee is excluded.
This guide covers civil marriage costs only. Fees for Muslim or Sharia marriage follow a different court and marriage-officer process.
What Does “Civil Marriage Cost” Include?
When couples ask how much civil marriage costs in the UAE, it helps to separate three types of expense:
- Court or judicial fees: the official amount charged for the marriage service or certificate.
- Optional marriage-related services: such as an urgent application or prenuptial agreement.
- Post-marriage document costs: such as Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation, embassy legalisation or translation where the certificate will be used elsewhere.
Not every couple will incur every cost. The final amount depends on the court used, eligibility, document language and where the marriage certificate will later be presented.
Dubai Court Marriage
Consult with us: With over 20+ years of experience
Abu Dhabi Civil Marriage Fees in 2026
Couples using the Abu Dhabi civil marriage route can currently choose between the standard and urgent services offered by the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department Civil Family Court.
Standard Civil Marriage: AED 300
The current official fee for the standard civil-marriage service is AED 300.
ADJD currently states that the standard application may take up to 10 working days to process. The ceremony is then scheduled according to court availability.
Urgent Civil Marriage: AED 2,500
The urgent or express civil-marriage service currently costs AED 2,500.
ADJD states that an urgent application is processed within one working day. Couples using this route also have greater flexibility in selecting a ceremony date and time, subject to court procedures and availability.
Optional Prenuptial Agreement: AED 950
A prenuptial or marriage agreement is not compulsory for an Abu Dhabi civil marriage.
If the couple chooses to submit one through the Civil Family Court, ADJD currently lists a separate service fee of AED 950.
Abu Dhabi Civil Marriage Budget Examples
| Scenario | Official Fee |
|---|---|
| Standard civil marriage only | AED 300 |
| Urgent civil marriage only | AED 2,500 |
| Standard marriage + prenuptial agreement | AED 1,250 |
| Urgent marriage + prenuptial agreement | AED 3,450 |
These figures cover the stated ADJD services only. Translation, foreign-document authentication or post-marriage use of the certificate can create separate costs.
Dubai Civil Marriage Fees in 2026
Dubai Courts provides a civil-marriage route for eligible non-Muslim couples. At least one party must be a resident of Dubai, and both parties must meet the other civil-marriage conditions published by Dubai Courts.
Couples can review the eligibility and document requirements for civil marriage in Dubai before budgeting for the process.
Dubai Marriage Certificate Issuance Fee: AED 220
Dubai Courts currently lists a AED 220 marriage-certificate issuance fee.
However, this should not be presented as the complete Dubai civil-marriage cost. Dubai Courts expressly states that the AED 220 amount is excluding the fee of the Marriage Official.
Because the current Dubai Courts service page does not publish one fixed Marriage Official fee within that fee entry, the full Dubai court-side cost should not be quoted as AED 220 unless the applicable additional fee has first been confirmed through the service channel handling the application.
Dubai vs Abu Dhabi Civil Marriage Fees
| Cost Item | Abu Dhabi | Dubai |
|---|---|---|
| Standard civil marriage | AED 300 | Not published as one all-inclusive amount |
| Urgent civil marriage | AED 2,500 | No equivalent fixed urgent fee listed on the current Dubai Courts marriage-contract page |
| Marriage certificate issuance | Part of the civil-marriage service | AED 220, excluding Marriage Official fee |
| Optional prenuptial agreement | AED 950 | Check the applicable Dubai service separately |
This is why comparing only AED 300 in Abu Dhabi with AED 220 in Dubai gives a misleading picture. The Abu Dhabi amount is the published standard civil-marriage service fee, whereas Dubai Courts describes AED 220 specifically as the certificate-issuance fee and excludes the Marriage Official fee.
Does MoFA Attestation Add to the Marriage Cost?
It can, depending on where the marriage certificate will be used after the ceremony.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs classifies marriage certificates as personal-status documents and currently charges AED 150 for its attestation service.
Attestation confirms the authenticity of the official signature and seal on the certificate. It is separate from the court’s marriage-registration process.
Couples may need attestation where the certificate will be used for purposes such as:
- Official use in another country
- Marriage registration with a foreign authority
- Immigration or nationality procedures
- Embassy or consular procedures
- Other official transactions where the receiving authority requests an attested certificate
Whether MoFA attestation is required for a particular UAE transaction should be confirmed with the receiving authority rather than assumed automatically.
For the document process itself, see marriage certificate attestation requirements.
Is Embassy Legalisation Included in the AED 150?
No. The AED 150 figure is the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs fee for a personal-status document.
If the marriage certificate will be used outside the UAE, the destination country’s embassy, consulate or local authority may impose an additional authentication or legalisation requirement and its own fee.
Those charges vary by country, so they should not be included in a single fixed “UAE civil marriage cost.”
Translation Costs
Translation is not automatically required for every couple after marriage.
A translation may become necessary where:
- The authority receiving the marriage certificate requires another language
- A foreign immigration authority requires a certified translation
- Supporting documents submitted during the application require legal Arabic translation
- An embassy or foreign civil registry specifies its own language requirements
Translation fees are commercial rather than fixed UAE court fees. The amount depends on the language, document length, certification requirements and urgency.
Other Costs Couples May Encounter
Depending on the application and what happens after marriage, additional expenses can include:
- Legal translation of foreign documents
- Attestation or authentication of a previous divorce judgment or death certificate
- MoFA attestation of the marriage certificate
- Destination-country embassy or consular fees
- Courier charges where the applicable attestation route requires physical document handling
- Service-centre or professional-assistance fees, where a couple chooses to use them
These are not automatically part of the official marriage fee and should be separated from the court charges when comparing options.
2026 Civil Marriage Cost Planner
| Cost | Current Amount | Applies When |
|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi standard civil marriage | AED 300 | Standard ADJD application |
| Abu Dhabi urgent civil marriage | AED 2,500 | Urgent/priority ADJD service |
| Abu Dhabi prenuptial agreement | AED 950 | Optional |
| Dubai certificate issuance | AED 220 | Excludes Marriage Official fee |
| UAE MoFA attestation | AED 150 | When attestation is required |
| Embassy/legalisation | Varies | Depends on destination country |
| Translation | Varies | Only where required |
Frequently Asked Questions About Civil Marriage Costs
How much is a standard civil marriage in Abu Dhabi?
Abu Dhabi Judicial Department currently charges AED 300 for the standard civil-marriage service. The standard application may take up to 10 working days to process.
How much does urgent civil marriage cost in Abu Dhabi?
The current urgent civil-marriage fee is AED 2,500. ADJD states that the urgent application is processed within one working day, subject to the court’s procedure.
Does civil marriage in Dubai cost only AED 220?
No. Dubai Courts lists AED 220 as the marriage-certificate issuance fee and expressly states that this amount excludes the Marriage Official fee. The complete amount should therefore be confirmed through the applicable Dubai Courts service channel.
Is the AED 950 Abu Dhabi prenuptial agreement fee mandatory?
No. A prenuptial agreement is optional. The AED 950 fee applies only where the couple chooses to use that separate ADJD service.
How much does MoFA attestation of a marriage certificate cost?
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs currently charges AED 150 to attest a personal-status document such as a marriage certificate. Other embassy, courier or destination-country charges may apply separately.
Is translation included in the civil marriage court fee?
No. Translation is a separate cost where it is required. The price depends on the language, document and certification requirements.
Dubai Court Marriage
Consult with us: With over 20+ years of experience
What Should Couples Budget?
For Abu Dhabi, the official starting point is clear: AED 300 for the standard service or AED 2,500 for the urgent service, with an optional AED 950 prenuptial-agreement service.
For Dubai, couples should not budget on AED 220 alone. That is the published certificate-issuance fee and excludes the Marriage Official fee.
Post-marriage costs depend mainly on where the certificate will be used. MoFA attestation, foreign legalisation and translation should only be added where the receiving authority requires them.
For help comparing the available marriage routes and preparing the required documents, further information is available through Dubai Court Marriage.
){kind=link}