Translating Commercial Arbitration Awards for Enforcement in the UAE: 2026 Requirements
The Short Answer
UAE onshore courts work in Arabic. To ratify and enforce an arbitral award issued in English or any other foreign language, the applicant files a complete Arabic translation of the award, certified by a translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice, together with the arbitration agreement. An award made outside the UAE must normally be legalised up to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs before it is translated.
Smart World Legal Translation (SWLT) translates awards, arbitration agreements and supporting exhibits from 50+ languages under MOJ licence No. 665. This guide is for in-house counsel and law firms preparing an enforcement file.
What the Law Requires
Awards made in the UAE
Federal Law No. 6 of 2018 on Arbitration lists the documents an applicant files to have an award ratified, including the award (or a certified copy), the arbitration agreement, and an Arabic translation of the award certified by a competent body where the award is not in Arabic. This covers awards made under DIAC and arbitrateAD rules with an onshore seat.
Foreign awards
The UAE is a party to the New York Convention. Article IV of the Convention requires a translation of the award and of the arbitration agreement into the official language of the enforcing country, certified by an official or sworn translator or a diplomatic or consular agent. In the UAE that means an Arabic translation by an MOJ-licensed translator.
ADGM and DIFC
Awards seated in ADGM or DIFC can be recognised by those courts in English. Enforcing them against assets onshore brings the file back to an Arabic-language court, so an Arabic translation is needed at that point.
Procedure is a matter for your lawyer; this article covers only the translation side. Primary sources: UAE Ministry of Justice and the New York Convention.
Which Documents in an Enforcement File Need Translation?
| Document | Why the court needs it | Translation note |
|---|---|---|
| Final or partial award | The decision to be ratified, including reasons and the operative part | Translate in full: recitals, facts, reasoning, dispositive section, costs and interest |
| Arbitration agreement or clause | Shows the tribunal had jurisdiction | The clause plus the contract pages that identify the parties |
| Notices and proof of service | Shows the respondent was properly notified | Dates and addresses must match the award exactly |
| Attestation stamps (foreign awards) | Shows the chain of legalisation | Every stamp and certificate on the award is translated too |
| Expert reports and exhibits | Only if counsel decides to file them | Technical glossaries agreed before work starts |
For other court documents, see court document translation in the UAE.
Five Requirements for an Award Translation That Holds Up
1. Certified by an MOJ-licensed legal translator
Each translation carries the stamp, licence number and signature of a translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice, with a statement that it matches the original.
2. Translated after attestation (foreign awards)
A foreign award is notarised or authenticated where it was made, legalised by the UAE embassy there, then attested by MOFA in the UAE. Translate after the last stamp so the translation covers the full chain.
3. Exact operative terms
A dismissal for lack of jurisdiction is not a dismissal on the merits; "jointly and severally" is not "proportionately". A wrong term in the dispositive section can give the other side grounds to contest execution.
4. Party names and figures that match the record
Arabic company names must match the trade licence and the power of attorney on file. Amounts, currencies, interest rates and dates are double-checked against the original.
5. A single, traceable file
For paper filings the translation is attached to the certified copy of the award. For e-filing, one clear PDF with the certified original followed by the stamped translation keeps the clerk's review simple.
Handling Large Awards on a Deadline
Commercial awards often run from 30 to several hundred pages, with technical and financial exhibits. For files of that size we work from an agreed glossary so party names, defined terms and engineering or accounting terms stay consistent from the first page to the last, and the operative part and every figure are checked a second time against the original. Hearings can be supported too: see our interpreting services.
Law firms with recurring arbitration work can choose monthly retainer pricing instead of per-page billing. Compare the two in monthly retainer vs per-page legal translation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we translate only the operative part of the award?
Courts generally expect the complete award, because the judge reviews the reasons and the procedure as well as the outcome. Your lawyer decides what is filed; we recommend translating the award in full.
How much does an award translation cost?
SWLT translation starts from AED 60 per 200-word page. The final quote depends on length, language pair, technical content and deadline. Urgent work carries a 20% surcharge. Send the award for a free, confidential quote.
Can you translate from languages other than English?
Yes. We translate from 50+ languages, including French, Chinese and Russian, directly into Arabic.
Is the translation kept confidential?
Yes. Award files are handled only by the translators assigned to them and are never shared outside the project.
Does SWLT file the enforcement application?
No. We are a translation company, not a law firm. Your lawyer files the application; we provide the certified translation.
Disclaimer
This article is general information about legal translation and is not legal advice. Ratification and enforcement procedure, deadlines and court requirements depend on the facts of each case; consult a lawyer licensed in the UAE.
Get a Confidential Quote for Your Award
Send the award and arbitration agreement for a free quote. Smart World Legal Translation is led by Dr. Hani Elimam (MOJ licence No. 665) and rated 4.8/5 on Google. Send your file on WhatsApp or use our contact page.