Privacy Policy & Terms Translation in the UAE (2026)
The Short Answer
A website or app that markets to UAE consumers in Arabic should publish its privacy policy, terms of service and consent screens in Arabic as well as English, with both versions saying exactly the same thing. The UAE’s federal data protection law, Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 (the PDPL), relies on consent and notices that people can actually understand, and if your terms ever reach an onshore UAE court, they will be read in Arabic.
Smart World Legal Translation (SWLT) is an MOJ-licensed translation office in Abu Dhabi that translates digital legal documents and localises them for websites and apps, from AED 80 per 200-word page (excl. 5% VAT). We translate and localise; we do not give data protection advice.
Why English-Only or Machine-Translated Legal Pages Are a Risk
The PDPL applies across the UAE outside the DIFC and ADGM, which have their own data protection laws. Three practical risks follow from weak Arabic legal pages:
- Consent that is hard to prove. If an Arabic-speaking user taps an Arabic “Accept” button linked to an unclear machine-translated policy, showing that consent was informed becomes difficult.
- Two versions that disagree. Automatic tools mistranslate terms such as “controller” and “processor”, “legitimate interest”, “indemnity” and “limitation of liability”, so the site makes two different promises.
- Courts read Arabic. Arabic is the language of onshore UAE courts. If a dispute over refunds, subscriptions or data use reaches court, English terms will need a certified Arabic translation, and an inconsistent Arabic page on your own site can be used against you. See our guide to onshore vs DIFC and ADGM court language.
Which Documents to Align
| Document | Purpose | Translation focus | Workflow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Privacy policy / notice | What data is collected, why, for how long, who receives it, and users’ rights | PDPL terms: controller (المتحكم), processor (المعالج), data subject (صاحب البيانات), cross-border transfer | Legal translation plus a plain-Arabic readability check |
| Terms of service / EULA | Accounts, payments, refunds, liability and governing law | Commercial obligations and dispute clauses identical in both languages | Side-by-side legal translation; certified where it must be filed |
| Cookie banners and consent screens | Opt-in at sign-up, checkout or first visit | Short UI text that fits mobile screens and matches the full policy | Legal review plus right-to-left UI string localisation |
| Data processing agreements | Contracts with cloud, marketing and IT vendors | Breach notification, sub-processors and audit rights | Bilingual contract translation |
| Data subject request forms | Requests to access, correct or delete data | Clear instructions and identity checks | Form localisation in your portal or app |
Getting the Arabic onto the Page Correctly
Many UAE sites have broken Arabic legal pages because translator and developer never meet: a Word file is pasted into HTML, and the result has left-aligned Arabic, broken numbering and three different words for “data controller”. We avoid that in four ways:
- One glossary for the policy, the terms, the consent screens and the app interface.
- Translation in your format. We work in Word, HTML, JSON, XLIFF or CMS exports, so strings go straight back into the product.
- Right-to-left checks. Headings, lists, numbers and mixed Arabic-English text are checked on desktop and mobile. See our localization services and website localization guide.
- Certification when needed. If terms or vendor agreements must go to a regulator, bank or court, we provide MOJ-certified translations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does our UAE website legally need an Arabic privacy policy?
If you market to UAE consumers, run an Arabic interface, or may need to prove consent or enforce terms locally, an accurate Arabic version is strongly advisable. Ask your legal counsel about the exact obligations for your sector.
Can we just use AI or Google Translate?
Machine translation often gets legal definitions, liability caps and data roles wrong, and nobody is accountable for the result. A wrong Arabic clause can be read against you.
How much does it cost?
From AED 80 per 200-word page for Arabic and English, AED 100 for French, AED 150 for German, Italian or Turkish, and AED 250 for other languages such as Chinese, Russian or Urdu (all excl. 5% VAT). Urgent work is priced on request, and large files receive discounts. A typical 2,000-word privacy policy is about 10 pages.
How fast can you translate our legal pages before launch?
A privacy policy and terms bundle of 5 to 15 pages is usually ready in 24 to 48 hours. Launch-day deadlines are handled as urgent work, priced on request.
Can you also localise the rest of our app or website?
Yes. We localise interfaces, marketing pages and help content, so the whole user journey reads naturally in Arabic. Our article on Arabic localization for AI search explains why that also helps visibility.
Disclaimer
This article is general information about translating and localising legal pages in the UAE and is not legal or data protection advice. For official information see the UAE Government portal on data protection laws, and consult a qualified UAE data protection lawyer about your obligations.
Get Your Legal Pages Translated
Send your privacy policy, terms of service or app strings for a quote and a timeline. Smart World Legal Translation is led by Dr. Hani Elimam (MOJ-licensed translator, AIIC member), has translated legal documents since 2014 and is rated 4.8/5 on Google. Send your documents on WhatsApp (+971 50 864 8439), email info@swlt.ae, or use our contact page.