DIFC Law · Dubai International Financial Centre
DIFC Law No. 6 of 2004 — Contract Law
A reference record of DIFC Law No. 6 of 2004, drawn from the instrument's own official text. It sets out how the law is organised — its Parts, its article count and its length — and links to the text itself. It does not interpret the law or offer advice on it.
Where this instrument arises in our work: Contract Review
At a glance
| Citation | DIFC Law No. 6 of 2004 |
| Short title | Contract Law |
| Instrument type | DIFC Law |
| Enacted | 2004 |
| Jurisdiction | Dubai International Financial Centre |
| Parts | 12 |
| Numbered articles | 184 |
| Length of official text | 46 pages |
How DIFC Law No. 6 of 2004 is organised
The 12 Parts below are the instrument's own divisions, in the order the official text sets them out.
| Part | Heading |
|---|---|
| Part 1 | General |
| Part 2 | Contracts Generally |
| Part 3 | Formation |
| Part 4 | Validity |
| Part 5 | Interpretation |
| Part 6 | Content |
| Part 7 | Performance |
| Part 8 | Non-Performance |
| Part 9 | Assignment |
| Part 10 | Rights Of Third Parties |
| Part 11 | Damages |
| Part 12 | Agency |
What DIFC Law No. 6 of 2004 covers, article by article
The 167 article headings below are the instrument's own, reproduced in its order. They are a map of the law, not a summary of it — for the wording of any article, read the official text.
- Freedom to negotiate
- Title
- Legislative Authority
- Application of the Law
- Date of enactment
- Commencement
- Interpretation
- Choice of governing law and jurisdictions
- Freedom of and capacity to contract
- No form required
- Binding character of contract
- Exclusion or modification by the parties
- Usages and practices
- Notice
- Manner of formation
- Definition of offer
- Withdrawal of offer
- Revocation of offer
- Rejection of offer
- Mode of acceptance
- Time of acceptance
- Acceptance within a fixed period of time
- Withdrawal of acceptance
- Modified acceptance
- Writings in confirmation
- Contract with terms deliberately left open
- Duty of confidentiality
- Merger clause
- Written modification clauses
- Contracting under standard terms
- Conflict between standard terms and non-standard terms
- Battle of forms
- Validity of mere agreement
- Initial impossibility
- Relevant mistake
- Error in expression or transmission
- Remedies for non-performance
- Fraud
- Threat
- Confirmation
- Loss of right to avoid
- Notice of avoidance
- Time limits
- Partial avoidance
- Retroactive effect of avoidance
- Mandatory character of the provisions
- Intention of the parties
- Interpretation of statements and other conduct
- Relevant circumstances
- Reference to contract or statement as a whole
- All terms to be given effect
- Interpretation against party responsible
- Linguistic discrepancies
- Express and implied obligations
- Implied obligations
- Co-operation between the parties
- Determination of kind of duty involved
- Determination of quality of performance
- Price determination
- Contract for an indefinite period
- Time of performance
- Performance at one time or in instalments
- Partial performance
- Order of performance
- Earlier performance
- Place of performance
- Payment by cheque or other instrument
- Payment by funds transfer
- Currency of payment
- Currency not expressed
- Costs of performance
- Imputation of payments
- Imputation of non-monetary obligations
- Non-performance defined
- Interference by the other party
- Withholding performance
- Cure by non-performing party
- Additional period for performance
- Force majeure
- Performance of monetary obligation
- Performance of non-monetary obligation
- Repair and replacement of defective performance
- Right to terminate the contract
- Notice of termination
- Anticipatory non-performance
- Effects of termination in general
- Restitution
- Set-off
- Assignment of rights and obligations
- Assignment of future rights
- Limits on assignments and delegations
- Contractual prohibition of assignment
- Defences against an assignee
- Discharge of an obligor on assignment
- Substituted performance
- Substituted contract
- Novation
- Accord and satisfaction
- Right of third party to enforce contractual term
- Variation and rescission of contract
- Defences available to promisor
- Enforcement of contract by promisee
- Protection of promisor from double liability
- Right to damages
- Full compensation
- Measure of damages
- Certainty of harm
- Foreseeability of harm
- Proof of harm in case of replacement transaction
- Proof of harm by current price
- Harm due in part to aggrieved party
- Mitigation of harm
- Interest for failure to pay money
- Interest on damages
- Manner of monetary redress
- Currency in which to assess damages
- Agreed payment for non-performance
- Limitation
- Consent
- Authority
- Creation of authority
- Apparent authority
- Creation of apparent authority
- Applicability of rules for interpretation of agreements
- When incidental authority is inferred
- General principle of interpretation
- Duty of care and skill
- Duty of loyalty
- Duty to account for profits arising out of employment
- Duty not to act as adverse party without principal's consent
- Duty not to compete as to subject matter of agency
- Duty not to act for one with conflicting interests
- Duty not to use or disclose confidential information
- Period of employment
- Continuing duties after termination of agency
- Liability for loss caused
- Liability for things received in breach of duty of loyalty
- Liability for use of principal's assets
- Principal's choice of remedies
- Duty of indemnity
- When duty of indemnity exists
- When no duty of indemnity
- Ratification
- Affirmation
- What acts can be ratified
- Purporting to act as agent as a requisite for ratification
- Who can affirm
- Affirmation after rights have crystallised
- Effect of ratification
- Revocation of authority
- Liability based upon agency principles
- Unauthorised acts of general agent
- Unauthorised acts of special agents
- Rights between third person and agent
- Acts of general agents
- Acts of manager appearing to be owner
- Unauthorised acts of special agents
- Power of agent to modify contract before disclosure of principal
- Defences of other party
- Rights between other party and agent
- Principal excluded from transaction
- Rights between other party and agent
- Defences of other party
- Status of agent as party to a contract
- Agent who warrants authority
- Defences of agent
- Agent surety for principal
Decisions applying this instrument
DIFC Courts decisions on this estate that cite it, most recent first. Each link goes to our record of that decision, not to commentary on it.
- CA 012/2026 — Zuzana Kapova v (1) Miloslav Makovini (2) Pharm Trade Holding Ltd [2026] 14 Oct 2026
- CFI 081/2026 — CFI 081/2026 Perrin v Pamula 12 Oct 2026
- CFI 087/2025 — CFI 087/2025 Phenix v Patton 12 Oct 2026
- SCT 060/2026 — Permelia v Prairie [2026] DIFC SCT 060 12 Oct 2026
- SCT 073/2026 — Priscila v (1) Perline (2) Pompey [2026] DIFC SCT 073 16 Sep 2026
- CFI 098/2026 — CFI 098/2026 Pierson v Percival 2 Sep 2026
- CA 006/2026 — CA 006/2026 (1) The Collection Club Restaurant Limited (2) Laurent Buisi 24 Apr 2026
- CFI 054/2025 — CFI 054/2025 Innovative Production Group FZE v Innovation Factory Royal 17 Mar 2026
- CFI 009/2026 — CFI 009/2026 Osher v Ozmara 12 Mar 2026
- CFI 054/2024 — CFI 054/2024 Wincore Advisory Group DMCC v (1) Jpv Management Consultanc 24 Feb 2026
- CFI 095/2025 — CFI 095/2025 Obie v Osric 13 Jan 2026
- SCT 295/2025 — Olexa v Odon [2025] DIFC SCT 295 10 Dec 2025
106 decisions on this estate cite this instrument. Browse all DIFC case records.
Primary sources
Everything on this page comes from these two. Links go to the issuing legislator.
Acting on DIFC Law No. 6 of 2004
This page is a record, not advice. If contract law bears on a matter you are dealing with, speak to us about the facts.