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Deadline calculator

DIFC & ADGM legal deadline calculator

Choose the court, tribunal or procedure, then enter what happened and when. You will get the date, citation and calculation steps.

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Coverage reviewed August 2026 Review coverage and exclusions

Coverage

What you can calculate, save and export

The DIFC & ADGM coverage catalogue was last reviewed August 2026. Each rule has its own review date. Availability can vary by deadline; the calculator and directory show what needs checking.

Calculator
Free calculation available
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Available for eligible results.
Evidence Record
Available for eligible results.

Included forums

  • DIFC Court of First Instance
  • DIFC Small Claims Tribunal
  • DIFC Court of Appeal
  • ADGM Court of First Instance
  • ADGM specialist divisions
  • ADGM Court of Appeal
  • DIFC and ADGM arbitration claims

Check outside the calculator

  • DIAC institutional timetables are covered by the international-arbitration calculator, not this court calculator.
  • Court-directed dates and periods outside the listed court divisions are not encoded.

Primary-source collections

Deadline directory

Browse DIFC & ADGM deadline rules

Search by deadline, citation or court. Each entry shows what starts the clock and whether the current rule can be calculated or needs checking.

Calculable: fixed period and triggerReference only: no single fixed periodNeeds checking: verify the cited provision

Showing 24 of 85 matching rules

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

Serve the claim form within the DIFC or Dubai

4 months
Calculable
Time runs from
Date of issue of the claim form
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 7, rule 7.20(1)

Time runs from the day after the trigger

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

Serve the claim form out of the DIFC or Dubai

6 months
Calculable
Time runs from
Date of issue of the claim form
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 7, rule 7.20(2)

Time runs from the day after the trigger

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

Serve particulars of claim where not served with the claim form

28 days
Calculable
Time runs from
Filing of an acknowledgment of service indicating an intention to defend
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 7, rule 7.31(2)

Clear days: both the trigger day and the end day are excluded

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

File certificate of service where the claimant served the claim form

7 days
Calculable
Time runs from
The date for the filing by the defendant of the acknowledgment of service
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 9, rule 9.43(1)

Clear days: both the trigger day and the end day are excluded

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

File acknowledgment of service (general rule)

14 days
Calculable
Time runs from
Service of the claim form
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 11, rule 11.5

Clear days: both the trigger day and the end day are excluded

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

File acknowledgment of service or admission where the claim form was served out of the DIFC or Dubai

28 days
Calculable
Time runs from
Service of the claim form
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 9, rule 9.57

Clear days: both the trigger day and the end day are excluded

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

File defence where no acknowledgment of service is filed

14 days
Calculable
Time runs from
Service of the particulars of claim
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 16, rule 16.9(1)

Clear days: both the trigger day and the end day are excluded

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

File defence where an acknowledgment of service has been filed

28 days
Calculable
Time runs from
Service of the particulars of claim
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 16, rule 16.9(2)

Clear days: both the trigger day and the end day are excluded

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

File defence where served out of jurisdiction and particulars of claim came with the claim form

45 days
Calculable
Time runs from
Service of the claim form out of the DIFC or Dubai
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 9, rule 9.58(1)

Clear days: both the trigger day and the end day are excluded

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

File defence where served out of jurisdiction and particulars of claim served separately

28 days
Calculable
Time runs from
Service of the particulars of claim
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 9, rule 9.58(2)

Clear days: both the trigger day and the end day are excluded

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

Maximum extension of the defence period by agreement

28 days
Calculable
Time runs from
Expiry of the period for filing a defence under RDC 16.9 and 16.10
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 16, rules 16.11 and 16.12

Clear days: both the trigger day and the end day are excluded

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

File and serve reply to defence

21 days
Calculable
Time runs from
Service of the defence
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 16, rule 16.16(1)

Clear days: both the trigger day and the end day are excluded

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

Return or file an admission

14 days
Calculable
Time runs from
Service of the particulars of claim, or service of the claim form in any other case
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 15, rule 15.8

Clear days: both the trigger day and the end day are excluded

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

Claimant to file request for judgment on an admission before the claim is stayed

14 days
Calculable
Time runs from
Service of the admission on the claimant
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 15, rule 15.22

Clear days: both the trigger day and the end day are excluded

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

Application disputing the Court's jurisdiction

14 days
Calculable
Time runs from
Filing of the acknowledgment of service
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 12, rules 12.2 and 12.4(1)

Clear days: both the trigger day and the end day are excluded

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

Part 8 claim: file acknowledgment of service

14 days
Calculable
Time runs from
Service of the Part 8 claim form
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 8, rule 8.13(1)

Clear days: both the trigger day and the end day are excluded

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

Automatic stay where claim is not defended or admitted

6 months
Calculable
Time runs from
End of the period for filing a defence under RDC 16.9 and 16.10
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 16, rule 16.25

Time runs from the day after the trigger

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

Serve application notice before the hearing

3 days
Calculable
Time runs from
Date the Court is to deal with the application
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 23, rule 23.24(2)

Clear days: both the trigger day and the end day are excluded

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

Ordinary application: file and serve evidence in answer

14 days
Calculable
Time runs from
Filing and service of the application with evidence in support
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 23, rule 23.41(2)

Clear days: both the trigger day and the end day are excluded

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

Heavy application: file and serve evidence in answer

28 days
Calculable
Time runs from
Filing and service of the application with evidence in support
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 23, rule 23.46(2)

Clear days: both the trigger day and the end day are excluded

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

Minimum notice of an immediate judgment hearing

14 days
Calculable
Time runs from
Date fixed for the immediate judgment hearing
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 24, rule 24.6

Clear days: both the trigger day and the end day are excluded

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

Immediate judgment fixed by the Court of its own initiative: file and serve written evidence

7 days
Calculable
Time runs from
Date of the immediate judgment hearing
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 24, rule 24.10(1)

Clear days: both the trigger day and the end day are excluded

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

File and serve Case Management Information Sheet and any application notice before the CMC

7 days
Calculable
Time runs from
Date of the Case Management Conference
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 26, rule 26.3

Clear days: both the trigger day and the end day are excluded

Courts - DIFC Court of First Instance

Minimum relevant period specified in a Part 32 offer to settle

21 days
Calculable
Time runs from
Date the Part 32 offer is made
Rule
Rules of the DIFC Courts (RDC 2014), Part 32, rule 32.4(3)

Clear days: both the trigger day and the end day are excluded

This is calculation software, not legal advice. Check the cited current rule, any order and the facts before using a date.

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