AED amounts in words: examples
One of four post-dated rent cheques (AED 85,000 a year)
AED 21,250.00
Twenty One Thousand Two Hundred Fifty Dirhams Only
Open this amount in the converter →School fees with fils
AED 3,675.50
Three Thousand Six Hundred Seventy Five Dirhams And Fifty Fils Only
Open this amount in the converter →A security cheque for a business contract
AED 150,000.00
One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dirhams Only
Open this amount in the converter →UAE cheque leaves are bilingual and the words line usually starts with “Dirhams” printed in English and Arabic, so you can write the number and finish with “Only”. Write fils as part of the words (“and Fifty Fils Only”) or as “50/100”; just make sure the words and figures agree.
Step by step: a UAE dirham cheque
- Date: use day/month/year. On a post-dated rent cheque, double-check each date against the tenancy contract; one wrong year is a common reason for a returned cheque.
- Pay: the landlord’s or company’s full name as on their account. For rent, landlords often give you the exact payee wording; copy it.
- Dirhams (words): write from the far left, in English or Arabic, end with “Only” and line through the blank space.
- AED box (figures): two decimals, written tight to the left edge, e.g. 21,250.00.
- Signature: exactly as on the bank’s records. A signature that doesn’t match is one of the conduct points that can still be treated as an offence (see below).
- Crossing: two lines in the top-left corner with “A/C Payee” keeps the cheque out of anyone else’s account.
How long the payee has to deposit it
A cheque payable in the UAE must be presented within six months of the date written on it (Article 649 of Federal Decree-Law No. 50 of 2022, as summarised by UAE law firms). A bank may still pay after that period, but a cheque presented late loses its status as an executory instrument, which is what lets the holder go straight to the court’s execution division. For a post-dated cheque, the six months run from the future date written on it.
Claims against the drawer generally have to be brought within two years from the end of the presentation period. Those limits have exceptions, so treat them as a guide and get advice for a real dispute.
Bounced cheques since 2022
Since 2 January 2022, a cheque that bounces only because the account doesn’t have enough money is no longer a criminal matter. Instead, the bank’s confirmation that it was dishonoured makes the cheque an enforcement document: the holder can apply to the execution court, which can order payment and seize the drawer’s assets. The holder can also ask the bank to pay whatever balance is in the account and pursue the rest.
Other conduct is still criminal under the law, including deliberately signing in a way that doesn’t match your specimen, closing the account or withdrawing funds so the cheque cannot be paid, and issuing a stop-payment without a lawful reason. So the practical rule is unchanged: never hand over a cheque you don’t expect to be paid.
Cheques governed by the DIFC or ADGM financial free zones sit under their own common-law frameworks, not the federal Commercial Transactions Law.
Frequently asked questions
Is a bounced cheque still a crime in the UAE?
Not if it bounced only for insufficient funds; that was decriminalised from 2 January 2022. The holder can enforce it through the execution court instead. Fraudulent conduct, such as a deliberately mismatched signature, can still be an offence.
How long is a UAE cheque valid?
It must be presented within six months of the date on the cheque to keep its full legal force. A bank may pay later, but the holder loses the fast-track enforcement route.
Can I write a UAE cheque in Arabic?
Yes. UAE cheques are bilingual and you can write the amount in words in Arabic or English. Use one language for the whole words line.
How do I write fils on a cheque?
Add them to the words, for example “Three Thousand Six Hundred Seventy Five Dirhams And Fifty Fils Only”, and write AED 3,675.50 in the box.
Sources
Rules change, and banks can apply stricter practices than the law requires. Check with your bank before relying on a detail for a large or time-sensitive payment. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
- Khaleej Times: New UAE law decriminalises bounced cheques
- Mondaq: Bounced cheque law in the UAE
- Global Law Experts: Cheque limitation periods in the UAE
- Afridi & Angell: Dishonour for insufficient funds no longer a crime after 2 January 2022
- Central Bank of the UAE: Cheques FAQ, Commercial Transactions Law