Article 51 ยท Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021
UAE Gratuity by Years of Service
1 to 30 year end-of-service table
Look up your end-of-service gratuity by years worked and basic salary. Every figure uses the current UAE Labour Law formula for private-sector employees.
Quick answer: UAE gratuity is 21 days of basic salary per year for years 1โ5 and 30 days per year after year 5, once you complete one year of service. That is 0.7 months of basic salary per year at first and 1 month per year later, up to a maximum of two years' wage. For an exact figure with your dates, use the UAE gratuity calculator.
Gratuity days and months by years of service
| Years | Gratuity days | Months of basic salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 | 0.7 |
| 2 | 42 | 1.4 |
| 3 | 63 | 2.1 |
| 4 | 84 | 2.8 |
| 5 | 105 | 3.5 |
| 6 | 135 | 4.5 |
| 7 | 165 | 5.5 |
| 8 | 195 | 6.5 |
| 9 | 225 | 7.5 |
| 10 | 255 | 8.5 |
| 15 | 405 | 13.5 |
| 20 | 555 | 18.5 |
| 25 | 705 | 23.5 |
| 26 | 720 (cap) | 24.0 |
| 30 | 720 (cap) | 24.0 |
Gratuity amount by years and basic salary (AED)
| Years of service | Gratuity days | AED 3,000 basic | AED 5,000 basic | AED 8,000 basic | AED 10,000 basic | AED 15,000 basic | AED 20,000 basic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 21 | AED 2,100 | AED 3,500 | AED 5,600 | AED 7,000 | AED 10,500 | AED 14,000 |
| 2 years | 42 | AED 4,200 | AED 7,000 | AED 11,200 | AED 14,000 | AED 21,000 | AED 28,000 |
| 3 years | 63 | AED 6,300 | AED 10,500 | AED 16,800 | AED 21,000 | AED 31,500 | AED 42,000 |
| 4 years | 84 | AED 8,400 | AED 14,000 | AED 22,400 | AED 28,000 | AED 42,000 | AED 56,000 |
| 5 years | 105 | AED 10,500 | AED 17,500 | AED 28,000 | AED 35,000 | AED 52,500 | AED 70,000 |
| 6 years | 135 | AED 13,500 | AED 22,500 | AED 36,000 | AED 45,000 | AED 67,500 | AED 90,000 |
| 7 years | 165 | AED 16,500 | AED 27,500 | AED 44,000 | AED 55,000 | AED 82,500 | AED 110,000 |
| 8 years | 195 | AED 19,500 | AED 32,500 | AED 52,000 | AED 65,000 | AED 97,500 | AED 130,000 |
| 9 years | 225 | AED 22,500 | AED 37,500 | AED 60,000 | AED 75,000 | AED 112,500 | AED 150,000 |
| 10 years | 255 | AED 25,500 | AED 42,500 | AED 68,000 | AED 85,000 | AED 127,500 | AED 170,000 |
| 11 years | 285 | AED 28,500 | AED 47,500 | AED 76,000 | AED 95,000 | AED 142,500 | AED 190,000 |
| 12 years | 315 | AED 31,500 | AED 52,500 | AED 84,000 | AED 105,000 | AED 157,500 | AED 210,000 |
| 13 years | 345 | AED 34,500 | AED 57,500 | AED 92,000 | AED 115,000 | AED 172,500 | AED 230,000 |
| 14 years | 375 | AED 37,500 | AED 62,500 | AED 100,000 | AED 125,000 | AED 187,500 | AED 250,000 |
| 15 years | 405 | AED 40,500 | AED 67,500 | AED 108,000 | AED 135,000 | AED 202,500 | AED 270,000 |
| 16 years | 435 | AED 43,500 | AED 72,500 | AED 116,000 | AED 145,000 | AED 217,500 | AED 290,000 |
| 17 years | 465 | AED 46,500 | AED 77,500 | AED 124,000 | AED 155,000 | AED 232,500 | AED 310,000 |
| 18 years | 495 | AED 49,500 | AED 82,500 | AED 132,000 | AED 165,000 | AED 247,500 | AED 330,000 |
| 19 years | 525 | AED 52,500 | AED 87,500 | AED 140,000 | AED 175,000 | AED 262,500 | AED 350,000 |
| 20 years | 555 | AED 55,500 | AED 92,500 | AED 148,000 | AED 185,000 | AED 277,500 | AED 370,000 |
| 21 years | 585 | AED 58,500 | AED 97,500 | AED 156,000 | AED 195,000 | AED 292,500 | AED 390,000 |
| 22 years | 615 | AED 61,500 | AED 102,500 | AED 164,000 | AED 205,000 | AED 307,500 | AED 410,000 |
| 23 years | 645 | AED 64,500 | AED 107,500 | AED 172,000 | AED 215,000 | AED 322,500 | AED 430,000 |
| 24 years | 675 | AED 67,500 | AED 112,500 | AED 180,000 | AED 225,000 | AED 337,500 | AED 450,000 |
| 25 years | 705 | AED 70,500 | AED 117,500 | AED 188,000 | AED 235,000 | AED 352,500 | AED 470,000 |
| 26 years | 735 | AED 72,000* | AED 120,000* | AED 192,000* | AED 240,000* | AED 360,000* | AED 480,000* |
| 27 years | 765 | AED 72,000* | AED 120,000* | AED 192,000* | AED 240,000* | AED 360,000* | AED 480,000* |
| 28 years | 795 | AED 72,000* | AED 120,000* | AED 192,000* | AED 240,000* | AED 360,000* | AED 480,000* |
| 29 years | 825 | AED 72,000* | AED 120,000* | AED 192,000* | AED 240,000* | AED 360,000* | AED 480,000* |
| 30 years | 855 | AED 72,000* | AED 120,000* | AED 192,000* | AED 240,000* | AED 360,000* | AED 480,000* |
How to read the table
- Under 1 year: no gratuity (Article 51(1) requires one year of continuous service).
- Years 1โ5: 21 days of basic wage per year, so each year adds 70% of a month's basic salary.
- After year 5: 30 days per year, so each year adds one full month of basic salary.
- Part years: paid pro rata after the first year (Article 51(3)). Days of unpaid absence are not counted (Article 51(4)).
- Cap: total gratuity cannot exceed two years' wage (Article 51(6)).
- Payment: your employer must pay within 14 days of the contract ending (Article 53).
Resignation no longer reduces gratuity under the current law. If your employer is in DMCC or ADGM, the daily rate is worked out differently: see the DMCC gratuity calculator and the ADGM gratuity calculator. Domestic workers are covered by a different law: see the domestic worker gratuity page.
To add unused leave, notice pay and unpaid salary to your gratuity, use the UAE final settlement calculator.
FAQs
Under Article 51 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021: 21 days of basic wage for each of the first five years, then 30 days for each year after that. You need at least one year of continuous service.
Five years earns 105 days of basic wage (5 ร 21), which is 3.5 months of basic salary. With AED 10,000 basic, that is AED 35,000.
Ten years earns 255 days (105 for the first five years + 150 for the next five), which is 8.5 months of basic salary. With AED 10,000 basic, that is AED 85,000.
Yes. Article 51(6) says the total gratuity must not exceed two yearsโ wage. Using basic salary, the cap is reached after about 25.5 years of service (720 days).
Yes. After the first full year, part years are paid pro rata (Article 51(3)). For example, 3.5 years earns 73.5 days.
On basic salary only. The law defines basic wage as excluding allowances such as housing and transport.