Yes. From 1 June 2026, a person who has completed 18 Gregorian years can generally have full legal capacity under the UAE’s new Civil Transactions Law, provided they have full mental capacity and have not been legally interdicted. This change is particularly important for young adults who need to sign contracts or give someone a Power of Attorney in Dubai.
Reaching 18 does not, however, mean that every Power of Attorney can contain any authority the person chooses. The person granting the POA must also have the legal right to carry out the underlying transaction themselves, and the wording of the POA must give the agent the appropriate authority for the intended act.
What Changed Under the New UAE Civil Transactions Law?
Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025 introduced a new Civil Transactions Law that came into force on 1 June 2026. One of its significant changes was reducing the age of majority from 21 lunar years to 18 Gregorian years.
Under Article 84 of the UAE Civil Transactions Law, a person who has reached the age of majority, enjoys full mental capacity and has not been interdicted has full legal capacity to exercise civil rights. The law expressly states that majority is reached upon completing 18 Gregorian years.
This means that someone who has completed 18 years is no longer treated as having limited capacity merely because of age. For a young adult who needs to appoint another person to deal with property, administrative matters, legal transactions or other personal affairs, this can include the ability to grant a Power of Attorney where the other legal requirements are satisfied.
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Can an 18-Year-Old Sign a Power of Attorney in Dubai?
In general, yes. An 18-year-old can sign a Power of Attorney in Dubai after reaching the new age of majority, but age is only one part of the legal test.
Article 868 of the new Civil Transactions Law requires the principal, meaning the person giving the authority, to have the right to dispose of the subject matter of the agency in their own capacity. The person appointed as agent must also be eligible to perform the act for which they are appointed.
In practical terms, an 18-year-old cannot use a POA to give another person a power that the 18-year-old does not legally possess in the first place.
For example, if the person owns an asset in their own name and has full legal capacity to deal with it, a properly drafted POA may allow an agent to handle an authorised transaction on their behalf. If the matter belongs to a company rather than the individual personally, the young adult must separately have the corporate authority needed to act for that company.
For transaction-specific drafting and notarisation requirements, the site’s Power of Attorney services in Dubai cover personal, property and commercial POA preparation.
Does Turning 18 Automatically Make Every POA Valid?
No. Being 18 establishes the relevant age of majority under the new Civil Transactions Law, but a valid POA still depends on capacity, consent, authority, wording and the transaction involved.
A notary does not simply check the person’s date of birth and stamp the document. Under the UAE legislation regulating the notary profession, the notary must verify the identity of the persons concerned, their legal capacity and designation, and their consent to the contents of the transaction.
The underlying Power of Attorney must also be drafted broadly or specifically enough for the intended purpose. A POA that does not contain the authority needed for a particular transaction can still be unsuitable even if the principal is unquestionably over 18.
When Does an 18-Year-Old Need a Special Power of Attorney?
The distinction between a general and special agency becomes important under the new law.
Article 870 of the Civil Transactions Law requires a special agency for acts that go beyond ordinary management and preservation. The law specifically refers to transactions such as sale, settlement, mortgage, acknowledgment, arbitration, administering or accepting an oath, donations and pleading before a court.
This means an 18-year-old who wants someone else to carry out one of these acts should not assume that a broadly worded general POA will necessarily be sufficient.
For example, if a young adult wants an agent to sell an asset, settle a legal claim or represent them in specified court proceedings, the required authority should be expressed in the POA. Our guide to a Special Power of Attorney in Dubai explains how transaction-specific authority differs from general management powers.
What Does Dubai Courts Check When a POA Is Notarised?
Dubai Courts provides a Power of Attorneys Ratification service through its notary public system. The service is used to ratify an authorisation by which a person delegates another person to act for them in specified transactions.
The Dubai Courts Power of Attorneys Ratification service currently requires identification documents for the parties and supporting records depending on the type of authority being granted.
Documents commonly relevant to the application may include:
- Emirates ID or passport as proof of identity;
- proof of identity of the appointed attorney;
- a valid trade licence where the POA concerns a company or establishment;
- a trademark registration certificate where relevant;
- inheritance or death documents for estate-related authority; and
- other documents supporting the powers contained in the POA.
The actual supporting documents depend on what the agent is being authorised to do.
What If the Power of Attorney Is Not in Arabic?
Dubai Courts states that documents not in Arabic should be accompanied by a legal translation certified by the UAE Ministry of Justice where required for the notarial transaction.
This is particularly important where a POA has been prepared in English or where supporting documents were issued in another language. Names, passport details, property information and the powers granted should remain consistent across the source document and translation.
A translation should not be treated merely as a word-for-word convenience. Where the POA authorises a significant legal transaction, the Arabic wording can affect how the authority is understood and used.
How Much Does POA Ratification Cost in Dubai?
Dubai Courts currently lists a ratification fee of AED 100 for each party to the Power of Attorney, together with AED 20 in Knowledge and Innovation fees.
This is the published Dubai Courts service fee and should not be treated as the total cost of every POA. Drafting, legal translation, private notary assistance, supporting documents, overseas authentication or MOFA attestation may involve separate charges depending on the circumstances.
Notarisation, Attestation, Authentication and Legalisation Are Different
These terms are often used interchangeably, but they describe different stages.
Notarisation is the process through which the notary verifies the parties, their capacity and consent and formally executes or ratifies the document according to the applicable procedure.
Attestation generally refers to verification of the authenticity of signatures and official seals on a document. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs document attestation service includes personal and commercial Powers of Attorney among the document categories that may require attestation.
Authentication is a broader description for verifying that a document, signature, seal or issuing authority is genuine.
Legalisation commonly refers to the chain of formalities required so that a document issued in one country can be accepted in another.
A POA signed and notarised in Dubai does not automatically require MOFA attestation merely because it is a Power of Attorney. Additional attestation becomes relevant where the document is being used internationally or where the receiving authority requires it.
What If the 18-Year-Old Signs the POA Outside the UAE?
The age-of-majority issue and the document-authentication issue should be considered separately.
If the POA is executed outside the UAE for use in Dubai, the document may need to follow the notarisation or authentication process in the country of execution and then the applicable UAE attestation route.
Dubai Courts currently states that documents issued outside the UAE should be duly attested through the competent authorities, including the foreign country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UAE mission in that country and UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as applicable.
MOFA also confirms that personal and commercial Powers of Attorney fall within its attestation framework. The exact route can depend on where the document was issued and whether it is personal or commercial in nature.
Can Someone Under 18 Sign a Power of Attorney?
A person below 18 is not in the same legal position as someone who has reached the age of majority. Article 86 of the new Civil Transactions Law treats a person who has reached the age of discernment but has not reached majority as having limited legal capacity, subject to the law.
It would therefore be unsafe to assume that a 17-year-old can simply execute an unrestricted POA in the same way as a fully capable adult. Depending on the transaction, a legal representative, guardian or judicial authorisation may need to be considered.
The answer can also depend on what property or right is involved and what the minor is legally permitted to do. A specific under-18 transaction should therefore be reviewed separately rather than applying the new 18-year rule backwards.
What Should an 18-Year-Old Check Before Signing a POA?
Start with the transaction rather than the POA template. Identify exactly what the appointed person needs to do and which authority, bank, court, company or other institution will receive the document.
Check that the principal owns or controls the right being delegated, that the POA gives no broader authority than intended and that any act requiring special authority is stated clearly.
It is also worth checking the duration, revocation position and whether the receiving authority has its own wording requirements. A POA can be properly notarised and still fail to serve its intended purpose if the authority granted is incomplete or outdated. Our guide on checking Power of Attorney validity in Dubai covers these practical points in more detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 18 now the legal age to sign a Power of Attorney in the UAE?
For civil legal capacity, the new UAE Civil Transactions Law sets the age of majority at 18 Gregorian years. The person must also have full mental capacity and not be legally interdicted.
Did the UAE legal age change from 21 to 18?
Yes. The new Civil Transactions Law reduced the age of majority from 21 lunar years to 18 Gregorian years and came into force on 1 June 2026.
Can an 18-year-old give someone authority to sell property or another asset?
Potentially, provided the 18-year-old has the legal right to dispose of the asset. Acts such as sale require specific authority under Article 870, and the receiving authority may impose additional transaction requirements.
Does an 18-year-old need a parent to sign the POA?
Not merely because of age once the person has completed 18 Gregorian years and has full legal capacity. A different issue may arise if the person is under interdiction or lacks capacity for another legal reason.
Does a Power of Attorney signed in Dubai need MOFA attestation?
Not automatically. A Dubai POA ordinarily goes through the applicable notarisation process; MOFA attestation is a separate step that may be needed for international use or where the receiving authority requires it.
Can an 18-year-old appoint a lawyer or another person through a POA?
Yes, subject to legal capacity and the scope of authority being granted. Court representation and other acts listed in Article 870 require appropriate special authority in the POA.
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Turning 18 Now Carries Full Civil Responsibility
The new UAE Civil Transactions Law gives completing 18 Gregorian years far greater practical significance. A young adult who has full mental capacity and is not interdicted can generally exercise civil rights in their own name, including granting a Power of Attorney for matters they are legally entitled to handle.
The important question is therefore no longer simply age. The POA must match the transaction, the principal must have the right being delegated, and any special powers must be stated clearly. Before signing, it is worth checking the document against the requirements of the authority that will ultimately rely on it.
For assistance with drafting or preparing the document for notarisation, review the requirements for a Power of Attorney in Dubai before the document is signed.
