A Power of Attorney (POA) allows one person, known as the principal, to authorise another person to carry out specified acts on their behalf. In Dubai, a POA intended for official use will generally need to complete the applicable notarial procedure before the relevant authority, bank, court or other organisation can rely on it.
Dubai Courts currently provides an electronic Power of Attorney ratification service, but the procedure is not identical for every applicant. Depending on the transaction and documents submitted, the process may require no physical attendance, virtual attendance or personal appearance.
For drafting and notarisation assistance, see our Power of Attorney services in Dubai.
What Is a Power of Attorney?
A Power of Attorney is a legal document through which the principal grants another person, commonly called the attorney or authorised representative, authority to perform the acts stated in the document.
The authority may relate to property, company matters, vehicles, banking, court procedures, inheritance or another defined transaction. The wording should match the actual powers the representative will need.
General vs Special Power of Attorney
A General Power of Attorney may contain authority covering several specified matters, while a Special or Limited Power of Attorney is restricted to a particular transaction or purpose.
Where the required act is specific, such as selling a particular property or completing one company transaction, a narrowly drafted special POA can make the scope of authority clearer.
For more detail, see our guide to a Special Power of Attorney in Dubai.
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How to Notarize a Power of Attorney in Dubai
The current Dubai Courts process generally follows these stages:
- Prepare the POA. Identify the principal, representative and the exact powers being granted.
- Prepare the supporting documents. These depend on the transaction covered by the POA.
- Submit the application. Enter the required information and upload the supporting documents through the applicable Dubai Courts service channel.
- Pay the applicable fees.
- Complete the required verification. Dubai Courts determines whether the transaction can proceed without attendance or requires virtual or personal attendance.
- Complete signing and approval.
- Receive the attested Power of Attorney electronically.
This is more accurate than assuming that every POA requires all parties to attend a notary office together.
What Documents Are Required for POA Notarization?
The required supporting documents depend on what the Power of Attorney authorises.
Dubai Courts currently lists documents such as:
- Emirates ID or passport as proof of identity;
- proof of identity and authority of the attorney or representative;
- a valid trade licence for company or establishment-related POAs;
- a title deed for a property-related POA;
- a valid vehicle possession certificate for a vehicle POA;
- a determination of heirs certificate or death certificate for an estate-related POA;
- a marriage certificate or marriage contract for a divorce-related POA;
- relevant contracts or corporate documents where applicable; and
- other supporting documents required for the particular authority being granted.
The notary may request additional documents where needed to establish the parties’ identity, capacity or authority.
Can a Power of Attorney Be Notarized Online in Dubai?
Yes, eligible Powers of Attorney can be completed through Dubai Courts’ electronic ratification service.
However, “online notarisation” does not always mean that no attendance will ever be required. Dubai Courts’ current system determines whether the transaction needs:
- scrutiny without the parties being present;
- virtual attendance; or
- personal attendance.
For online attestation, the concerned parties must hold valid Emirates IDs. Dubai Courts states that a person who holds only a passport and does not have an Emirates ID must appear personally before the Notary Public.
This means the correct procedure depends on the applicant’s identification and the transaction being notarised.
Can Someone Outside the UAE Notarize a POA for Dubai?
Yes, a person outside the UAE can prepare a Power of Attorney for use in Dubai, but a document executed abroad follows a different process from a POA completed through Dubai Courts inside the UAE.
Dubai Courts currently states that documents issued outside the UAE must complete the applicable attestation process through the competent authorities, which may include:
- authentication or attestation by the competent authority in the country of issue;
- attestation by the UAE Embassy or Consulate in that country;
- attestation by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and
- certified Arabic translation where required.
The exact sequence can depend on the country where the document is issued and the authority that will receive it in Dubai.
Does a Power of Attorney Need Arabic Translation?
Dubai Courts requires documents that are not in Arabic to be accompanied by a legal translation certified in accordance with UAE Ministry of Justice requirements where applicable.
A bilingual Arabic-English POA can also be prepared where appropriate, but the document should meet the requirements of the notarial and receiving authorities.
Notarization, Attestation and Legalisation: What Is the Difference?
These processes should not be treated as interchangeable.
| Process | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Notarization / Ratification | Verifies the parties’ identity, capacity, knowledge of the transaction and execution of the POA through the applicable notarial process. |
| Attestation | Verifies official signatures or seals through the relevant authority, particularly where documents are moving between jurisdictions. |
| Legalisation | The broader authentication process required to prepare a document issued in one country for official use in another. |
A POA notarised outside the UAE is therefore not necessarily ready for use in Dubai until the applicable attestation, legalisation and translation requirements have also been completed.
How Much Does POA Notarization Cost in Dubai?
Dubai Courts currently lists a Power of Attorney attestation fee of AED 100 for each relevant party to the document, plus AED 20 in Knowledge and Innovation fees.
Additional costs may apply for POA drafting, legal translation, private-notary assistance, foreign-document attestation or other supporting services.
Government fees may change, so the applicable amount should be confirmed before submission.
Age Requirements for a Power of Attorney in Dubai
Dubai Courts currently states that the principal and attorney must be:
- 21 lunar years or older where the POA concerns civil matters; or
- 18 years or older where the POA concerns commercial matters.
These are the requirements stated for the Dubai Courts POA ratification service and should not automatically be applied to every other legal procedure or jurisdiction in the UAE.
Can a Power of Attorney Be Signed Electronically?
UAE law recognises electronic transactions and electronic signatures under Federal Decree-Law No. 46 of 2021 on Electronic Transactions and Trust Services.
However, the fact that a document contains an electronic signature does not by itself replace any notarisation, identity-verification or authority-specific formalities that apply to a Power of Attorney.
For a Dubai Courts POA, the document still needs to complete the applicable ratification procedure and electronic-signature process prescribed by the service.
What Happens During POA Notarization?
Dubai Courts describes its notarial service as ratification of the parties’ signatures while verifying their capacity and their knowledge of the subject of the document.
The process can include:
- checking identification;
- reviewing the POA and supporting documents;
- confirming that the person granting authority has the capacity to do so;
- confirming the authority of anyone acting in a representative capacity;
- completing any required electronic, virtual or personal verification; and
- signing and approving the transaction.
After completion, Dubai Courts issues the attested Power of Attorney.
General or Special POA: Which Should You Notarize?
The choice depends on what the representative actually needs to do.
A General Power of Attorney can be suitable where several related powers genuinely need to be delegated. A Special Power of Attorney can be more appropriate for a defined transaction because the authority is expressly limited to the stated purpose.
Whichever form is used, the wording should be checked against the requirements of the bank, court, property authority, company registrar or other institution that will receive the POA.
Check the POA Before You Submit It
Before starting notarisation, confirm that the names, identification details, transaction information and powers are accurate. An unclear POA can be delayed or rejected if the authority granted does not match the intended transaction.
If you are working with an older document, also check whether the POA is still effective. See our guide on checking Power of Attorney validity in Dubai.
Need Help Notarizing a Power of Attorney in Dubai?
The correct POA wording and supporting documents depend on what the representative needs to do and whether the principal is inside or outside the UAE.
If you need assistance preparing the document or coordinating the applicable notarial procedure, Notary Public Dubai can assist with POA drafting, translation and notarisation requirements.
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FAQs
Can a Power of Attorney be notarized online in Dubai?
Yes. Eligible POAs can use Dubai Courts’ electronic service, although virtual or personal attendance may still be required depending on the transaction.
What documents are needed to notarize a POA in Dubai?
Usually identification and transaction-specific supporting documents are required. Property, company, vehicle and estate POAs each have additional document requirements.
Does the attorney need to attend the notarization?
The required attendance depends on the transaction and the Dubai Courts workflow. The system may require no attendance, virtual attendance or personal appearance.
How much does POA notarization cost in Dubai?
Dubai Courts currently lists AED 100 for each relevant party to the POA, plus AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation fees.
Can a POA signed outside the UAE be used in Dubai?
Yes, but it may need foreign authentication, UAE Embassy and MOFA attestation, and certified Arabic translation before it is accepted.
Can a POA be signed electronically in the UAE?
Electronic signatures are recognised under UAE law, but the POA must still complete any applicable notarisation and verification requirements.
