Frequently Asked Questions About Notary Public in UAE

What Is a Notary Public in the UAE?

A Notary Public is authorised to perform specific notarial acts, including registering or notarising eligible documents and contracts, attesting signatures, validating document dates and administering oaths for affidavits where permitted.

In Dubai, notarial work may be performed through government notaries, private notaries and approved electronic notary channels under the applicable Dubai Courts framework.

The notary’s role is not simply to stamp a document. Before completing a transaction, the notary may need to verify the identity, legal capacity, authority and consent of the parties and confirm that the transaction does not conflict with UAE law or public order.

Individuals and businesses looking for assistance with an eligible notarial transaction can review the services available through Notary Public Dubai.

What Does Notarization Mean?

Notarization is a formal notarial process applied to a document, signature, declaration or transaction where the law or receiving authority requires a notarial act.

Depending on the transaction, the process may involve verifying the parties, confirming their authority and consent, attesting signatures, administering an oath or recording the document through the applicable notary system.

Notarization should not be confused with document attestation or legalisation. Educational certificates, marriage certificates, divorce certificates and similar documents issued by an authority may instead require an attestation or authentication process when they are being used in the UAE or overseas.

What Are the Requirements for Becoming a Private Notary in the UAE?

Under the current federal framework regulating the notary profession, a person seeking registration as a private notary must satisfy prescribed professional and licensing conditions.

These include:

• being a UAE national under the federal licensing framework;
• having full legal capacity and being medically fit;
• being of good conduct and having no disqualifying criminal conviction;
• holding a recognised degree in law or Sharia and law;
• having the required qualifying legal experience;
• holding the required professional liability insurance;
• passing the prescribed procedures and tests; and
• obtaining the required registration and licence before practising.

Dubai also has its own local framework governing the registration and practice of private notaries in the emirate. A person cannot simply provide notarial services because they are a lawyer or legal consultant; the applicable registration and authorisation requirements must be satisfied.

For more information about the service side of the process, see our private notary services in the UAE.

What Identification Is Required for Notarization?

The notary must be able to verify the identity of the person involved in the transaction.

Depending on the service and applicant, accepted identification may include:

• a valid Emirates ID;
• a valid passport; or
• another official identification document accepted under the applicable procedure.

The notary may also need documents proving the person’s legal capacity or authority to act. For example, a company representative may need corporate records establishing signing authority, while an attorney acting for another person may need a valid Power of Attorney.

What Are the General Requirements for Notarizing Documents in the UAE?

The requirements depend on the document and notarial service, but the following points commonly need to be checked:

• The identity of the parties must be established using acceptable official identification.
• The person signing must have the legal capacity and authority to complete the transaction.
• The document must fall within the legal competence of the notary.
• The transaction must not conflict with UAE legislation, public order or public morals.
• Supporting documents establishing ownership, representation or corporate authority may be required.
• Documents in another language may require an approved Arabic legal translation.
• Foreign-issued supporting documents may need prior attestation where required for the particular transaction.

Physical attendance is no longer a universal requirement for every notarial service. UAE and Dubai notary procedures can use approved electronic and remote-identification methods for eligible transactions.

What Documents Can a Notary Public Handle?

The documents and transactions that a notary may process depend on the applicable legislation and the particular notarial service.

In Dubai, recognised notarial functions include:

• registration or notarisation of eligible documents and contracts;
• attestation of signatures on documents and contracts;
• validation of dates of eligible instruments;
• registration and attestation of affidavits after administration of the required oath;
• certain non-Muslim wills and recognised religious documents; and
• other transactions assigned to the notary under applicable legislation.

The fact that a document is legally important does not automatically mean it must be notarised. The correct process depends on the document, transaction and authority that will receive it.

What Documents or Transactions Can a Notary Public Refuse?

A Notary Public cannot process every type of document.

Under the Dubai notary framework, restricted matters include certain:

• documents relating to the personal-status affairs of Muslims or Waqf matters;
• transactions creating, transferring, changing or extinguishing ownership or other real rights in real property where they fall outside the notary’s competence;
• documents that another authority has exclusive power to register or attest;
• transactions that violate UAE legislation, public order or public morals; and
• transactions where the notary has a prohibited conflict of interest.

A notary must also refuse to proceed where the identity, capacity, authority or consent of a concerned party cannot be properly established.

Can a Notary Public Attest More Than One Signature?

Yes. A notary may attest the signatures of more than one party on an eligible document or contract, provided the identities, capacities and authority of the parties can be verified and the transaction satisfies the applicable requirements.

The exact signing procedure depends on the document and the notarial service being used.

Do All Parties Have to Visit the Notary Public in Person?

Not necessarily.

Dubai’s electronic notary framework allows eligible transactions to use electronic submission and identity verification. Depending on the service, verification may be completed through the system, virtual attendance or personal attendance.

The Dubai Courts Smart Electronic Notary allows supporting documents to be submitted electronically and provides for verification of identity, legal capacity and authority through approved electronic procedures.

Where a transaction cannot be completed remotely, the concerned party may still need to attend personally or act through a legally authorised representative.

How Can a Prisoner or Detainee Notarize a Document?

A prisoner or detainee may require coordination between the relevant detention authority and the competent notarial authority before a document can be completed.

The applicable procedure depends on the person’s circumstances, the institution where they are detained and the type of transaction. The notary must still be satisfied as to identity, legal capacity, consent and authority before completing the notarial act.

For this reason, the procedure should be confirmed for the individual case rather than assuming that an ordinary office or online notarisation process will apply.

Can a Hospital Patient Complete a Notarial Transaction?

Potentially, yes, provided the person’s identity, legal capacity and free consent can be established.

Where a person cannot attend normally because of illness, the first step should be to check whether the particular transaction can be completed using an approved remote or electronic procedure.

If there is concern about the person’s ability to understand or freely consent to the transaction, additional evidence concerning capacity may be required before the notary can proceed.

Which Identification Cards Are Accepted by a Notary Public?

A valid Emirates ID and passport are commonly used for identification. Other official documents may be accepted where they satisfy the applicable legal and procedural requirements.

The important issue is that the document enables the notary to reliably establish the person’s identity.

Are Copies of Passports or Emirates IDs Accepted?

Electronic notary services may require applicants to upload electronic copies of identification and supporting documents as part of the application.

An uploaded copy, however, does not remove the notary’s obligation to verify the person’s identity through the approved procedure. A simple photocopy should therefore not be assumed to be sufficient for every transaction.

What Is the Cost of Private Notarization in the UAE?

There is no single fee for every notarial transaction. The amount depends on the type of document, number of signatures, transaction value where relevant and the service being requested.

Drafting, legal translation, foreign-document attestation and other supporting services may also involve separate costs.

For transaction-specific figures, check the current notary service fees before submitting the application.

Do Documents Have to Be in Arabic for Notarization?

Arabic is the official language used for notarial instruments under the applicable UAE and Dubai notary frameworks.

Where a supporting document or instrument is in another language, a legally certified Arabic translation may be required before the notarial transaction can be completed.

Documents issued outside the UAE may also require authentication or attestation through the relevant authorities before they can be relied upon in a notarial transaction. This is separate from notarisation itself.

Is Notarization the Same as Attestation or Legalisation?

No. These procedures serve different purposes.

Notarization involves a recognised notarial act, such as attesting a signature, notarising a Power of Attorney, registering an affidavit or completing another eligible transaction.

Attestation or authentication generally concerns verification of the authenticity of a document, official seal or signature in the document chain.

Legalisation is commonly used for the additional authentication steps required when a document issued in one country is to be accepted in another jurisdiction.

A document can therefore be notarised but still require separate attestation or legalisation for its intended use.

For a detailed comparison, see the difference between notarisation and attestation in the UAE.