Legal notices
Legal notice through a notary public in Dubai, step by step
A legal notice through a notary public is a written notice to another person, drafted in Arabic, attested by a notary public and then served on the person it is addressed to. Serving it this way gives you proof of what you said and when the other side received it. In Dubai, attesting a legal notice is one of the services a notary public provides.
Legal notices
We draft the notice in Arabic and English, and you sign it before our in-house notary public at our Business Bay office. WhatsApp and online requests are answered 24/7; the office is open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (Dubai time).
- A legal notice is a written warning or demand to a tenant, a landlord, an agent, a debtor or the other party to a contract.
- In Dubai, attesting a legal notice is a listed notary public service.
- For tenancy notices the law names the route: through a notary public or by registered mail.
- The notice is drafted in Arabic, the language of the courts, with an English copy when you need one.
- Keep the proof of service: a court or the Rental Dispute Centre may ask for it later.
The pages in this section
Legal notices
01Service
Eviction notice through a notary
How a landlord sends an eviction notice through a notary public in Dubai: the four reasons, the 12 month notice, what to bring and the proof for RDC.
02Service
Notice to pay rent
How a Dubai landlord sends a notice to pay unpaid rent through a notary public: the 30 day deadline, what the notice says, what to bring and the next step.
03Service
Breach of contract notice
How to send a breach of contract legal notice through a notary in Dubai: when the Civil Transactions Law needs notice, what it says and what to bring.
04Service
Notice of POA revocation
How to send a notice of revocation of a power of attorney through a notary in Dubai: who to tell, what the law says, what to bring and the DLD step.
When a legal notice is needed
A notice is not required before every case in Dubai. It is required, or strongly expected, in these situations:
- A tenant who has not paid rent. The landlord serves a notice asking for payment, and the tenant has 30 days from service to pay. See notice to pay rent.
- Eviction at the end of a lease for sale, own use, demolition or major renovation. The notice must be given at least 12 months before the eviction date. See eviction notice through a notary.
- A party that has not performed a contract. Under the Civil Transactions Law, the other party may ask the court to order performance or rescission after giving notice. See breach of contract notice.
- Revoking a power of attorney. The law does not set a method, but telling the agent, and the people who deal with the agent, is what stops the power being used. See notice of POA revocation.
- A debt of a fixed amount. Before asking a judge for a payment order, the creditor serves a notice for payment giving at least five days.
Step by step
How a legal notice through a notary public works
- Tell us what happened Send the contract, the tenancy contract or the power of attorney, and what you want the other side to do.
- We draft the notice In Arabic, with an English copy if needed. It names both parties, the contract, what is owed or required, and the deadline.
- You read and approve it Nothing is signed until the wording is right.
- Sign before the notary public Our in-house notary public checks your ID and attests the notice.
- The notice is served It goes to the address given in the contract, and we keep the proof of the date it was received.
- Keep the proof You receive the attested notice and the proof of service for your file.
Checklist
What to bring
Before you go
- Your original Emirates ID or passport.
- The contract the notice is about: the tenancy contract, the sale agreement, the service agreement or the power of attorney.
- The other party's full name and the address, email and phone number given in the contract.
- The amounts, dates and clauses you rely on.
- For a company: the trade licence and proof that you may sign for it.
The wording
What a good notice says
Legal notice through a notary public
- Who is sending it and who it is addressed to, as named in the contract.
- The contract and the clause or law it relies on.
- What the other party must do, and by when.
- What will happen if they do not: for example, a claim at the Rental Dispute Centre or the court.
- The date, and the sender's signature before the notary public.
Why Arabic matters
Arabic is the official language of the UAE courts. A notice drafted in Arabic can be used later without a new translation. If the other party does not read Arabic, we add an English copy.
Price
We give you a written price before we start. The notary's fee for attesting the notice is added at cost, and we tell you the amount when we quote.
Is a legal notice mandatory before filing a case in Dubai?
Not for every case. It is required for some: a tenancy eviction, a claim for unpaid rent, a court order for performance or rescission of a contract, and a payment order for a fixed debt. For other disputes, ask a lawyer before you file.
Can I send a legal notice without a lawyer?
Yes. You can draft and send a notice yourself, and a notary public can attest it. For a complex dispute, speak to a lawyer about the claim itself.
Can a legal notice be sent by email or WhatsApp?
Dubai tenancy law defines a notice as one sent through a notary public, or by registered mail, by hand or by other technological means approved by law. For eviction and unpaid rent it names only two routes: a notary public or registered mail. That is why tenancy notices go through a notary.
What happens if the other side ignores the notice?
The notice starts the waiting period. When it ends, you can take the next step, such as a case at the Rental Dispute Centre or the court, with the notice and the proof of service as evidence.
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Talk to us
Start with a message
Send us the contract and a short note of what happened.
Phone and WhatsApp
Office
707 Burj Khalifa Blvd, Marasi Drive, Business Bay, Dubai, UAE
Hours
Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (Dubai time)
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Sources for this page
- Executive Council Resolution No. 4 of 2014, fees related to notaries public in Dubai, Schedule 1 item 7 (attestation of a legal notice): https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2014/Executive%20Council%20Resolution%20No.%20%284%29%20of%202014%20Approving%20the%20Fees%20and%20Fines%20Related%20to%20Notaries%20Public.html
- Law No. 33 of 2008 amending Law No. 26 of 2007 (landlords and tenants in Dubai), Articles 2 and 25: https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2009/Law%20No.%20(33)%20of%202008%20Amending%20Law%20No.%20(26)%20of%202007.html
- Federal Decree-Law No. 42 of 2022, Civil Procedure Code, Articles 5 and 144: https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1602
- Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025, Civil Transactions Law, Articles 234, 337 and 898: https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/4011
- Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022 on the notary profession, Article 4: https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1563