Power of Attorney
What Is Tawkeel? Meaning and Use in the UAE
November 2, 20267 minute read
What is tawkeel? Tawkeel (توكيل) is the Arabic word for a power of attorney: a signed document in which you, the principal, let another person, the agent, act for you. Our in-house notary public at our Business Bay office drafts and notarises it, in person, online or on a home visit.
Call or WhatsApp +971 50 264 8766 and tell us what the agent must do.
People often hear "tawkeel" from an office, a bank or a government counter. It means the same thing as a power of attorney in English. The Arabic term matters because the document you need may be asked for by that name.
- Tawkeel means a power of attorney. The law calls the same thing agency, or wakala (وكالة).
- The principal gives the power. The agent uses it.
- A general tawkeel covers management acts only. A special tawkeel names each act.
- A notary public checks your identity, watches you sign and applies the seal.
- Documents going abroad need MOFAIC attestation, then the destination country's embassy or consulate in the UAE.
What Is Tawkeel in UAE Law?
In the law, a tawkeel is called an agency. Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025 replaced the 1985 Civil Transactions Law from 1 June 2026. It deals with agency in Articles 866 to 903.
Two kinds matter most. Under Article 871(1), an agency in general terms gives the agent only acts of management. Under Article 870(1), any act that is not management and preservation needs a special agency that names the act. Examples in the law include donation, sale, settlement, mortgage, acknowledgment, arbitration, administering and accepting an oath, and pleading before a court.
So a general tawkeel is not enough to sell a property or appear in court. The wording must name the act.
Who Needs a Tawkeel
You may need one when you cannot be present yourself. Common reasons are:
- You live abroad and a family member must handle a matter in the UAE.
- You are in the UAE and must authorise someone back home.
- You need an agent to sign, collect or follow up on your behalf.
- A company needs a person to act in its name.
We draft your document, our in-house notary public notarises it, and we take it through MOFA and the embassy when it has to be used abroad.
What Is Tawkeel Documents Required
Bring these to your appointment:
- Your passport and Emirates ID, or the identity documents the notary asks for.
- The agent's full name, nationality and passport or Emirates ID details.
- A clear list of what the agent may do. The more exact, the safer.
- Any property, vehicle or company papers the tawkeel refers to.
- The name of the office that will receive the tawkeel.
Send photos on WhatsApp first. We tell you if your document can be done online.
Ask about your document
Tell us the document and how many people will sign, and we will give you the government fee and our starting price in one message.
Step by step
What Is Tawkeel Procedure
- Tell us what the agent must do and which office will receive the document.
- We draft the tawkeel and, if needed, the legal translation.
- You sign in front of our in-house notary public, in person at our Business Bay office, online or at a home visit.
- The notary checks your identity, watches you sign and applies the seal.
- If the tawkeel is going abroad, MOFAIC attests it, then the destination country's embassy or consulate in the UAE.
For remote signing, the Ministry of Justice runs its own E-Notary System. We tell you if your document can be done that way.
How Long a Tawkeel Lasts
There is no general legal validity period for a power of attorney. The term is whatever the document says. Under Article 897, an agency ends when the work is done, when its term expires, or on the death or loss of capacity of the principal or the agent.
You can end it earlier. Under Article 898, the principal may revoke at any time, unless the agency involves a right of a third party or was issued in the agent's interest. See our page on special power of attorney in Dubai for more on naming the act.
Prices
What Is Tawkeel Fees
The government fee and our service price are separate. Under Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024, notarising a general or special power of attorney is AED 100 per party. A private notary on the federal schedule may add up to 30%, so that route is AED 130 per party. The Dubai private notary route is reported by the Dubai Media Office as AED 100 per party for registration plus AED 100 per signature.
| Service | Our service price | Government fee, paid on top at cost |
|---|---|---|
| Power of attorney: general, special, vehicle or court case | From AED 1,500 | AED 100 per party, or AED 130 per party on the private notary route |
| Legal translation | From AED 50 per page | AED 50 per page for notarising a translation |
| MOFA attestation handling, personal document | From AED 150 | AED 150 MOFAIC fee |
| MOFA attestation handling, commercial document | From AED 300 | MOFAIC fee at cost |
| Home visit notary | Quote on request | Reported as AED 1,000 per trip outside the notary's place of work |
All service prices are starting prices and are negotiable. Government fees are paid on top, at cost, exactly as the authority charges them. We confirm your final price before you pay.
A general or commercial power of attorney is a commercial document on the MOFAIC list. Embassy fees are separate. For related terms, read what is attestation and what is MOFA.
Watch for
Mistakes to Avoid
- Using a general tawkeel for an act the law says must be named.
- Leaving the agent's name or passport number blank.
- Signing before the appointment.
- Sending a document abroad without its attestation chain.
- Not asking the receiving office what wording it accepts.
How much does what is tawkeel cost?
The government fee is AED 100 per party for a power of attorney, or AED 130 on the private notary route. Our service price starts from AED 1,500. We confirm your final price before you pay.
How long does what is tawkeel take?
It depends on how many steps your document needs. The notary step is first, then MOFAIC and the embassy if the tawkeel goes abroad. We do not promise a time, so ask us when you send the details.
What documents are required for what is tawkeel?
Bring your passport and Emirates ID, the agent's details and a clear list of what the agent may do. Add any property, vehicle or company papers the tawkeel refers to.
Can what is tawkeel be done online?
Sometimes. The Ministry of Justice E-Notary System handles remote notarisation. We tell you if your document can be done online, or we can come to your home, office, hospital or care home in Dubai.
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Talk to us
Next step
Call or WhatsApp +971 50 264 8766, or email help@notaryservicesindubai.com. Tell us the document and how many people will sign, and we will give you the government fee and our starting price in one message. You can also message us on WhatsApp.
Office appointments Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (Dubai time). WhatsApp answered 24/7.
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