Notary services # Notary for property matters in Dubai: what the notary does and what the Land Department does A notary for property matters in Dubai deals with the people around a property, not the property record itself. The notary witnesses a power of attorney, authenticates a signature, takes a declaration or notarises a contract. Ownership, the title deed and the transfer of a unit belong to the Dubai Land Department (DLD). Notary services ![Curved white corridor with a marble floor](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/notary-public-abu-dhabi-marina-mall-inline1.webp) Most wasted trips come from mixing these two offices up. Someone asks for their "title deed to be notarised", or books a notary to "transfer" a flat, when neither step happens at a notary. This page sorts each common property document into the right office, explains what the notary checks, and shows what changes when the owner is abroad. * Three groups may notarise under Article 3 of Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022: public notaries, private notaries and accredited UAE consuls abroad. * Dubai Courts lists property among the subjects of its power of attorney service, and asks for the Property Title Deed when a power concerns a property (official service page, 2023 snapshot). * The Ministry of Justice digital power of attorney service covers real estate among its domains. * A power worded in general terms stretches only as far as management, so a sale needs a power that says "sell" (Article 871 of the Civil Transactions Law, Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025). * DLD publishes its "Power of Attorney cancellation notarization application" as a free service, with Dubai Court named as its partner. * The UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so a power signed abroad reaches the UAE through attestation. Step by step ## Notarization of property deeds in Dubai: why the deed itself is not notarised A title deed is a record issued by the Land Department. It is already an official document, so there is nothing for a notary to witness on it. If you are asking about the notarization of property deeds in Dubai, you usually need one of three other things: 1 **A certified copy of the deed**, because a bank, an embassy or a court abroad wants proof of ownership. That is a copy certification, explained on our page on [notary public certification](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/notary-public-certification/). 2 **A power of attorney that refers to the deed**, so someone else can act on the property. The notary needs to see the deed to write the property details correctly. 3 **A deed or ownership paper from another country**, for use in the UAE. That needs attestation in the issuing country and then MOFAIC, not a UAE notary. If a form in front of you says "notarised title deed", ask the office which of the three it means. The answer decides whether you go to a notary, a certifier or the attestation chain. Side by side ## Which property document goes to which office | Document | Office that handles it | What the notary's part is | | --- | --- | --- | | Power of attorney to sell, buy, rent out or manage a property | A notary: Dubai Courts, a private notary, the Ministry of Justice digital service, or a UAE consul abroad | Witnesses the principal's signature and records the power | | Cancelling a property power of attorney | DLD's cancellation service, with Dubai Court as partner | None, unless the owner also records the revocation before a notary | | Title deed | Dubai Land Department | None; a certified copy can be made if another office asks for one | | Transfer of ownership after a sale | Dubai Land Department | None; the buyer and seller, or their attorneys, complete it there | | Tenancy contract | Registered through Ejari, the Land Department's tenancy system | None for registration | | Declaration by an owner or co-owner | A notary, as an affidavit or a signature authentication | Takes the declaration and checks identity | | Private agreement with a stated price | A notary, if the parties or a bank want it notarised | Notarises the instrument; the federal fee is set by value | Case by case ## Dubai notary for property transactions: the documents a notary does handle ### The power of attorney This is the property document people bring to a notary most. It lets a relative, a friend or an agent act for the owner or the buyer. The wording decides what the agent can do. Article 871 of the Civil Transactions Law limits a loosely worded general power to management, such as collecting rent or dealing with maintenance. A sale, a gift or a mortgage is not management, so the power must name that act and the property clearly. At the counter, the notary expects: * The principal's original Emirates ID, or passport for a non-resident. * The agent's ID details. * The title deed, so the property is described exactly as the Land Department records it. * The text in Arabic, or Arabic beside English. For the drafting side of a property power (the act of sale, the unit number from the title deed, and limits such as a lowest price), see [special power of attorney requirements](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/special-power-of-attorney-dubai/). Our page on [notary for power of attorney in Dubai](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/power-of-attorney-in-dubai/) compares the places to sign one. ### Declarations and signature authentication Some property steps need a written statement from an owner: a co-owner agreeing to a lease, an owner confirming a name that is spelt two ways, or a declaration a bank abroad asks for. A notary can take these as an affidavit or as a signature on a letter. The two are priced as different acts on the federal schedule, so the drafting choice affects the fee. ### A contract with a stated value Parties sometimes notarise a private property agreement so that neither side can later deny signing it. On the federal schedule this is an instrument with a value, and the fee follows the amount. Below AED 50,000 it is AED 200 per party. Between AED 50,000 and AED 100,000 it is AED 300 per signature. Above AED 100,000 it is 0.5 percent of the value, capped at AED 15,000 when the notary executes the instrument and AED 30,000 when it is notarised. On a property price, that last band applies to almost every deal, so ask for the fee before you book. On the federal system a private notary can charge up to 30 percent more as professional fees. The Dubai private notary figure for a valued contract comes from a separate Dubai Courts decision. Notary services ## Where this page sits Hub ### [Our services](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/our-services/) Notarization services in Dubai: in-house notary public at our Business Bay office, online notary through the official channels, and home visits. Also under Our services * [Child travel consent letter](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/child-travel-poa-consent-letter-dubai/) * [NOC letter for a visa](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/no-objection-letter-for-visa/) * [Affidavit of support Dubai](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/affidavit-of-support-dubai/) * [Declaration of residency](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/declaration-of-residency/) * [Power of attorney in Dubai](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/power-of-attorney-in-dubai/) * [Notary public fees](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/how-much-is-notary-cost/) 01 ## Property transfer notarization: what happens at the Land Department instead A transfer is a registration, not a notarial act. The buyer and seller attend the Land Department's process themselves, or send an attorney holding a notarised power. The notary's work, where there is any, is finished before that day. This is why the power of attorney matters so much in a Dubai property sale. If the power is vague, names the wrong unit, or was signed abroad without the attestation stamps, the problem shows up at the Land Department, not at the notary. Legal commentary on DLD Circular No. 29/R/2025 reports that the Land Department now checks powers used in property dealings more closely, including how recently they were issued. If your power was issued some time ago, ask the Land Department whether it will still accept it before the transfer date. Step by step ## When the owner is outside the UAE Owners abroad have three routes to a power of attorney that Dubai will use: 1 ### A notary in the country where the owner lives The power is then attested by that country's foreign ministry, by the UAE embassy or consulate there, and by MOFAIC in the UAE. MOFAIC's fee is AED 150 when the paper counts as personal and AED 2,000 when it counts as commercial. MOFA's FAQ lists a power of attorney of a personal nature as an individual document and a general power of attorney as a commercial one. 2 **A UAE embassy or consulate** that offers notarial services. Accredited consuls are one of the three groups federal law allows to notarise. 3 ### A remote channel The Ministry of Justice runs an E-Notary System, and its digital power of attorney service covers real estate. Whether the Land Department accepts a remote power for your deal is worth asking first. An apostille does not replace the first route, because the UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention. A power written only in a foreign language also needs a legal translation into Arabic before it is used in Dubai. Our guide to [foreign documents and consulate notaries](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/document-attestation/) covers the country chains. 02 ## Cancelling a property power of attorney The law lets an owner withdraw or narrow the agent's authority whenever they choose, except where the power protects a third party's right or was given in the agent's own interest (Article 898). For property, the Land Department publishes a "Power of Attorney cancellation notarization application". It lists the service as free, with a service time of 20 minutes, at its main headquarters, and it asks for the UAE ID of both the owner and the attorney, or a valid passport for non-resident foreigners. Tell the agent in writing as well, so there is no doubt about the date the authority ended. Watch for ## Common reasons a property document comes back * The power is general, but the owner wants the agent to sell. * The unit number or project name differs from the title deed. * The Arabic and English texts say different things. * A power signed abroad has no UAE embassy stamp or no MOFAIC stamp. * The owner arrived with a photocopy of the Emirates ID rather than the card. * The owner assumed the notary could register the sale. 03 ## How we help Notary Services in Dubai drafts and notarises property documents so each one reaches the right office ready to use. We draft the power of attorney or declaration in Arabic and English and match the property details to your title deed. You sign before our in-house notary public at [our Business Bay office](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/notary-services-business-bay/) or at a home visit, and we tell you which step then happens at the Land Department. For an owner abroad, we set out the signing and attestation steps for their country and check the papers when they arrive. Our starting prices: a property power of attorney from AED 1,500, signature witnessing from AED 900, an affidavit or declaration from AED 600, drafting as an add-on from AED 200, translation coordination from AED 350, and courier within Dubai from AED 80. 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. The government side of each fee is set out on [notary public charges](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/how-much-is-notary-cost/), and the full list of what we prepare is on [our services](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/our-services/). Questions ## Frequently asked questions Not answered here? Call or WhatsApp [+971 50 264 8766](tel:+971502648766). ### Can a notary notarise my title deed? No. The title deed is issued by the Land Department, so it has no signature for a notary to witness. If an office abroad wants it, ask whether a certified copy of the deed will do. ### Do I need a notary to sell my property in Dubai? Not if you attend the Land Department yourself. You need a notary when someone else will act for you, because that person must hold a power of attorney that names the sale. ### Is a power of attorney made abroad accepted for a Dubai property? It can be, once it carries the attestation chain: the foreign ministry, the UAE mission in that country and MOFAIC. It also needs an Arabic translation if it was written in another language. Check with the Land Department before the transfer date. ### Does a tenancy contract in Dubai need notarising? No. A Dubai tenancy contract is registered through Ejari. A notary only comes in if a landlord or tenant signs through an attorney, or if another office asks for a sworn statement. ### Is DLD's power of attorney cancellation really free? The Land Department lists its cancellation service as free. Any drafting or courier work around it is a separate private charge. Contact ## Talk to us Send us your title deed and a short note of what needs to happen: a sale, a rental, a family member acting for you, or a cancellation. We will tell you which office each document goes to and prepare the notary part. To see how notarisation works in general, start with [what notarized means](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/what-does-notarized-mean/). To find a notary office, see [Dubai Courts notary public locations](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/notary-public-office-in-dubai/). Phone and WhatsApp [+971 50 264 8766](tel:+971502648766) Email [help@notaryservicesindubai.com](mailto:help@notaryservicesindubai.com) Office 707 Burj Khalifa Blvd, Marasi Drive, Business Bay, Dubai, UAE Hours Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (Dubai time) Notary services ## More in this section Hub [Our services](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/our-services/) Notarization services in Dubai: in-house notary public at our Business Bay office, online notary through the official channels, and home visits. * [Child travel consent letter](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/child-travel-poa-consent-letter-dubai/) * [NOC letter for a visa](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/no-objection-letter-for-visa/) * [Affidavit of support Dubai](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/affidavit-of-support-dubai/) * [Declaration of residency](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/declaration-of-residency/) * [Power of attorney in Dubai](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/power-of-attorney-in-dubai/) * [Special power of attorney](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/special-power-of-attorney-dubai/) * [Vehicle power of attorney](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/vehicle-power-of-attorney-in-dubai/) * [Court case power of attorney](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/power-of-attorney-for-court-case/) * [Notary public fees](https://notaryservicesindubai.com/how-much-is-notary-cost/) ### Sources for this page * Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022 on the regulation of the notary profession, Article 3: [https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1563](https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1563) * Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025 (Civil Transactions Law), Articles 871 and 898: [https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/4011](https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/4011) * Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024, items 1 to 9 and 12, and Article 2: [https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/2491](https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/2491) * Dubai Courts, Power of Attorneys Ratification service page (archived 16 March 2023): [https://web.archive.org/web/20230316055912/https://www.dc.gov.ae/PublicServices/GessServiceDetails.aspx?lang=en&ServiceCode=G4](https://web.archive.org/web/20230316055912/https://www.dc.gov.ae/PublicServices/GessServiceDetails.aspx?lang=en&ServiceCode=G4) * Ministry of Justice, digital power of attorney service, phase 2: [https://www.moj.gov.ae/en/media-center/news/21/6/2023/ministry-of-justice-launches-phase-2-of-digital-power-of-attorney-issuance-service.aspx](https://www.moj.gov.ae/en/media-center/news/21/6/2023/ministry-of-justice-launches-phase-2-of-digital-power-of-attorney-issuance-service.aspx) * Ministry of Justice E-Notary System: [https://www.moj.gov.ae/en/services/esystems/e-notary.aspx](https://www.moj.gov.ae/en/services/esystems/e-notary.aspx) * Dubai Land Department, request for revocation of power of attorney: [https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/eservices/request-for-revocation-of-power-of-attorney/](https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/eservices/request-for-revocation-of-power-of-attorney/) * MOFAIC attestation fees (FAQ): [https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/faqs](https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/faqs) * HCCH Apostille Convention status table: [https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=41](https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=41) --- Source: https://notaryservicesindubai.com/property-document-notarization-dubai/