Notary services
Special power of attorney in Dubai: the requirements, checked before you sign
Special power of attorney Dubai requirements come from two places: the law, which says what a special power must name, and the notary, who checks the people and papers behind it. A special power names the exact act the agent may carry out, such as selling a flat, settling a dispute or pleading in court. Once the checklist is complete, the principal signs before our in-house notary public in Business Bay, on a home visit, at a Dubai Courts centre, or through an official online channel.
This page is the checklist we work through before a special power is signed. When every line is ready, the signing itself is short.
- Any act beyond management and preservation needs a special power that names the type of act (Article 870).
- The law gives sale, donation, settlement, mortgage, acknowledgement, arbitration, oaths and pleading before the court as examples.
- In Dubai the power is written in Arabic, and a document in another language needs a certified Arabic translation.
- The notary checks identity from an Emirates ID, a passport or another official UAE document.
- There is no fixed validity period in law. The power lasts for the term it states, until the work is done, or until it is revoked.
The wording
What a special power must say
The Civil Transactions Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025) says in Article 870 that a special agency must specify the type of act and the dispositions it involves. In practice that means six things on the page:
Special power of attorney
- The principal: full name, nationality, and Emirates ID or passport number.
- The agent: full name, nationality, and Emirates ID or passport number.
- The act, in plain words, such as "sell", "sign the transfer" or "receive the price".
- The subject: the property, vehicle, company or case, with its number from the official document.
- Limits: a lowest price, a named buyer, a single case, or an end date.
- Sub-agents: whether the agent may pass the power to someone else.
The notary's checks before the seal goes on
01
Identity
Each signer is identified from an ID card, a passport or another official UAE document, as the federal notary law sets out.
02
Capacity and consent
The notary checks that the principal is able to give the power and agrees to it, and under the federal law reads out its content and effect.
03
Language
Dubai law requires the instrument in Arabic. A document in another language needs a certified translation, and both versions are signed.
04
Interpreter
When the principal and the notary do not share a language, federal law calls for an interpreter listed in the Ministry's interpreter register.
Watch for
Why special powers get refused
- The act is described in general words, such as "all matters", so it does not reach a sale.
- A unit number, plate or chassis number does not match the official document.
- A name is spelled differently from the passport.
- The notary is not satisfied that the principal understands the power, for example because of illness.
- It was signed abroad without the full attestation chain.
Where to sign a special power in Dubai
In Dubai you can sign before our in-house notary public in Business Bay, where an Arab notary public sits, at a home visit, at a Dubai Courts service centre, or online. Our page on finding a notary for power of attorney in Dubai compares each place.
Common special powers
01
Property
To sell, buy, rent out or manage a flat or villa. Our guide to property document notarization shows which steps happen at the Land Department.
02
Vehicle
To sell or transfer a car, register it or renew it. Our page on the power of attorney for vehicle transactions has the details.
03
Court case
For a lawyer to plead, settle or take part in arbitration. Our court case power of attorney page covers the wording.
04
Child travel
When a parent needs more than a consent letter. See notary for travel consent letters.
Prices
Cost
| What | Fee |
|---|---|
| Government fee, federal schedule | AED 100 per party |
| Private notary on the federal schedule | AED 130 per party |
| Dubai private notary | AED 100 per party registration plus AED 100 per signature |
| Notarising a translation in the instrument, federal schedule | AED 50 per page |
| A special power of attorney prepared by us | From AED 1,500 |
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.
If you sign at a Dubai Courts centre, its own fee applies; check it on the Dubai Courts site first. The full list of what we prepare is on our services, and every notary fee with its source is on notary public charges.
Step by step
How we prepare a special power of attorney
1
Tell us the act
What the agent must do, for whom, and with which property, car, company or case.
2
We draft it
In Arabic and English, with each act and each number copied from the official documents.
3
We check it with you
You read the draft before the appointment, so any change is made before you reach the notary.
4
You sign
At our Business Bay office, on a home visit, or online through an official channel where accepted.
What are the requirements for a special power of attorney in Dubai?
The power must name the act, the subject and both parties. The principal brings an Emirates ID or passport and the document the power is about, and the text is in Arabic, or in Arabic and English.
Does the agent need to be at the signing?
Usually not. The principal signs. For the agent, Dubai Courts works from their Emirates ID number, or from a copy of the Emirates ID or passport, so the agent can be written into the power.
Can one special power cover more than one act?
Yes, if each act is named. A power for a sale can also name signing the transfer and receiving the price.
Can I cancel a special power of attorney?
Yes. Article 898 allows it at any time, except where the power protects another person's right or serves the agent's own interest. Tell the agent too; our POA revocation notice page explains the notice.
How long is a special power of attorney valid?
It stays valid for the term it states, until the work is done, or until it is revoked (Article 897). The law sets no fixed number of years, so put an end date in the power if you want one.
Contact
Talk to us
Tell us what the agent must do and send the document the power is about. We will check it against this list and tell you where to sign.
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)
Notary services
More in this section
Hub
Notarization services in Dubai: in-house notary public at our Business Bay office, online notary through the official channels, and home visits.
Sources for this page
- Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025, Civil Transactions Law, Articles 870, 897 and 898: https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/4011
- Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022 on the notary profession, Articles 7 and 8: https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1563
- Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013 concerning Notaries Public in the Emirate of Dubai, Article 27: https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2013/Law%20No.%20(4)%20of%202013%20Concerning%20Notaries%20Public%20in%20the%20Emirate%20of%20Dubai.html
- 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
- Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024, Article 2 and items 9 and 11: https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/2491
- Dubai Courts private notary fee decision, Dubai Media Office: https://mediaoffice.ae/en/news/2025/december/29-12/dubai-courts-is-preparing-to-implement-the-decision-regulating-the-fees-of-the-private-notary-public
- MOFAIC attestation FAQ: https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/faqs