Notary services
Power of attorney for vehicle transactions in Dubai: what the notary needs
A power of attorney for vehicle transactions lets someone else sell, buy, transfer, register or renew a car for you in Dubai. The notary writes the owner, the agent and the vehicle into the power exactly as they appear on the official papers, so the office that receives it can match the power to the car. The owner signs it once: in Business Bay before our in-house notary public, at home on a notary visit, at a Dubai Courts centre, or through an official online channel.
The most common problem is a power that is too general. If the agent is going to sell the car, the power has to say so in words.
- A vehicle power of attorney for a sale or a transfer is a special power, because those acts go beyond management.
- Dubai Courts asks for the Vehicle Ownership Certificate when a power of attorney is about a vehicle.
- The Ministry of Justice digital power of attorney service lists vehicles among the subjects it covers.
- The office that receives the power, such as the traffic authority, a bank or a buyer, decides what it accepts, so ask it before you sign.
- The federal government fee for a power of attorney is AED 100 for each party.
01
Why a car sale needs a special power
Under Article 870 of Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025, the Civil Transactions Law, any act that is not an act of management or preservation needs a special agency naming the type of act. Sale is one of the acts the article lists by name. Article 871 adds that general wording leaves the agent with acts of management alone.
For a car, that means a power to "look after my vehicle" may cover running the car from day to day, but it does not cover selling it. A power that says the agent may sell the vehicle, sign the transfer and receive the price is the one a buyer will want to see.
The wording
What the power should say
The notary records what you ask for, so get the content right before the appointment. A vehicle power usually sets out:
Vehicle power of attorney
- The owner's full name and Emirates ID or passport number, as on the ownership papers.
- The agent's full name and Emirates ID or passport number.
- The vehicle: make, model, year, colour, plate number and chassis number, copied from the Vehicle Ownership Certificate.
- Each act the agent may carry out: sell, transfer ownership, receive the price, register, renew, collect the plates, pay fines or deal with the insurer.
- Any limit you want: a lowest price, one named buyer, or an end date.
- Whether the agent may hand the power on to someone else.
Case by case
Where to sign a vehicle power of attorney
Business Bay, with our in-house notary public
The owner signs at our office at 707 Burj Khalifa Blvd, Marasi Drive, Business Bay, where an Arab notary public sits. Office appointments are Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (Dubai time), and WhatsApp requests are answered 24/7. If the owner cannot come in, the notary can visit them; see notary on call.
A Dubai Courts service centre
The Dubai Courts service page for powers of attorney, as archived in March 2023, listed a centre at the Traffic Department in Al Barsha, along with Wafi Mall, Al Barsha Mall, Hatta Centre and Al Yalayis. A centre may not take every service, so check the live Dubai Courts site first. See Dubai Courts notary public locations and our Al Barsha notary page.
Online
The Ministry of Justice service for writing and authenticating contracts and deeds lets you apply online, choose a digital power of attorney, sign with UAE PASS and receive the power electronically. Dubai Courts has also offered virtual attendance for signatures on powers of attorney. We prepare the text and set up the session where your document allows it.
When the owner is abroad
The owner signs before a notary in the country where they are. The power then needs three stamps: the foreign ministry of that country, the UAE mission there, and MOFAIC once it reaches the UAE. Or the owner can sign at a UAE embassy or consulate abroad, where it offers notarial services. Allow time for the original to reach Dubai.
Watch for
Why vehicle powers get turned away
- The power says "manage" or "look after" the car, but the agent is trying to sell it.
- A plate or chassis number does not match the Vehicle Ownership Certificate.
- The agent's name is spelled differently from their passport.
- The power was signed abroad and the attestation chain is not complete.
- The term written in the power has run out.
Company cars and fleets
A company can give a power of attorney for its vehicles, for example to let a manager or a driver register, renew or sell them. The person signing for the company shows the trade licence and the resolution or power that lets them sign. If the power goes abroad, MOFAIC lists a power of attorney of a commercial nature as a commercial document, which costs AED 2,000 to attest.
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 |
| A vehicle 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.
For the Dubai Courts government notary, look up the current fee on its own site. Any fee for the transfer itself is charged by the office that records it. See notary public charges for every notary fee with its source.
Step by step
How we prepare a vehicle power of attorney
1
Send us the ownership certificate
A clear photo on WhatsApp is enough to start.
2
We draft the power
In Arabic and English, with the vehicle details copied from the certificate and each act named.
3
The owner signs
At our office in Business Bay, on a home visit, or online where the document allows it.
4
Your agent uses it
We send the signed power to the agent, or courier the original within Dubai from AED 80.
Can I sell my car in Dubai through a power of attorney?
Yes, the agent can sign the sale for you if the power names the sale. Ask the office that will handle the transfer what it accepts before you sign.
Can I make a vehicle power of attorney online?
Yes. The Ministry of Justice digital power of attorney service covers vehicles, and Dubai Courts has offered virtual attendance for signing powers of attorney. We prepare the text and set up the session.
Is a general power of attorney enough for a car?
Not for a sale. A sale or a transfer of ownership needs a special power that names the act. For running the car from day to day a general power may do, but ask the office that will receive it.
My car is registered in Dubai but I live abroad. What do I do?
Sign before a local notary where you live, then get the attestation of your foreign ministry, the UAE mission in your country and MOFAIC. If there is a UAE mission near you that notarises documents, that is a second option.
How long does a vehicle power of attorney last?
Until the term written in it ends, until the work is done, or until it is revoked. The law sets no fixed period, so put an end date in the power if you want one.
Contact
Talk to us
Send a photo of the Vehicle Ownership Certificate and tell us what the agent must do. We will draft the power 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, 871 and 897: https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/4011
- 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
- Ministry of Justice, digital power of attorney service: 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, writing and authentication of contracts and deeds: https://www.moj.gov.ae/en/services/services-categories/notary-public-and-authentication/writing-and-authentication-of-contracts-and-deeds.aspx
- Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024, Article 2 and item 9: 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