Power of Attorney in Dubai, UAE

A power of attorney in Dubai is one of the most widely used legal documents in the UAE, allowing a trusted family member, business partner, or representative to act on someone's behalf for personal, financial, property, and business matters. If you're a business owner who travels frequently, an investor managing UAE assets from abroad, or simply need someone to handle banking or property matters while you're away, a properly drafted and notarised POA keeps things moving without your physical presence.

At Shuraa Tax, we work with business owners, investors, and individuals across the UAE on matters of taxation, accounting, and broader compliance, and a power of attorney often sits right alongside these needs. Whether you need someone to manage your company's tax obligations, liaise with the Federal Tax Authority on your behalf, or handle administrative tasks while you're overseas, our team helps you understand which type of POA fits your situation, prepares the right supporting documentation, and coordinates with notarisation and legal partners so the process moves smoothly from start to finish.

What Is a Power of Attorney?

A power of attorney (POA) is a legal document through which one person, the principal, grants another person, the agent or attorney-in-fact, the authority to act on their behalf within clearly defined limits. In the UAE, the underlying principles of agency and delegation sit within the Civil Transactions Law (Federal Law No. 5 of 1985, as amended), while the notarisation of such documents is governed by the UAE's notary public legislation.

For a POA to be recognised in Dubai, it generally needs to be notarised by an authorised UAE Notary Public, a licensed private notary, or an approved e-Notary platform. A POA that hasn't been notarised typically won't be accepted by UAE banks, government departments, free zones, or courts, regardless of how clearly it's written.

Note: It's also worth knowing that Arabic is the official language for government and judicial submissions in the UAE, so a POA is usually drafted in Arabic, or as a bilingual Arabic-English document, to avoid translation delays later on.

Types of Power of Attorney in the UAE

UAE notaries broadly work with general and special powers of attorney, along with a few business and personal variants built around them. Getting the type right matters: an overly broad POA is often rejected by banks and government departments for sensitive transactions, while too narrow a scope can leave your agent unable to act when you actually need them to.

A quick note on “durable” or “lasting” powers of attorney: the UAE doesn't have a distinct statutory category for these in the way the UK or US does. If you need an arrangement that addresses incapacity planning, this requires careful, specific drafting and notarisation, since a standard POA typically ends on the principal's death and can be narrowly interpreted by the institution it's presented to.

Why You Might Need a Power of Attorney in Dubai

• Keeping a company running smoothly while the owner or director is travelling or based abroad
• Completing a property sale, purchase, or lease without being physically present for every step
• Opening or operating personal or corporate bank accounts
• Representing a company before government departments, free zone authorities, or the Department of Economic Development
• Handling tax registration, return filing, or FTA correspondence on a company's behalf
• Managing personal matters such as school enrolment or administrative tasks for family members

Documents Required for a Power of Attorney in the UAE

The exact checklist depends on whether the POA is personal or corporate, and on what powers are being granted, but most applications will need the following as a starting point.

Personal POA:

• Passport copy of the principal and the agent
• Emirates ID and visa copy (for UAE residents)
• Clear description of the powers being granted
• Duration or expiry, if the POA is time-limited

Corporate POA:

• Trade licence copy
• Memorandum and Articles of Association
• Passport and Emirates ID copies of shareholders/signatories
• Board resolution authorising the POA, where applicable

How to Get a Power of Attorney in Dubai: Step by Step

From drafting to notarisation, here’s how to get a power of attorney in Dubai:

1. Draft the POA, clearly defining the powers being granted, any limitations, and the duration, to reduce the chance of rejection by a bank or government department.
2. Gather the supporting documents relevant to a personal or corporate POA, as outlined above.
3. Notarise the document through Dubai Courts, a licensed private notary, or the Ministry of Justice's notary services.
4. Arrange a certified Arabic translation if the original was drafted only in English.
5. Complete attestation if the POA will be used outside the UAE, or was issued abroad for use here (see the next section).
6. Share certified copies with the relevant bank, government department, or counterpart once notarised.

Power of Attorney in Dubai, Online

Many POAs in Dubai no longer require an in-person notary visit from start to finish. Dubai Courts' e-Notary service, alongside the wider Ministry of Justice digital notarisation framework, allows eligible applicants to notarise a POA remotely using a UAE PASS digital identity. In practice, this generally means submitting your draft and documents through the official portal, completing an identity and intent verification over a secure video call, confirming with a one-time password, and receiving a digitally signed and sealed POA once the notary approves it.

This route is particularly useful for UAE residents who are currently abroad, expat business owners managing affairs remotely, and frequent travellers who would otherwise need to fly back for a single signature. That said, not every document qualifies for fully remote notarisation – certain real estate transactions, court documents, or POAs requiring witnesses may still need an in-person appointment, so it's worth confirming eligibility for your specific case before assuming the online route applies.

Power of Attorney for Non-Residents and Overseas Business Owners

If you're outside the UAE and need to authorise someone to act for you here, there are generally two paths available, depending on your eligibility and where you're based.

• Remote UAE notarisation: where eligible, complete the process through Dubai Courts' e-Notary or the Ministry of Justice's online platform, using UAE PASS identity verification and a video call, without needing to be physically present in the UAE.
• Notarise abroad, then legalise for the UAE: sign the POA before a notary in your home country, have it attested by your home country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, legalised by the UAE Embassy or Consulate there, and then attested again by the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC) once it reaches the UAE, along with a certified Arabic translation.

Given the number of steps and authorities involved, this is one area where professional support genuinely saves time, particularly if you're coordinating across two countries' systems at once.

Validity, Fees, and Revoking a Power of Attorney

Validity:

This depends on what's stated in the document itself and the authority it's submitted to. As one example, the Dubai Land Department generally treats a sale or mortgage-related POA as valid for two years, and a purchase-related POA as valid for five years, from the date of notarisation.

Fees:

Notary fees in Dubai are regulated and tiered, generally ranging from around AED 100 up to a cap of AED 15,000, with higher-value transactions sometimes calculated as a small percentage of the transaction value. A standard personal or corporate POA typically falls in the AED 200–500 range, excluding any separate drafting, translation, or attestation charges. Always confirm the current fee for your specific document before signing, as fee schedules are periodically reviewed.

Revocation:

A POA can be revoked at any time by the principal (provided they retain legal capacity) through a formally notarised revocation document. The agent, along with any banks or government departments that previously recognised the POA, should then be formally informed so the original authority is no longer acted upon. Some revocations relating to e-Notary-issued POAs can now also be initiated digitally through the Ministry of Justice's portal.

Power of Attorney in the UAE: Updates as of June 2026

Here’s what's changed recently, and what to keep an eye on:

• Digital-first notarisation continues to expand: Dubai Courts' e-Notary and the Ministry of Justice's online platforms now handle a growing share of POA notarisations from start to finish, with UAE PASS identity verification replacing some in-person requirements for eligible applicants.
• Remote video verification is now an established part of the process for eligible POAs: the notary verifies identity and intent over a secure video call, with a one-time password confirming consent before the document is issued electronically with a digital signature and notary seal.
• Banks, free zones, and government departments are continuing to scrutinise overly broad general POAs more closely, particularly for property and high-value financial transactions, in favour of clearly scoped special POAs.
• Notary fees remain tiered and capped under current regulations, but schedules are reviewed periodically, so it's worth reconfirming the latest figures before signing.
• More overseas missions are aligning their POA legalisation steps with the UAE's MOFAIC online attestation system, gradually shortening turnaround times for POAs issued abroad.

Because notarisation procedures and fees are reviewed from time to time, it's worth confirming the latest requirements before signing any POA. Our team at Shuraa Tax can check the current process that applies to your specific situation.

Power of Attorney Services in Dubai at Shuraa Tax

How we support you, end to end.

• POA type advisory: helping you decide between a general or special POA based on exactly what you need to delegate, so the document isn't rejected for being too broad or too narrow.
• Documentation support: preparing the document checklist, trade licence and MOA extracts, and shareholder paperwork required for corporate POAs.
• Notarisation and attestation coordination: liaising with Dubai Courts, licensed private notaries, and the Ministry of Justice's e-Notary services on your behalf, including for clients currently based outside the UAE.
• Certified translation coordination: arranging accurate, legally compliant Arabic-English translations where required.
• POA for tax and FTA representation: making sure your POA properly authorises whoever needs to register, file, or correspond with the Federal Tax Authority on your company's behalf.
• Ongoing compliance review: checking that existing POAs remain valid and properly scoped as your business or personal circumstances change.

Why Choose Shuraa Tax

A team that understands UAE compliance, end to end.

• In-house UAE Registered Tax Agents and qualified accountants, so any tax-related authority in your POA is handled by people who already work with the FTA Day to day
• One point of contact for documentation, notarisation coordination, and ongoing compliance, instead of juggling multiple providers
• Transparent guidance with no hidden costs, plus a free initial consultation to understand your situation before you commit to anything
• Experience supporting both UAE residents and overseas business owners or investors managing affairs remotely
• Practical, plain-language advice, without unnecessary legal jargon

Need Power of Attorney Services in Dubai?

If you need a straightforward special POA for one transaction, or a fuller corporate POA covering tax, banking, and government matters, Shuraa Tax can help you get it right the first time. Get in touch for a free initial consultation, and we'll talk you through exactly what your situation needs.

Frequently Asked Questions