What this guide covers
- What a power of attorney is
- General versus special POA
- Executing a POA in the UAE — notarisation and Arabic
- Property POAs and the Dubai Land Department
- Executing a POA from abroad
- POA for court representation
- Revoking a power of attorney
- Practical checklist
- What we'd typically advise
- Frequently asked questions
A power of attorney is one of the most useful — and most misused — instruments in UAE practice. A well-drafted, tightly scoped POA lets business and personal affairs proceed without the principal being present; a loose, over-broad one hands a stranger the keys to a person's property and money. The difference is in the drafting, the notarisation, and the scope.
What a power of attorney is
A power of attorney (in Arabic, wakala) is a notarised instrument by which one person — the principal — authorises another — the attorney or agent — to act on their behalf. It sits within the agency provisions of the UAE Civil Code (Federal Law No. 5 of 1985). The attorney acts in the principal's name, and acts done within the granted powers bind the principal as if done personally. That is precisely why scope discipline matters: the principal carries the consequences of what the attorney does within the authority given.
General versus special POA
UAE practice distinguishes two broad forms, and choosing the wrong one is the most common error.
| Form | What it authorises | Best used for |
|---|---|---|
| General POA | Broad authority to manage a wide range of the principal's affairs | Rare cases of genuine, trusted, comprehensive delegation — used sparingly |
| Special (specific) POA | Authority limited to defined acts — e.g. selling one named property, representing the principal in a specific court case, or managing a company | The default for almost every real transaction, because it contains the risk |
Certain significant acts — selling real estate, mortgaging, gifting, or conducting litigation — generally require a special POA that expressly names the power. A general POA that does not specifically confer such a power will often be refused by the relevant authority. Specificity is not bureaucracy; it is the protection.
Executing a POA in the UAE — notarisation and Arabic
To be effective before UAE authorities, a POA must be notarised before a Notary Public — at the Dubai Courts Notary, the relevant emirate's judicial notary, or an authorised private notary. The principal attends (in person or, where permitted, remotely through approved channels) with valid identification, and the notary verifies identity and capacity.
The document must be in Arabic, or in a bilingual Arabic-English form. An English-only draft must be legally translated into Arabic by a licensed legal translator before it can be notarised. Where the two language versions differ, the Arabic text prevails — so the Arabic drafting, not the English convenience version, is what actually governs.
Property POAs and the Dubai Land Department
Property is where POA problems most often surface. A POA used to sell, mortgage or otherwise deal with real estate must specifically confer that power and is subject to verification by the Dubai Land Department. Two practical points recur: first, the DLD scrutinises the scope closely, so a general authority will not substitute for an express power to sell or mortgage; second, property POAs are treated as time-sensitive — in Dubai practice a POA more than two years old is commonly required to be re-notarised or re-confirmed before the DLD will act on it. Anyone relying on an older property POA should confirm its currency before committing to a transaction.
Executing a POA from abroad
Principals frequently need to grant a POA while outside the UAE. The document is executed and notarised in the country of residence, then put through the consular legalisation chain so that UAE authorities will accept it: notarisation locally, legalisation by that country's foreign ministry and the UAE embassy, and attestation by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs on arrival, followed by legal translation into Arabic. Because the UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, an apostille alone is generally not sufficient — the consular route is required. Building in time for this chain avoids a transaction stalling because a foreign POA is not yet UAE-ready.
POA for court representation
To instruct a lawyer to litigate on a client's behalf, a POA conferring litigation authority is required. The power to conduct proceedings — to file, settle, admit, or withdraw a claim — should be expressly stated, because a general authority will not always be read to include the more consequential litigation acts such as settlement or waiver. For clients abroad, a litigation POA follows the same legalisation route as any other foreign POA.
Revoking a power of attorney
A POA does not run forever, and a principal is entitled to end it. Revocation is effected by executing a deed of revocation before the Notary Public and notifying the attorney and any authority that holds the POA on file. Until revocation is registered and communicated, acts done by the attorney within the granted powers may still bind the principal — so prompt, documented revocation matters, particularly where trust has broken down.
Practical checklist
- Default to a special POA that names the exact powers; reserve a general POA for genuinely comprehensive, trusted delegation
- Ensure significant powers — sell, mortgage, gift, litigate, settle — are expressly stated, not implied
- Have the POA drafted or reviewed in Arabic; treat the Arabic version as the operative text
- Notarise before the Notary Public; bring valid ID and confirm capacity requirements in advance
- For property, confirm the POA is current — re-notarise a property POA older than two years before relying on it at the DLD
- For a POA made abroad, allow time for consular legalisation (embassy + UAE MOFA) plus legal translation
- Keep the power to revoke in mind — and revoke promptly and formally if trust ends
What we'd typically advise
The single most valuable thing we do on a power of attorney is narrow it. Clients often arrive wanting a broad general POA "to be safe", when in fact the safety lies in a special POA that authorises exactly one transaction and nothing else. We draft the Arabic to match the specific act, confirm the notarisation and — for property — the currency requirements before the transaction is booked, and we build the legalisation timeline into the plan when the principal is abroad. Where a relationship has soured, we prioritise a clean, notarised revocation, because an un-revoked POA in the wrong hands is a live risk, not a dormant document.
Frequently asked questions
What is a power of attorney in the UAE?
A power of attorney (wakala) is a notarised instrument by which a principal authorises an attorney to act on their behalf. It is governed by the agency provisions of the UAE Civil Code (Federal Law No. 5 of 1985) and must be notarised before a UAE Notary Public to be effective for official transactions.
Does a UAE power of attorney have to be in Arabic?
Yes. To be notarised and used before UAE authorities it must be in Arabic or bilingual Arabic-English. An English-only document must be legally translated into Arabic before notarisation, and the Arabic text prevails.
How do I make a UAE power of attorney from abroad?
Notarise it in your country, then have it legalised through that country's foreign ministry and the UAE embassy, and attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs on arrival, before legal translation into Arabic. The UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille alone is generally not sufficient.
How long is a property power of attorney valid in Dubai?
A POA does not automatically expire, but property POAs are treated as time-sensitive: a POA more than two years old is commonly required to be re-notarised or re-confirmed before the Dubai Land Department will act on it.
How do I revoke a power of attorney?
Execute a deed of revocation before the Notary Public and notify the attorney and any authority holding the POA. Until revocation is registered and communicated, acts within the granted powers may still bind the principal.
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Published 15 July 2026 by Shuhail Ahamed. General information only — not legal advice. Contact us for matter-specific advice.