General Power of Attorney vs Special Power of Attorney — Which Do You Need in the UAE?

A general power of attorney (GPOA) gives your agent broad authority to act across many — or even all — of your legal and financial affairs, while a special power of attorney (SPOA) limits that authority to one clearly defined transaction or task, such as selling a specific property or representing you in a specific court case. Once the named task is completed, a special POA naturally lapses; a general POA remains valid until you revoke it.

In practice, no — the Dubai Land Department and most UAE banks require a special power of attorney that names the exact property (unit and plot number) for any sale or purchase. A GPOA is generally accepted only for property management, such as signing tenancy contracts or collecting rent. For a sale, have a special POA drafted, notarised and certified-translated into Arabic before the transfer appointment.

Yes. Because it limits your agent to a single named transaction, a special POA dramatically reduces the risk of misuse. Where possible, choose a special POA for one-off tasks, add a clear expiry date and name only the exact asset or case. Reserve general POAs for people you trust completely with long-term management of your affairs.

Yes. UAE courts, notaries, the Dubai Land Department and government entities operate in Arabic, so any POA issued in another language must be accompanied by a certified legal translation produced by a translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice — uncertified or machine translations are rejected. Elite Translation is MOJ-licensed (Reg. #328), so our POA translations are accepted by every UAE authority, guaranteed.

You sign the POA before a Notary Public — at Dubai Courts, a private notary office, or through the UAE e-notary video service — presenting your Emirates ID or passport and the final bilingual or Arabic text, with its MOJ-certified translation where needed. POAs issued abroad must first be attested in the country of issue, then by the UAE embassy and UAE MOFA. You can book the entire process online through our notary services portal.

Certified legal translation of a power of attorney starts from AED 49 per page, with a fixed, all-inclusive quote issued within 15 minutes of sending your document — no hidden fees. Standard turnaround is 1–3 hours, and a 1-hour express service is available for urgent notary or court appointments.

You revoke a POA by signing a revocation deed before the Notary Public, then formally notifying your agent and every institution relying on the document — banks, the Land Department, courts — in writing. The revocation notice should be notarised and, where those institutions operate in Arabic, accompanied by a certified Arabic translation.