Power of Attorney UAE:
The Complete Guide
for Individuals & Businesses

A Power of Attorney (POA) in the UAE is a legally binding document governed by Articles 924–961 of the UAE Civil Transactions Law (Federal Law No. 30 of 2020) that authorises one person — the agent — to act on behalf of another person, the principal, in specified legal, financial, or administrative matters. It must be notarised by a UAE Notary Public under Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022, and any foreign-language POA must be certified and translated into Arabic by a Ministry of Justice–certified translator before use with any UAE authority.

The UAE recognises two primary types under Article 927 of the Civil Code: (1) General Power of Attorney (GPA) — grants broad authority over a range of the principal's affairs including property, banking, and business matters; and (2) Special Power of Attorney (SPA) — limits authority to a single, clearly defined task or transaction. There are also specialised sub-types including Real Estate POA (for DLD transactions), Corporate/Business POA (for company management), Litigation POA (for court representation), and Banking POA (for financial account management).

Yes, absolutely. Arabic is the official language of UAE law, and any Power of Attorney issued in a foreign language must be translated into Arabic by a UAE Ministry of Justice (MOJ)-certified legal translator before it can be accepted by UAE courts, the Dubai Land Department (DLD), MOFA, UAE banks, or any government authority. Submitting an uncertified or non-MOJ translation results in automatic rejection. Elite Translation's MOJ-certified translators provide stamped, certified Arabic translations accepted by 100% of UAE authorities.

At Elite Translation, standard POA translations are delivered within 24–48 hours. We also offer same-day urgent service for time-sensitive matters. The certified, stamped translation can be delivered digitally (for immediate use) and/or physically by courier to any location across the UAE — Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and all other Emirates.

POA translation costs in the UAE typically range from AED 100–300 per standard document, depending on the document length, language pair, and complexity. Standard industry rates are approximately AED 60–300 per page for certified legal translation. Elite Translation provides transparent, fixed-price quotes with no hidden fees. Corporate packages, multi-document sets, and urgent services are available at custom rates. Contact us for a free, no-obligation quote.

Yes. Non-UAE residents and individuals outside the UAE can grant a POA for use in the UAE. The process requires: (1) Notarisation in your country of origin; (2) Attestation by the UAE Embassy or Consulate in your country; (3) MOFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) attestation in the UAE; and (4) Certified Arabic translation by an MOJ-certified translator such as Elite Translation. UAE residents can also use the Dubai Courts e-Notary system for digital POA issuance where eligible. Elite Translation can guide you through the full process.

Yes. A POA notarised in the UAE is generally valid and recognised across all seven Emirates. However, specific transactions in individual Emirates may require additional steps — for example, a Real Estate POA must be registered with the Dubai Land Department (DLD) for property transactions in Dubai, or with the Abu Dhabi or Sharjah land authorities for property dealings in those Emirates. Your legal professional or Elite Translation's advisors can guide you on Emirate-specific registration requirements.

Under Article 958 of the UAE Civil Code, the principal can revoke a Power of Attorney at any time, as long as they have legal capacity. Revocation requires a notarised revocation document — you cannot simply inform the agent verbally. If the POA was registered with a specific authority (e.g., the Dubai Land Department, DED, or court), the notarised revocation must also be formally submitted to that authority to take effect. The death or legal incapacity of either the principal or agent also automatically terminates the POA under Article 954 of the Civil Code.

For a standard personal POA translation, you need: (1) The original POA document (all pages); (2) A copy of the principal's passport; (3) Emirates ID (if UAE resident); (4) Agent's identification. For Real Estate POAs, include property details and title deed. For Corporate POAs, also provide the Trade License, MOA/AOA, and board resolution. For overseas POAs, include the MOFA-attested original. Elite Translation's team will advise you on exactly what is needed for your specific situation at no charge.