Procedure for Issuing a Property POA

A property Power of Attorney is created in three stages: drafting, notarisation, and presentation. Each stage has its own requirements.

Before Drafting

Before the document is drafted, the principal should identify four matters with precision: the specific property to be the subject of the POA, including its title deed reference; the exact transaction type intended — sale, purchase, gift, mortgage, usufruct, or musataha; the agent’s full identity details, including name as recorded on official identification, nationality, and identification numbers; and the duration of authority required.

A POA cannot be improved by vagueness. Each of these four points must be settled before the drafter is engaged.

Drafting Discipline

The POA should use wording that expressly authorises the relevant transaction type; the Required Wording subpage sets out formulations that have been used in practice, and the receiving DLD service should be asked to confirm the wording it currently expects. Beyond wording, the document must name the property and reference the title deed. For off-plan units, cite the project name and Oqood number where applicable. The agent’s full identity must be specified.

Language

The default language of property POAs is Arabic. A bilingual Arabic-English POA is accepted for property transactions and is common in practice for non-Arabic-speaking principals. Where the document is not originally in Arabic, a certified Arabic translation prepared by a UAE-licensed sworn legal translator must accompany it. Three originals are typically printed at notarisation.

Notarisation Channels

Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022 recognises two notarisation channels.

Public Notary. POAs may be notarised through the Dubai Courts Notary Public or through Ministry of Justice channels. A POA notarised through Dubai Courts is cancelled through Dubai Courts; the same principle applies to the Ministry of Justice channel. The issuing authority retains exclusive authority over the document.

Private Notary. Private Notaries are licensed under Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022 and operate as authorised practitioners outside the courts system. Private Notaries often offer faster scheduling and English-language assistance, which is material for foreign principals.

Digital Notarisation

Dubai Resolution No. 137 of 2022 authorises digital notarisation procedures in Dubai. Digital notarisation involves identity verification by videoconference, electronic signature, and remote attestation by the Notary. The resulting document carries the same legal effect as a paper-notarised instrument under Cabinet Resolution No. 16 of 2024. For digital and remote notarisation channels, see enotaryuae.ae.

Documents Required

For notarisation, the principal presents:

Emirates ID or passport
Original title deed of the property
Agent’s identity details
The drafted POA in Arabic, or with certified Arabic translation
Notarisation fees

Notarisation Fees

Fees are set under the Notary Profession framework and vary by channel and transaction type. Specific amounts are not stated here; the Notary will confirm the applicable schedule at the time of execution.

After Notarisation

The principal receives the notarised originals. The POA becomes verifiable through the relevant official portal — Dubai Courts, Abu Dhabi Courts, or the Ministry of Justice eNotary search — once registered in the issuing authority’s system. The agent may then present the original at the Dubai Land Department or any Real Estate Registration Centre to act under the POA. Copies are not accepted at the counter.

Validity Period

DLD’s published FAQ gives acceptance limits of two years from notarisation for a POA used for a sale, mortgage or gift and five years for a purchase; these apply as DLD transaction-acceptance limits and are not a universal lifespan. A POA notarised through the Dubai Courts Notary Public should therefore not be assumed usable at DLD indefinitely, even where the instrument itself has no expiry date; any expiry or revocation in the instrument also applies. The Foreign-Issued POAs subpage covers the authentication route.

For drafting and lodging support, see poas.ae.
For broader transaction context, see conveyance.ae.