Corporate and estate documents, Dubai
Special power of attorney
A special power of attorney, وكالة خاصة, authorises someone to do named things rather than to act generally. It takes longer to draft and it is accepted more often, which is usually the trade you want.
Our fee from AED 1,500. The Dubai Courts fee is separate and passed on at cost.
We are a document services provider. The notarial act is performed by a Dubai Courts notary, not by us.
01
AED 1,500
Our fee, published, with the Dubai Courts fee separate
02
Two languages
Every instrument drafted in Arabic and English together
03
Dubai Courts
Notarised before a Dubai Courts notary, not by us
04
Same working day
A draft read and answered inside the working day
Why the narrow instrument usually wins
A special power of attorney authorises someone to do named things, rather than to act generally on your behalf. It names the principal, the attorney, and the specific acts permitted, and where useful, a limit.
Clients often ask for a general power because it sounds like better value. In practice it is refused more often. A document that authorises the holder to do almost anything asks a bank, a registry or a counterparty’s lawyer to accept responsibility for whatever the holder then does, and the safe answer is no. A special power removes that judgement call, because it says exactly what it permits.
The types we prepare
Property or vehicle transactions
AED 1,500
For a single sale, purchase, lease or vehicle transfer the principal cannot attend in person.
- Signing the sale, lease or transfer contract
- Attending the Land Department or vehicle registration counter
- Scoped to the one transaction named
A specific authority or counter
AED 1,500
For signing and submitting documents to a named authority, for a named purpose.
- Attending the named government or licensing counter
- Signing and submitting the specific documents required
- Nothing wider than the purpose stated
Banking, within stated limits
AED 1,500
Where the bank accepts a notarial instrument rather than its own form, scoped to what you set.
- Operating an account within the limits named
- Naming what the attorney may and may not do
- Checked against the bank’s own requirements first
Representation before a named body
AED 1,500
For appearing before a specific body, on a specific matter, rather than a general authority to act.
- Representing the principal on the named matter
- Instructing counsel, where the scope allows it
- Limited to the body and matter named
Collecting documents on your behalf
AED 1,500
For collecting documents, cheques or certificates the principal cannot collect in person.
- Naming what may be collected, and from where
- Identifying the attorney precisely for the collecting party
- A narrow scope that is quick to check on presentation
Completing a transaction you cannot attend
AED 1,500
Where the principal simply cannot be present, and someone named needs to stand in for one transaction.
- Naming the transaction and the acts required
- Setting an expiry where the receiving party asks for one
- Drafted around what the transaction actually needs
What the document must contain
01
The parties
The principal and the attorney, each identified precisely enough that a third party can match them to an identity document. For a company principal, the name must match the trade licence exactly, including the legal form.
02
The recital of authority
Where a company grants the power, the instrument states the basis on which the signatory is entitled to grant it, matching the constitutional documents.
03
The scope
The acts, named. This is the part that decides whether the instrument works.
04
Substitution
Whether the attorney may delegate. If they may need to and the instrument is silent, a second instrument is required later.
05
Duration
Whether it expires. Some receiving parties will not accept an open ended authority, so an expiry is sometimes added deliberately.
Getting the scope right
The scope clause is the whole document. Everything else is form. What does the attorney need to be able to do, stated as acts rather than a category? Is there anything they must specifically not be able to do? Does the attorney need to delegate, and if so does the instrument say so? And should the authority expire? Answer those and the rest of the instrument follows.
From a description of what the attorney needs to do, to a notarised instrument
01
Send the draft, or describe the acts
If you have a draft we check it. If not, tell us what the attorney needs to be able to do and we write the scope clause from that.
02
We check who is granting the authority
For a company principal, against the trade licence and memorandum. For an individual, against the identity documents you send.
03
We draft in both languages
Arabic and English written together, with a governing language clause, not one translated after the other.
04
You approve, we book the notary
We arrange the appointment before a Dubai Courts notary and attend it with you.
What it costs
| AED | What it includes | |
|---|---|---|
| Our fee | 1,500 | Drafting in both languages, checking the file, establishing who attends, booking and attending the appointment |
| Dubai Courts fee | Set by the Courts, charged at cost | Passed on without a margin |
Requirements from the published schedule: a draft, and the title deed or the initial contract.
What to bring to the appointment
Original identity documents for the principal and precise identity details for the attorney, plus the trade licence and memorandum if the principal is a company. Send a description of the acts, or a draft if you have one, and we confirm anything further before you travel.
Special
Special power of attorney
Names the specific acts the attorney can do, so a receiving party knows exactly what the holder is authorised for. It takes longer to draft, because the scope has to be written out. It is accepted more readily by banks, registries and counterparties, because nobody has to decide whether to trust it.
General
General power of attorney
Authorises the holder to act broadly on the principal’s behalf, without naming specific acts. It is faster to draft, because the scope is not itemised. It is refused more often, because accepting it means accepting responsibility for whatever the holder then does.
The scope is what gets checked first
Before anyone reads the rest of the instrument, the receiving party reads the scope: the sentence naming exactly what the attorney can do. A special power names the acts, the attorney and the limit. That precision is why it is accepted where a general power is refused.
Who signs, who is involved, what is checked
The principal, or the signatory authorised to grant on a company’s behalf
The attorney, identified precisely even where not present at signing
Passport or Emirates ID for the principal, originals
The trade licence and memorandum, where the principal is a company
The scope clause, checked against what was agreed
Any substitution clause, checked against whether delegation is needed
The expiry, if one is stated
Where it goes wrong, and why
A special power is refused for the same reason a general power is refused more often: the scope is not specific enough, or it cannot be matched to the identity documents in front of the receiving party. A scope written as a category rather than as named acts reads like a general authority, and is treated with the same suspicion. Each of these is checkable before the appointment, which is why the reading is free and worth doing before you commit to anything.
Rejection reasons, and the fix
01
The scope is written as a category, not named acts
The fix: name the specific acts the attorney has to be able to do, and any exclusion, rather than describing a general area of authority.
02
The parties are not identified precisely enough
The fix: match the principal and attorney to their identity documents exactly, including the legal form for a company principal.
03
The recital does not match the constitutional documents
The fix: where a company grants the power, trace the signatory’s authority to the memorandum or resolution and cite it correctly.
04
There is no substitution clause
The fix: add one before drafting if the attorney may ever need to delegate.
05
There is no expiry, and the receiving party wants one
The fix: confirm in advance whether an expiry is required, and add it deliberately rather than after a rejection.
06
The English and Arabic do not say the same thing
The fix: draft both languages together with a governing language clause, not one translated after the other.
What happens after the notarial act, and where the instrument goes next
01
Using it for the named act
For most special powers, the notarised original is what the counter or bank asks for; nothing further is filed.
02
Filing with a registry
Where the instrument authorises a Land Department or vehicle registry transaction, the registry may hold a copy or require the original presented each time. We tell you which applies before you travel.
03
Presenting it to a bank
Where the power covers a bank account, the bank may want supporting identity checks alongside the notarised instrument.
04
Using it abroad
If the attorney will use it outside the UAE, further ministry and embassy legalisation steps usually apply, separate from the Dubai Courts notarisation.
Revocation and amendment
A special power of attorney is not amended in place. If the scope needs to change, a new instrument is drafted and the old one is revoked. Revocation is its own instrument, notarised the same way as the original, and anyone who relied on the original should be told it no longer stands. Until a revocation is notarised and communicated, a receiving party who has not been told may still act on the original.
Send the draft. We tell you whether it will be accepted, before you commit.
Documents we prepare are accepted by the authorities and institutions our clients deal with every week, because we write to what each of them actually requires.
Company power of attorney
A broader authority for ongoing company business, rather than one named transaction.
Board resolution
Records the decision behind an authority, often the document a bank asks for alongside a POA.
Share transfer
Where a special power authorises someone to complete a share transfer on the principal’s behalf.
Wills
For principals who also need to settle what happens to UAE assets, separate from a power of attorney.
Questions we are actually asked about this instrument
Why would I choose a special power over a general power?
A general power authorises the holder to act broadly, which is exactly why many banks, registries and counterparties refuse it: accepting it means accepting responsibility for whatever the holder then does. A special power names the acts, so nobody has to make that judgement call.
What if my need is not on your list of common uses?
It does not mean the instrument is unusual. Describe what the attorney has to be able to do and the scope clause is written from that.
Does it have to expire?
Not automatically. Some receiving parties will not accept an open ended authority, so an expiry is sometimes added deliberately. We will ask which applies to your document.
Can the attorney delegate to someone else?
Only if the instrument says so. If a substitution clause is missing and the attorney later needs to delegate, a second instrument is required.
Can it be in English only?
Many receiving authorities require Arabic. We draft in both languages as standard, with a governing language clause settling which text prevails if they ever diverge.
Can it be revoked?
Yes. Revocation is its own instrument, notarised the same way as the original, and anyone who relied on the original should be told.
The principal is a company. What changes?
The company must be named exactly as on the trade licence, including the legal form, and the recital has to trace the signatory’s authority to the memorandum or a resolution.
What clients say
Nine reviews from our Google Business Profile. We publish them as written, and we do not write them.
Had experience of getting some of my documents attested from the firm. Service was top notch. Mr. Ali explained everything in detail and was of great assistance. I would recommend firm for any legal assistance or document attestation.
Highly Recommended and Excellent Service. I had to do notarization for some documents and Miss Razan assisted us greatly with exceptional professionalism and courtesy. I extend my utmost commendation for the exemplary quality of service provided.
Excellent service from notary services Dubai. They are instant replying agency. Others take long hours to reply for simple questions. Highly recommended for notaries in Dubai
I needed statutory declaration for new Zealand notarized. They did for me online since I was based in Abu Dhabi. Thanks for your service.
Great and speedy service for getting the NOC to sponsor my child. Big thanks to Ali for handling everything smoothly and on time!
Excellent notary service! Everything was handled smoothly and professionally. They even agreed to schedule a call at a time that worked best for us, which was outside their usual practice, a real sign of their flexibility and client focus. Top professionals, willing to go above and beyond. Highly recommended
I contact this office for a notary today on Sunday they processed my notary and I got my documents today online
I am 100 percent satisfied with their true copy attestation highly recommend
Lovely staff professional work nice knowledge highly recommended
Reviews published on our Google Business Profile and verified by Trustindex. Shown as written.
Send the draft. We will tell you whether it will be accepted, before you commit.
One document, one line about what it has to achieve, and an email address. No charge, no obligation, and an answer the same working day.
Where to find us
Address
Empire Heights Tower B, Fountain Street, Business Bay, Dubai
Phone
+971 55 564 0358
info@dubainotaryservices.ae