POA · Personal & family
General Power of Attorney in the UAE
One document for everyday mandates — where broad authority is accepted.
Updated September 2026 · market data verified methodology
A general power of attorney places the running of your UAE affairs in one person's hands: banking, government counters, utilities, contracts and the everyday administration of what you own. One document, signed once before a notary public, keeps working until you revoke it or its written term runs out — which is why it is the usual choice for a long absence rather than for a single deal.
The same breadth is also the catch. UAE offices read mandates literally, and many refuse a general POA precisely because it is general — asset sales in particular tend to be moved to a special mandate, and the rules shift from emirate to emirate. Drafting it well means making the document broad enough to work and narrow enough to be accepted; this page shows where that line sits in practice.
Where it is used
Notary public offices in every emirate; once notarized, the document is accepted across the UAE
Typical situation
A long absence from the UAE with banks, authorities and household matters still running
Language
Registered in Arabic; you approve a bilingual draft beforehand
Term
Until revoked, until an expiry date written into the document, or until the principal's death or loss of capacity
Who uses this POA
- Owners of several UAE assets and accounts who want one standing mandate instead of a stack of single-purpose documents
- Expats leaving the country for an extended period while keeping bank accounts or property in the UAE
- Business owners who travel often and need someone to sign and decide in their absence
- Residents who hand day-to-day dealings with banks, utility providers and government counters to a relative or representative
What the attorney can do
- Run everyday banking: operate accounts, make deposits and withdrawals, handle transfers
- Represent the principal before government departments, courts and utility providers
- Sign contracts and carry out contractual duties in the principal's name
- Manage the ongoing affairs of a company the principal owns
- Look after property management matters — rent collection, maintenance, tenant issues
- Follow the principal's legal affairs, including appointing lawyers
Limits and practical notes
Check these before drafting — they decide whether an authority accepts your document.
- Asset sales are the fault line: in Abu Dhabi a general POA cannot authorize the sale of any asset — property, vehicles or company shares — and a special mandate is required
- In most emirates a general mandate is accepted for selling a vehicle or an asset mainly between close relatives — spouses, parents and children, siblings; outside the family, counters ask for a special POA
- Because the wording reads broadly, a general POA is refused for specific deals more often than a mandate written for that exact transaction
- It carries a higher misuse risk: the attorney can act across almost every matter, so the choice of person matters more than with a narrow document
- It does not end on its own — it stays valid until you revoke it or its written term expires
- Practice differs by emirate and by counter, so confirm before signing that the office you will deal with accepts a general POA for your task
Documents to prepare
The principal (individual)
- Passport copy of the principal
- Emirates ID and visa page, if the principal is a UAE resident
- Passport details of the appointed attorney
- A short list of the matters the attorney will handle — naming the banks, departments or assets up front makes the document easier to use at the counter
Where a general POA is NOT accepted
Most refusals follow one pattern: the counter is looking at a single transaction, and the mandate in front of it is broad on purpose. Asset registers are the strictest case — Abu Dhabi does not accept a general POA for asset sales at all, and across most of the country a general mandate for a sale works mainly between close relatives.
None of this makes the document useless; it moves the check to the drafting stage. Before you sign, confirm with the specific office or counter that a general mandate is enough for your task. Where it is not, a special POA for that one transaction is the faster route — one extra document instead of a rejected filing.
- Abu Dhabi — any sale of assets: a special POA is required for property, vehicles and company shares alike
- Dubai and most other emirates — a sale under a general POA where principal and attorney are not close relatives
- Counters with their own requirements — for example the land department for property sales and the traffic authority for vehicle transfers
Frequently asked questions
Can a general power of attorney be used to sell property or a car in the UAE?
It depends on the emirate and the relationship. In Abu Dhabi, no — asset sales of any kind need a special POA. In most other emirates a general mandate for a sale is accepted mainly between close relatives such as spouses, parents and children, or siblings. For anyone else, draft a special POA — and check the specific counter's practice before signing.
How is a general POA different from a special one?
A general POA gives standing authority across many matters and stays valid until revoked or until its written term ends. A special POA names one task or asset and expires when that task is done. For ongoing administration the general document fits; for a single transaction most UAE authorities prefer the special one.
Is a general POA notarized in Dubai valid in other emirates?
Yes. Once signed before a notary public in any emirate, the document is accepted throughout the UAE. What varies is not validity but acceptance for a particular transaction — each office applies its own rules to what a general mandate may cover.
Can I issue a general POA from outside the UAE?
Yes. You can sign before a notary in your country of residence and have the document legalized for use in the UAE — through the competent authorities at home, the UAE embassy and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with an Arabic translation. Where UAE online notarization is available, the document can also be executed remotely.
How do I reduce the risks of a general mandate?
Issue it only to a person you trust completely, and put an expiry date in the text so the mandate cannot outlive your need for it. For high-value one-off deals, prefer a special POA — its scope contains any error inside a single transaction instead of opening everything at once.
Need this POA arranged?
Describe the task — you get a recommendation on wording, the document checklist and an itemized estimate.