EPISODE 26

Welcome back to the POA's Desk.

In the last episode, we covered the document checklist. Today, we're looking at an equally important topic—why the authority that notarises your Power of Attorney matters.

When POAS says a POA is notarised through a court-licensed entity, it means the document is notarised by a notary authorised by Dubai Courts or the Ministry of Justice. This is important because not every notary is authorised to register POAs for property, banking, or corporate matters.

The main notarisation routes in the UAE are:

• Dubai Courts Notaries – Accepted for property, banking, court, and most legal matters.
• Ministry of Justice Licensed Private Notaries – Carry the same legal authority for the documents they are licensed to notarise.
• Free Zone Notaries – Usually valid only for matters within their own free zone and may not be accepted by authorities such as the Dubai Land Department.
• Embassy or Foreign Notaries – Primarily for documents used outside the UAE and often require additional attestation before use in the UAE.

For most UAE POAs, the recognised options are Dubai Courts and licensed private notaries.

Why does this matter?

A perfectly drafted POA can still be rejected if it has been notarised by an authority the receiving organisation does not recognise. Many people only discover this when they submit the document to the Dubai Land Department, a bank, or another government authority and are told they must start again.

Before notarising any POA, always ask:

Is this notary authorised for the authority where my POA will be used?

For example:

• Property Sale POA: Usually requires notarisation recognised by the Dubai Land Department.
• Bank Account POA: Most banks accept Dubai Courts and licensed private notaries, although some have additional requirements.
• Corporate POA: Requirements depend on the authority or organisation receiving the document.

One of the biggest mistakes is choosing a notary based only on price or convenience. A cheaper notarisation can become far more expensive if the document is later rejected.

At POAS, we arrange notarisation through recognised Dubai Courts and Ministry of Justice licensed private notaries. We confirm the receiving authority's requirements before notarisation, ensuring your POA is prepared for its intended purpose.

In the next episode, we'll explain the role of legal translators in POA preparation and why certified translation is more than simply converting one language into another.

I'm Patrick. Thanks for joining me at the POA's Desk.