How to authorize a friend on your behalf? In the UAE, sign a power of attorney naming your friend and listing the acts he may perform for you.
The Civil Transactions Law calls this an agency contract. The agent performs a legal act in the principal’s name and for his account (Article 866 of Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025).
In practice, banks, government departments and courts usually ask for notarisation. Notaries work under Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022.
Quick Answer
To authorize a friend on your behalf in the UAE, prepare a power of attorney identifying your friend and specifying the legal acts they may perform. Certain acts, including property sales, settlements and litigation-related powers, require express and specific authority.
Have the document notarised where required by the receiving authority. You can also set a duration or condition for the authorisation. A friend cannot represent you in court merely because you issued a power of attorney, and revocation may be subject to restrictions where third-party rights are involved.
What the law says about an authorisation
| Point | What the law provides | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A contract under which the agent performs a legal act in the principal’s name and for his account | 866 |
| Validity | The principal must own the right to act himself in the matter. The agent must have capacity to perform the act | 868 |
| Form | The authorisation needs the form that the underlying act requires, unless the parties agree otherwise | 867 |
| Types | It can be general, special, conditional on an event or dated for the future | 869 |
| A general wording | Unqualified general authority covers administration only. Examples include short leases of up to 3 years, preserving and maintaining property, collecting rights and paying debts | 871 |
| Acts that need a specific authority | Any act beyond administration and preservation needs a special authority that defines the type of act. This applies in particular to gifts, sale, settlement, mortgage, admission, arbitration, oaths and pleading before a court | 870 |
| Limits | The agent has authority only for the matters the authorisation names and what they necessarily involve | 872 |
Need a Power of Attorney for a Friend in the UAE?
Discuss the acts your friend needs to perform, the required wording and whether special authority is necessary. Leaders Advocates can help assess the legal requirements for your intended transaction.
How to authorize a friend on your behalf?
- Decide what you need done, and choose a friend you trust who has legal capacity. A person who will act for you needs the capacity to perform the act (Article 868).
- Write the powers precisely. Name each act, such as signing a document or collecting money. Identify the item, such as a vehicle or property, where the law requires specific authority (Article 870).
- Set a duration or condition if you want the authority to begin or end at a set point (Article 869).
- Have it notarised. Only public notaries, private notaries and authorised consuls abroad perform notarial work (Notary Law, Articles 3 and 26). Dubai Courts’ notaries follow local legislation (Article 2).
- Bring identification. The notary verifies everyone’s identity, capacity and consent, reads out the content and records that it was read (Article 7). Residents usually use an Emirates ID, and others a passport.
The parties normally appear before the notary in person (Article 17). Information technology can also be used without personal appearance (Article 18). This is how the Ministry of Justice’s digital power of attorney service and the courts’ electronic notary services work.
What your friend cannot do for you
- Authorising a friend does not, by itself, allow him to represent you in court. Representation is available through a lawyer on the Roll of Practicing Lawyers or a relative up to the fourth degree. A qualified employee may represent a private company (Advocacy Law, Article 8; Civil Procedure Code, Article 52). For litigation authority, see when a debt recovery lawyer needs a power of attorney.
- Even for a lawyer or relative, certain acts need special authority. These include admissions, waivers, settlements, arbitration, oaths and similar acts (Civil Procedure Code, Article 61).
- A notary cannot notarise an instrument creating, transferring or ending title to real property (Notary Law, Article 16). A power of attorney to sell property is a different instrument. The transfer itself is still registered.
In Dubai, a real property disposition is invalid unless registered (Dubai Law No. 7 of 2006, Article 9).
- Authority to collect money does not authorise a friend to litigate for it. A litigation agent needs special permission from the principal to collect money (Civil Transactions Law, Article 881).
Authorising Someone to Sign, Sell or Collect Money?
A general power of attorney may not cover the transaction you intend. Speak with Leaders Advocates about the specific powers, limitations and notarisation requirements before your friend acts.
To discuss the powers your friend needs, speak to our lawyers on WhatsApp or use the Contact Us page.
Your friend’s duties and your own
| Point | What the law provides | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Staying within the limits | The agent must stay within the authority’s limits. He may exceed them if doing so benefits you more. He may also do so if he cannot notify you and the circumstances suggest you would approve. He must notify you promptly | 874 |
| Care | An unpaid agent takes the care he takes in his own affairs. A paid agent takes the care of an ordinary person | 875 |
| Information and accounts | The agent must give you the necessary information and an account, unless agreed otherwise | 876 |
| Your money | The agent may not use your money for himself and must compensate you if he does | 877 |
| Substitutes | He may not appoint someone else to act unless you allow it or the law does | 879 |
| Payment | You owe the agreed fee. If none was agreed and the agent works for a fee, you owe a fair fee. Otherwise, he acts voluntarily. You also owe customary expenses | 892, 893 |
Ending or cancelling the authority
- The authorisation ends when the act is completed or its term expires. It also ends on the principal’s or agent’s death or loss of capacity (Article 897).
- You can revoke or restrict the authority at any time. Exceptions apply where it affects a third party’s right or was given in the agent’s own favour (Article 898).
- Revocation at an inappropriate time or without an acceptable reason can make you liable for the agent’s resulting damage (Article 899).
- Notify your friend and every bank or office that holds the document. A notarised revocation is the usual way to make the cancellation clear. For family proceedings and changes of representation, see family-law powers of attorney in Dubai.
Need to Cancel or Change a Power of Attorney?
Discuss the wording of your existing authorisation, revocation conditions and the need to notify any bank, government department or other party relying on the document.
Questions about authorizing a friend
Relevant Legal Services
For drafting, reviewing or revoking a power of attorney, and for issues involving contracts, financial transactions or property authority, explore our contract lawyers in Dubai, civil lawyers in Dubai and real estate lawyers in Dubai. The appropriate document depends on the powers granted, the intended transaction and any requirements imposed by the receiving authority.
Related Legal Guidance
Need Legal Help Authorizing Someone on Your Behalf?
To discuss a power of attorney, speak to our lawyers on WhatsApp or use the Contact Us page. Our contract, civil and real estate legal services can help assess the proposed authority, notarisation requirements and limits on your friend’s powers.
