Q Guide: Notary Services ยท 4 minute read # Can I Notarize My Own Documents? What to Do in the UAE A Can I notarize my own documents? In short, no. A notary public checks the identity, capacity and consent of the person who signs, so the signer cannot also be the one who checks. We draft and check your document, and our in-house notary public notarises it in person at our Battuta Gate office, online or on a home visit. In this guide * Can you notarise your own documents? * Why a notary cannot act on their own papers * Your own signature, your own will, your own affidavit * What to do instead in the UAE * What to bring * Mistakes that get the document refused * Fees WhatsApp +971 52 484 1790 and tell us what the document is for. ![Hand holding a silver pen and signing a printed contract on a wooden desk](https://notariolawyersuae.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/signing-a-printed-contract.jpg) ## Can you notarise your own documents? Notarisation works because two different people are involved. One signs. The other checks who is signing, whether that person understands the document and whether the person signs willingly, and then applies the seal. If you do both jobs yourself, nobody has checked you. The seal would prove nothing. That is why people who ask "can I notarize my own signature?" get the same answer: another person has to do it. ![Hand with a white pen signing a form on a clipboard at a desk](https://notariolawyersuae.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/hand-with-a-white-pen-signing-a-form-on-a-clipboard-at-a-desk-1024x682.jpg) ## Why a notary cannot act on their own papers The same reasoning applies to a notary. A notary who wants a personal document notarised is in the position of any other signer. The notary public is the one who signs, so someone else has to witness and seal it. This is the idea behind a notary conflict of interest: the person checking must not be the person with a stake in the paper. If you are a notary asking "can I notarize my own documents if I am a notary?", the sensible route is to ask another notary to do it. The rules that apply to a notary's own conduct are set by the authority that regulates the profession. Ask that authority if you are unsure. ![Why you cannot notarize your own documents: the signer and the notary have two separate roles](https://notariolawyersuae.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/compare-0ab7440cc98f-1024x556.png) Ask about your document [+971 52 484 1790](tel:+971524841790) [WhatsApp us](https://wa.me/971524841790) ## Your own signature, your own will, your own affidavit The answer is the same for each of these documents. ### Your own signature You cannot certify it yourself. A notary public witnesses it. ### Your own will You can write your own will. The notary step, if you want one, is done by another person. The will is registered with the registry you choose, and the appointment is set with that registry. ### Your own affidavit It is a sworn statement. You swear it before a notary public. You do not swear it before yourself. ### A copy of your own document A copy is certified by a person who sees the original. See [certified true copy in the UAE](https://notariolawyersuae.com/certified-true-copy-uae/). For the difference between an affidavit and the notary's work, read [difference between notary and affidavit](https://notariolawyersuae.com/difference-between-notary-and-affidavit/). ## What to do instead in the UAE Take the document to a notary public. Notarial acts in the UAE are regulated by [Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022](https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1563) on the regulation of the notary profession. In Dubai, notaries public are regulated by Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013. There are three routes: 01 ### Our office You sign before our in-house notary public at the 10th floor, Battuta Gate offices, Dubai. 02 ### Online You sign before our in-house notary public by video. The UAE Ministry of Justice also runs its own [E-Notary System](https://www.moj.gov.ae/en/services/esystems/e-notary.aspx), which is a separate service. 03 ### Home visit Our in-house notary public comes to you. Ask us for a quote. The notary checks your ID and applies the seal. Which route fits depends on the document. Checklist ## What to bring Your Emirates ID or passport The document, unsigned if it still needs your signature The names and IDs of anyone else who must sign The name of the office that will receive the document If you are not sure what the document should say, ask us. We draft the document, check every clause and prepare the Arabic text through a legal translator. See our page on [legal drafting in Dubai](https://notariolawyersuae.com/legal-drafting-dubai/). Watch for ## Mistakes that get the document refused 01 Signing before you reach the notary 02 Trying to "self notarise" by adding your own stamp or wording 03 Using a template with blanks left open 04 Not bringing the ID that matches the name on the document 05 Assuming a notarised paper is also attested for use abroad If your document goes abroad, it is attested by MOFAIC, then by the destination country's embassy or consulate in the UAE. See the [MOFAIC attestation page](https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/services/attestation). ## Fees Our fee depends on the document. Examples: an affidavit is from AED 600, and a will is from AED 4,000 (the registry fee is separate). The government fee for executing and notarising an affidavit is AED 300 under [Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024](https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/2491). All service prices are starting prices and are negotiable. Government fees are paid on top, at cost, exactly as the authority charges them. We confirm your final price before you pay. We prepare documents. We do not represent people in court. If your matter is a dispute, you need a practising advocate. Questions ## Frequently asked questions If your question is not here, ask it on WhatsApp. Tell us what the document is for and who will sign it. [Ask on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/971524841790) ### Can I notarize my own signature? No. A notary public must witness your signature. You cannot do both jobs. Bring your ID and sign before our in-house notary public. ### Can I notarize my own will? No. You can write your own will, but another person must handle the notary step. The will is registered with the registry you choose. See [how to register a will in the UAE](https://notariolawyersuae.com/will-registration-uae/). ### Can I notarize my own documents if I am a notary? The same logic applies. A notary who needs a personal document notarised asks another notary. Check the rules with the authority that regulates your profession. ### Can I notarize my own affidavit? No. An affidavit is a sworn statement made before a notary public. You cannot swear it before yourself. We can draft it and notarise your signature. Guides ## More guides [View all guides](https://notariolawyersuae.com/blog/) * [How to register a will in the UAE: choosing where to register](https://notariolawyersuae.com/will-registration-uae/) How to register a will in the UAE: the questions that decide between DIFC, the Dubai Courts notary and Abu Dhabi, and how each route changes the drafting. [Read more](https://notariolawyersuae.com/will-registration-uae/) * [Can a lawyer be a notary in the UAE?](https://notariolawyersuae.com/can-a-lawyer-be-a-notary/) Can a lawyer be a notary in Dubai and the UAE? Yes, once registered as a private notary. Who may notarise, how to check, and what a lawyer alone can sign. [Read more](https://notariolawyersuae.com/can-a-lawyer-be-a-notary/) * [Is a lawyer a notary public? The difference between a notary and an advocate in the UAE](https://notariolawyersuae.com/is-a-lawyer-a-notary-public-2/) Is a lawyer a notary public in the UAE? Not automatically. The plain answer under UAE and Dubai law, and how a notary differs from an advocate. [Read more](https://notariolawyersuae.com/is-a-lawyer-a-notary-public-2/) * [The UAE Attorney General office: what it does and how it differs by emirate](https://notariolawyersuae.com/the-uae-attorney-general-office/) What the UAE Attorney General office does, how the federal prosecution differs from Dubai and Abu Dhabi prosecution, and the documents people need. [Read more](https://notariolawyersuae.com/the-uae-attorney-general-office/) ## Send us your document Call or WhatsApp +971 52 484 1790, or email support@notariolawyersuae.com. 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