Power of attorney

Power of attorney for an LLC in Dubai: who signs for the company, and what the representative can do

A power of attorney for an LLC in Dubai lets a person act for the company: a manager, an employee who handles the government work, a business partner or an advocate. The company is the principal, so the POA is signed by the person the company's own documents allow to sign: the memorandum of association, the articles, or a resolution of the partners or the board. We draft the POA, and the resolution behind it where one is needed, in English and Arabic, and our in-house notary public notarises it.

This page uses a mainland LLC as the example. For a free zone company or a branch, the steps are the same, but the authority to sign comes from that company's own documents and registry.

Case by case

Who signs for the company

The POA is only as good as the authority of the person who signs it. Check this first.

The manager or the authorised signatory

Start with the memorandum of association: it often names the manager and sets out their powers. If it allows the manager to appoint agents, the manager signs the POA. If it is silent, or the act is outside the manager's powers, a resolution comes first.

A resolution behind the POA

A resolution of the partners or the board records that the company approves the POA and names the representative. Banks and registries may ask to see it with the POA, so we draft both together and make their wording match. See board resolution and MOA drafting.

A shareholder company abroad

If the shareholder is a company outside the UAE, its resolution or POA is signed there before a notary, then attested by that country's foreign ministry, by the UAE embassy or consulate there, and by MOFAIC. The UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so an apostille alone does not complete this. A document in another language needs a legal Arabic translation for use in Dubai.

Powers to list in a company POA

Write each power out. A representative who handles visas does not need the power to sell company cars, and the POA should not give it.

Bank accounts

Open or operate accounts, sign cheques up to a limit you set, and collect statements. Name the bank where you can.

Licensing

Renew or amend the trade licence and sign the forms at the licensing authority.

Visas and labour

Apply for and cancel visas and work permits for the company's staff.

Contracts

Sign named contracts, or contracts up to a value you set.

Courts and disputes

Appoint advocates and follow cases. Pleading must be named (Article 870); see court case power of attorney.

Company vehicles

Register, renew or sell the company's cars; see vehicle power of attorney.

Assets and shares

Sell, buy, transfer or mortgage. These go beyond management, so each one must be named (Article 870).

Step by step

How we prepare a company POA

01

Send us the company papers

The trade licence, the memorandum of association with any amendments, and the signatory's passport and Emirates ID.

02

Tell us the representative and the powers

Who will act, what they will do, and until when.

03

We draft the POA, and the resolution if needed

In English and Arabic, with every name copied from the licence and the passports.

04

The signatory signs before our in-house notary public

In person at our office in the Battuta Gate offices, online, or on a home visit. The notary checks the signatory's identity and seals the POA.

05

Attestation, if it goes abroad

We take it through MOFAIC attestation and tell you whether the destination's embassy needs to see it next.

Watch for

Mistakes that get a company POA refused

01

The signatory has no authority The memorandum of association or the resolution does not let them give this POA.

02

A trade licence that has expired Bring a current licence: the company's details are checked against it.

03

Names that do not match The company's name must match the trade licence exactly, and the representative's name must match their passport.

04

One POA for everything, in general words General wording gives management powers only, so the act you most need may not be covered.

05

Nobody keeps track of it Keep a list of who holds a company POA, and revoke it when the person leaves the company.

Prices

Fees

Our service price and the government fees are separate lines on your quote.

ServiceOur service price
Company power of attorneyFrom AED 1,500
Board resolutionFrom AED 2,000
Translation coordination (add-on)From AED 350
Urgent handling (add-on)From AED 250
Courier pickup and delivery (add-on)From AED 80
MOFAIC attestation handling, commercial documentFrom AED 300

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.

The federal fee for executing or notarising a general or special power of attorney is AED 100 per party (Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024, item 9), or AED 130 per party through a private notary on that schedule. In Dubai, a private notary charges AED 100 per party for registration and AED 100 per signature, and AED 1,000 for a trip outside the office. MOFAIC's own attestation fee for a commercial document is AED 2,000, paid at cost. See legal document fees for the full list.

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.

Who can sign a power of attorney for an LLC in Dubai?

The person the company's documents authorise: usually the manager named in the memorandum of association, or a person a resolution of the partners or the board appoints. If you are not sure, send us the memorandum and we will check it.

Does the company need a board resolution for a POA?

Not always. If the memorandum already lets the manager appoint agents for the act, the manager can sign. If it does not, or if the office reading the POA asks for one, a resolution comes first.

Can one company POA cover several employees?

Yes. Name each person, and say whether each may act alone or only together with another.

Does a company POA have to be in Arabic?

In Dubai, a notarised document is in Arabic, or comes with a certified Arabic translation signed with it (Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013, Article 27). We prepare both languages side by side. In Abu Dhabi, the Judicial Department's English notary bureau accepts English documents without a translation for the services it lists, which are mostly company POAs and resolutions.

What happens to the POA when the representative leaves?

It stays valid until it ends or is revoked (Article 897). Revoke it when they leave (Article 898), and tell the banks and offices that hold a copy.

Get your company POA drafted

Call or WhatsApp +971 52 484 1790, or email support@notariolawyersuae.com with the trade licence and the powers you want to give. We have in-house, in person notary public services, online notary public services and home visit notary services. Office open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. WhatsApp and online requests answered 24/7. You can also send the details through the request form on our contact page. Banks abroad sometimes ask for a certified true copy of the trade licence with the POA.

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