Before Drafting

The cancellation procedure begins with information rather than paperwork. The principal needs to identify the original Power of Attorney by reference number, date of execution, and the notary that issued or registered it. The agent’s full legal name and identification details must be confirmed against the original document. The scope of the cancellation needs to be settled, since the principal can revoke the entire instrument or, in some cases, revoke specific authorities while leaving others intact.

The original Power of Attorney does not need to be physically produced for cancellation to proceed. A copy or the registration details from the Notary register are sufficient. Where the original has been lost, the revocation deed should record that fact and confirm the document by its register details.

The Revocation Deed

The revocation deed is the document that performs the cancellation. It must contain the principal’s full details, the agent’s full details, the original Power of Attorney’s reference number and date, the issuing notary, a clear and unequivocal statement of revocation, and the effective date of cancellation. Where the principal is a corporate entity, the deed must be supported by a board resolution authorising the revocation and by the signatory’s authority documents.

The deed must be in Arabic, or accompanied by a certified Arabic translation prepared by a sworn legal translator. Documents in any other language without certified translation will not be accepted by a UAE notary.

Notarisation

The deed must be notarised. There are two channels. The first is the Public Notary, accessed through Dubai Courts Notary Public or through the UAE Ministry of Justice notary network in other Emirates. The second is the Private Notary, authorised under Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022, which permits notarisation by accredited private notaries in addition to public ones.

Where the original Power of Attorney was issued through Dubai Courts, the cancellation must be processed through Dubai Courts. Where the original was issued through the Ministry of Justice channel, online cancellation may be available through the MOJ digital service. The cancellation must be registered against the original document at the same channel for it to update the register that recorded the original.

Registration in the Notary Register

Once notarised, the cancellation is recorded in the Notary register against the original Power of Attorney. The register entry against the original is the step that makes the cancellation a matter of public record. From that point, the original document, if presented, can be checked against the register and shown to be cancelled.

Documents Required

The standard set of documents for the principal is the original notarised Power of Attorney, or its registration details where the original is unavailable; the Emirates ID of the principal, or passport copy where the principal is a non-resident; for corporate principals, the commercial licence, memorandum of association, board resolution authorising revocation, and authorisation letter for the signatory; the drafted revocation deed; and notarisation fees as determined by the channel.

Fees

Notarisation fees are set under the framework of the Notary Profession decree-law and vary by channel and by the nature of the underlying instrument. Specific amounts change from time to time and are set by the issuing authority. Current fees should be confirmed with the relevant notary at the point of filing.

Digital and Online Cancellation

Dubai Resolution No. 137 of 2022 authorises digital notarisation procedures in Dubai, and Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022 gives general legal effect to electronic notarisation across the UAE. Where the original Power of Attorney was issued through a channel that supports digital cancellation, the procedure can be completed remotely through an approved e-notary platform, with identity verification, document submission, and electronic execution conducted online. The digital channel is set out separately at enotaryuae.ae.

After Notarisation

Notarisation alone does not complete the cancellation in practice. Three further steps are required.

The agent must be formally notified. Methods include service through the notary, service through the Tableegh legal notification service, registered post with acknowledgement of receipt, and judicial notice through the courts. Even where the agent declines to accept service, documented attempts at official notification are legally sufficient.

Third parties relying on the authority must be notified. This is particularly important for banks, developers, government departments, registrars, and counterparties with whom the agent has transacted or could transact.

Where the underlying Power of Attorney is property-related and registered with the Dubai Land Department, the cancellation must be filed with the DLD. The DLD will not treat a cancellation as effective on the property record without this filing.

Check notification doctrine here

Execution

Drafting, notarisation, and post-notarisation steps are handled operationally at poas.ae.