How to Revoke a Power of Attorney in the UAE

When to Revoke

You may need to revoke a POA when: the transaction it was issued for is complete, you want to appoint a different person, you have concerns about how the authority is being used, or your circumstances have changed.

Revocation vs Expiry

Many POAs include a validity period. Once this period expires, the POA is no longer valid. For property POAs in Dubai, the DLD enforces specific limits: two years for sale authority and five years for purchase authority.

Revocation is different from expiry. Revocation is an active step you take to cancel the authority before it expires. Expiry happens automatically when the validity period ends.

The Revocation Process

To revoke a POA: prepare a notarised revocation document, notify the appointed attorney in writing, and notify any relevant third parties — banks, the DLD, or government departments that were aware of the original POA.

The revocation must be notarised through the same type of channel as the original — either in person or via e-notarisation.

Third-Party Notice Matters

A revocation is not complete until the relevant parties know about it. If a bank or government department is unaware that the POA has been revoked, they may continue to act on instructions from the appointed person. Written notification to all relevant institutions is essential.