POA Drafting in Dubai — What’s Actually Involved

Why Drafting Matters

A power of attorney is only useful if the receiving authority accepts it. The Dubai Land Department, banks, courts, and government departments each have their own requirements for what a POA must contain. If the document doesn’t meet those requirements, it will be rejected — regardless of whether it has been properly notarised.

This is why the drafting stage is the most important part of the process. The structure, wording, and scope clauses must match the expectations of the authority where the POA will be used.

What a POA Document Contains

A standard POA document includes the following elements: full details of the principal (the person granting authority), full details of the attorney (the person receiving authority), scope clauses defining exactly what the attorney can do, any limitations on the authority, the validity period, and the applicable jurisdiction.

For property POAs, the document must also reference the specific property details. For company POAs, the company’s trade licence number and legal structure must be included.

Common Drafting Mistakes

The most common drafting mistakes are: defining the scope too broadly (leading to compliance concerns) or too narrowly (meaning the document doesn’t cover the required action), using incorrect entity references (wrong company name, wrong property details), omitting required clauses that the receiving authority expects, and failing to account for the specific requirements of the target institution.

These mistakes are avoidable when the POA is drafted by a specialist who understands what each authority expects.

Professional Drafting vs DIY

It is possible to draft a POA yourself, but the risk of rejection is significantly higher. A service provider who has processed hundreds of POAs knows what each authority accepts — and more importantly, what they reject. Their experience with DLD, banks, and courts is built into the drafting process.

For the full process overview, see How a POA Service Works. For scope guidance, see General vs Specific POA.