How to Revoke a Power of Attorney in the UAE

When to Revoke

There are several situations where revoking a POA is appropriate: the transaction the POA was issued for has been completed, you want to appoint a different person, you have concerns about how the authority is being used, or your circumstances have changed and the POA is no longer needed.

Revoking a POA is a straightforward process, but it must be done correctly to ensure the revocation is legally effective.

The Revocation Process

To revoke a POA in the UAE, you need to prepare a notarised revocation document. This document formally cancels the authority granted in the original POA. The revocation must be notarised through the same channel as the original — either in person at a notary public or via e-notarisation.

Once the revocation is notarised, you must notify the appointed attorney that their authority has been cancelled. You should also notify any relevant third parties — such as banks, the DLD, or government departments — that were aware of the original POA.

For notarisation requirements, the process is the same as issuing a new POA.

Can a POA Expire on Its Own?

Yes. Many POAs include a validity period — a defined timeframe during which the authority is active. Once this period expires, the POA is no longer valid and the appointed person can no longer act under it.

For property POAs in Dubai, the DLD enforces specific validity limits: two years for sale-related authority and five years for purchase-related authority. After these periods, the POA must be renewed if the authority is still needed.

Specific POAs that are limited to a single action effectively expire once that action is completed.

Need Help Revoking?

If you need to revoke an existing POA, the same service that issued the original document can prepare the revocation for you. The process is faster than the initial POA because no scope definition is required — the revocation simply cancels the existing authority.

For the full process overview, see How a POA Service Works. For e-notarisation details, see our E-Notarisation Guide.