Services
Legal Notice in Dubai: Drafting, Notarisation and Service
A legal notice in Dubai is a formal written demand that tells another person or company what they must do, or stop doing, and by when. Landlords use it to ask for unpaid rent or to give notice of eviction. Principals use it to tell an agent a power of attorney is cancelled. Businesses use it to demand that a contract is performed.
Overview
A notice does not decide the dispute. What it does is fix, in writing, what you asked for and the date the other side received it. For some claims the law says you must serve a notice first, and for some it also says how.
We draft your legal notice, translate it into Arabic, have it notarised in-house and serve it, and we keep the proof of delivery for your file.
In this group
Pages in this group
Services
What we cover under legal notices
What a legal notice is
In Arabic the notarised notice is usually called an inzar adli. The federal notary law lists this as a notarial task: a notary may “draft and notarize the notices, warnings and objections at the request of the persons concerned” (Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022, Article 4(7)). In Dubai, notaries public work under Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013, and the Dubai notary fee schedule lists “attestation of a legal notice” as one of their services.
A notice usually does four things:
- names the sender and the recipient clearly;
- sets out the facts and the contract, lease or document they come from;
- states exactly what is demanded (pay, perform, vacate, stop acting as agent);
- gives a deadline and says what the sender may do next.
When the law requires a notice before you act
Many websites say a legal notice is required before any case in Dubai. That is not a general rule. The sourced cases where a notice comes first are these:
| Situation | What the law says | Our guide |
|---|---|---|
| Tenant has not paid rent | The landlord may seek eviction if the tenant fails to pay within 30 days from service of a notice requesting payment. Law No. 26 of 2007 as amended, Article 25(1)(a). | Notice for unpaid rent |
| Eviction at the end of the lease (sale, own use, demolition, major renovation) | The landlord must give the reasons at least 12 months before the eviction date, through a notary public or by registered mail. Article 25(2). | Eviction notice |
| Claiming a fixed debt through a writ of debt (payment order) | The creditor first serves a notice for payment giving at least five days. Civil Procedure Code, Article 144(1). | Acknowledgement of debt |
| A party to a contract has not performed | Compensation is not due unless the debtor has been formally put in default, unless the law or the agreement says otherwise. Civil Transactions Law, Article 337. | Breach of contract notice |
| Cancelling a power of attorney | The law protects people who deal with an agent without knowing the authority has ended, so the agent and those people must be told. Civil Transactions Law, Article 144. | POA cancellation notice |
Outside these cases, a notice is still often the sensible first step, because it gives the other side a fair chance to settle and gives you a dated record if they do not. Your contract may also have its own notice clause, and that clause should be followed.
Who can send a legal notice
Anyone with a claim can send one: an individual, a landlord, a tenant, a company, or someone acting for them under a power of attorney. You do not have to be represented by a lawyer to send a notice. If the matter later goes to court or to the Rental Disputes Centre, a lawyer can take the case forward where one is needed, and a well prepared notice helps them start.
A company sends the notice in its own name, signed by a person with authority to sign. Anyone signing for someone else, such as for a landlord who is abroad, needs a valid power of attorney.
Notarised notice, registered mail or email: how a notice is served
There is no single delivery method for every notice. The right route depends on the claim:
- Tenancy notices in Dubai. Law No. 26 of 2007 (as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008) defines a Notice as a written notification sent “through a Notary Public; or delivered by registered mail, by hand, or by any other technological means approved by law”. For eviction notices, Article 25 narrows this: the notice is served “through a Notary Public or by registered mail”.
- Writ of debt. The five day notice for payment “shall be served by any of the means of service defined in this Code”. The Civil Procedure Code lists recorded calls, SMS, smart applications, email and fax, as well as hand delivery.
- Contracts. The Civil Transactions Law requires notice before some remedies but does not set one form. Check the notice clause in your contract first.
In practice, a notice notarised by a notary public and then served with a record of delivery is the hardest to dispute later. Where a law names a method, use that method. An email or WhatsApp message on its own may not meet a rule that says notary public or registered mail.
Does a legal notice need to be in Arabic?
Arabic is the official language of the courts in the UAE (Civil Procedure Code, Article 5). Under the federal notary law, an instrument drafted by the notary is in Arabic, and may be drafted in another language only under conditions set by the Minister of Justice. If the dispute may reach a Dubai court or the Rental Disputes Centre, prepare the notice in Arabic, or bilingual Arabic and English, with the translation done by a legal translator registered with the UAE Ministry of Justice.
What a legal notice must contain
- Sender details: full name as on the Emirates ID or passport, or company name as on the trade licence, with address and contact details.
- Recipient details: full name and the address where the notice will be served. For tenancy notices, use the details in the Ejari registered lease.
- The source of the claim: the lease, contract, invoice, cheque, or power of attorney, with dates and reference numbers.
- The facts: what was agreed and what has not happened, in short numbered points.
- The demand: exactly what must be done, for example pay a stated amount, perform a stated obligation, vacate by a stated date, or stop acting as agent.
- The deadline: a period that meets any minimum set by law (30 days for rent, 12 months for end of lease eviction, at least five days before a writ of debt).
- Next step: what the sender may do if the deadline passes, stated calmly.
- Date and signature of the sender or their authorised signatory.
Step by step: sending a legal notice in Dubai
- Collect the documents. The lease or contract, IDs, trade licence if a company, proof of the amount owed, and any messages already exchanged.
- Identify the rule that applies. Tenancy, writ of debt, contract, or power of attorney. This decides the minimum period and the service method.
- Draft the notice. We write it in plain, precise terms with the correct dates, amounts and references.
- Translate it. A legal translator registered with the Ministry of Justice prepares the Arabic text.
- Review and sign. You check every name, number and date before signing.
- Notarise it. The notice is signed before a notary public, who checks your identity and authority and attests it. This can be done in person at our Business Bay office, online, or at your home.
- Serve it. Delivery by the route the law or contract requires, such as through the notary public, by registered mail, or by courier, with a record of delivery.
- Keep the proof. The notarised notice and the delivery record are what a court or the Rental Disputes Centre will ask to see. We keep a copy for you.
- Wait for the deadline to pass. The period runs from the date the recipient receives the notice, so do not file a case early.
Documents to bring
- Emirates ID or passport of the sender (and of the signatory, for a company).
- Trade licence and proof of signing authority, for a company.
- Power of attorney, if someone signs for the sender.
- The lease (with Ejari details), contract, invoice, cheque or other document the claim is based on.
- The recipient’s full name and address, and any known email and mobile number.
- For a power of attorney notice: a copy of the power of attorney being cancelled and the revocation deed.
Common mistakes
- Wrong period. Giving 30 days where the law requires 12 months, or confusing the 90 day notice for changing lease terms with an eviction notice.
- Wrong method. Sending an eviction notice only by WhatsApp when Article 25 names notary public or registered mail.
- Vague demand. “Pay what you owe” instead of the exact amount and the period it covers.
- Wrong recipient details. A name that does not match the ID or lease, or an old address.
- No proof of delivery. A notice nobody can prove was received gives little help later.
- Filing too early. Starting a case before the notice period has ended.
- Old law. Citing articles from the repealed Civil Transactions Law. The current law is Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025, in force from 1 June 2026.
Send your legal notice
Call or WhatsApp +971 54 380 1094, or email support@notaryservicesdubai.com, with the type of notice and the documents you have. Office open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. WhatsApp and online requests answered 24/7. Visit us at Empire Heights Tower B, Marasi Drive, Business Bay, or contact us online.
Fees
Cost
The notary fee for a legal notice follows the official Dubai fee schedule, and our fee depends on the drafting, translation and service the notice needs. Send us the type of notice and we will give you the full cost before you commit. See also our guide to notary services fees in Dubai.
How we help
How we help
We have in-house notary public services, online notary public services and home visit notary services in the UAE. For a legal notice, that means:
- we read your lease, contract or power of attorney and draft the notice around the rule that applies;
- we translate it into Arabic through a legal translator registered with the Ministry of Justice;
- we have it notarised in-house, in person at our Business Bay office, online, or at your home;
- we serve it by the route your claim needs and keep the proof of delivery for you;
- we offer fast track notary services in the UAE when a deadline is close.
You decide what to demand and when. The notary public checks identity and authority and attests the notice. If the other side does not respond and you need to go to court or the Rental Disputes Centre, you take the notarised notice and proof of delivery to your lawyer or to the Centre, ready to use.
Related services: notary public in Dubai, online notary services, notary services at home and documents attestation in Dubai if the notice or supporting papers were issued abroad.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is a legal notice mandatory before filing a case in Dubai?
Not for every case. The law requires a prior notice in specific situations, such as eviction under Article 25 of the Dubai tenancy law and a writ of debt under Article 144 of the Civil Procedure Code, and the Civil Transactions Law ties compensation to formal notice. Your contract may also require one.
Can I send a legal notice without a lawyer?
Yes. Any person or company with a claim can send a legal notice in Dubai. We draft and serve it for you; if the dispute later goes to court, a lawyer can use the notice as the starting point.
Does a legal notice need to be notarised?
For eviction notices, Article 25 requires service through a notary public or by registered mail. For other notices the law may not name a method, but a notarised notice is harder to dispute because a notary public has checked the sender’s identity and attested it.
Can a legal notice be sent by email or WhatsApp?
Sometimes. The Civil Procedure Code allows email, SMS and smart applications for serving court process, and a writ of debt notice can use those means. An eviction notice under Article 25 must go through a notary public or by registered mail, so a message alone is not enough there.
Does a legal notice have to be in Arabic?
Arabic is the official language of the UAE courts, so a notice that may be used in a Dubai case should be in Arabic or bilingual, translated by a legal translator registered with the Ministry of Justice. We prepare it bilingual so both sides can read it.
How long does the other side have to reply?
It depends on the claim. The law sets 30 days for unpaid rent, 12 months for an end of lease eviction, and at least five days before a writ of debt. For contracts, the period is what the contract says or what is reasonable for the obligation.
What happens if the other side ignores the notice?
The notice itself does not force anyone to act. Once the period has passed, you can take the next step, such as a case at the Rental Disputes Centre or a claim in court, with the notarised notice and proof of delivery as part of your file.
What if I receive a legal notice?
Read the deadline and the demand carefully and keep the envelope or message that shows when it arrived. Get legal advice before the deadline if you disagree. We can translate a notice you received so you understand exactly what it says.
More answers, grouped by topic, are on our questions and answers page.
Reviews
What clients say
Read what people we have helped say about us on our Google profile, or read about Notary Services Dubai.
Keep reading
Related services
Get started
Talk to us about your document
Call or WhatsApp +971 54 380 1094, or email support@notaryservicesdubai.com, and tell us what document you have and where it needs to be used. We are at Empire Heights Tower B, Marasi Drive, Business Bay, Dubai.