Guide
Notarized Document in the UAE: What It Means and How to Get One
A document is notarized when a notary public checks who you are, watches you sign or confirms your signature, and then stamps and records the act. The stamp does not say the content is true. It says the right person signed, knowing what they signed.
The catch most people miss is that a notarized document is often only the first step. A bank, embassy or ministry abroad may also want attestation on top. Knowing that before you sign saves a second trip.
What a Notarized Document Is
A notarized document is a paper that a notary has dealt with under the law. In the UAE, notarial acts are regulated by Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022 on the regulation of the notary profession. In Dubai, notaries public are regulated by Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013.
Dubai has a Government notary public at Dubai Courts and licensed private notaries on a roll kept by Dubai Courts. A private notary in Dubai is a lawyer licensed by Dubai Courts to carry out notarial acts. For the difference in practice, read our guide to private notary vs public notary.
If you want the plain meaning of the words, see notary public meaning, and what notarised means.
Notarization of Legal Documents: What Usually Needs It
Notarization of legal documents is common for papers that others will rely on. These are the ones people bring to us most:
- Powers of attorney
- Affidavits and declarations
- Consent and no objection letters
- Company documents, such as board resolutions
- Certified true copies of originals, including a passport notarized as a copy
- Translations that go with a notarised instrument
Not every paper needs a notary. If the organisation that asked for it did not say “notarised”, ask them which wording they need. A short question to them can save you a fee.
How to Get Documents Notarized in UAE: The Steps
The steps are short when the document is ready.
- Prepare the document in the right language. Fill every field, but do not sign yet if the notary must witness your signature.
- Check what the receiving party wants: a notarised original, a notarised copy, or a notarised translation.
- Bring your original Emirates ID or passport. Bring the original of any document being copied.
- Sign in front of the notary, or confirm your signature to them.
- Collect the stamped document and ask whether it needs attestation next.
We notarise your document at our Business Bay office through our in-house notary public. You can also use notary public services in person, online or at your home. Our step by step guide to notarising a document in Dubai goes through each stage, and our page on online notary services in Dubai covers the remote route.
Talk to us
Tell us what the document is and where it will be used, and we will tell you the next step.
Notarize Documents in Dubai: Why Files Get Turned Away
Most refusals come from a few simple problems:
- Blank fields left in the document
- Signing before the appointment, when the notary has to witness the signature
- No proof of authority, for example signing for a company without a resolution
- A foreign document without its attestation chain
- A translation that was not done by a legal translator registered with the UAE Ministry of Justice
Fees
Notarized Document in UAE: Official Fees
The federal notary fees are set by Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024. These are the lines people ask about most:
| Act | Federal fee |
|---|---|
| Notarising a general or special power of attorney | AED 100 per party |
| Authenticating signatures on an instrument of unspecified value | AED 200 per party |
| Executing and notarising an affidavit | AED 300 |
| Notarising a translation in the instrument | AED 50 per page |
For instruments above AED 100,000 the fee is 0.5% of the value, at most AED 30,000, and at most AED 15,000 for execution. A private notary may add up to 30% as professional fees, so a power of attorney through a private notary under the federal schedule is AED 130 per party.
Translation, MOFAIC attestation and embassy fees are separate. We confirm our own fee when you send the document, because it depends on the paper and the route.
After Notarization: Attestation for Use Abroad
If the document will be used outside the UAE, notarization is rarely the end. The UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so there is no apostille. A UAE document usually goes on to MOFAIC attestation, then to the embassy of the country where you will use it. MOFAIC charges AED 150 for personal documents and AED 2,000 for commercial documents.
A foreign document coming into the UAE goes the other way: it is attested in the issuing country, including the UAE embassy there, and then by MOFAIC in the UAE. See our guide to document attestation in Dubai for the full order.
How We Help
We prepare and draft your document, translate it where needed, handle your notarisation and take care of the attestation. We guide you on the order, so the notarised paper is accepted where you need it. Our in-house notary public works from the Business Bay office, and our team answers WhatsApp and online requests 24/7. The office is open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.
If your matter belongs to DIFC, use the DIFC Courts notary service instead. If a government system asks for remote notarisation, the Ministry of Justice runs its own E-Notary System.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How to notarize a document in Dubai?
Take the finished document and your original ID to a notary, and sign in front of them if they ask you to. The notary records the act and stamps the document. You can do this at our Business Bay office, online or at your home. Our step by step guide shows each stage.
How to certify a document in Dubai?
Certifying usually means a notary confirms that a copy matches the original, or confirms a signature. Bring the original and the copy. Ask the receiving party whether they also want attestation by MOFAIC.
What is a notarized letter?
A notarized letter is a letter whose signature has been confirmed by a notary. Common examples are consent letters and no objection letters. The notary confirms who signed, not that every statement is correct.
Where to notarize documents in Dubai?
You can use the Government notary public at Dubai Courts, a licensed private notary, or us. We offer in-house notary public services at our Business Bay office, online and home visits. See notary public near me in Dubai for the nearby options.
Does a notarized document need attestation?
Only if it will be used outside the UAE, or if the receiving party asks for it. Ask them before you sign. If you are unsure, send us the document and we will tell you.
More answers, grouped by topic, are on our questions and answers page.
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Send Us Your Document
Call or WhatsApp +971 54 380 1094, or email support@notaryservicesdubai.com. Tell us what the document is and where it will be used, and we will tell you the next step. You can also use our contact page. Our address is Empire Heights Tower B, Marasi Drive, Business Bay, Dubai, UAE.