# Notary public in Dubai: Dubai Courts, private notaries and how we help > Notary public in Dubai: our in-house notary public in Business Bay, online or on a home visit, plus how the Dubai Courts and private notary routes work. Source: https://notaryservicesdubai.com/notary-public-dubai/ Last updated: 29 September 2026 Publisher: Notary Services Dubai, Business Bay, Dubai (+971 54 380 1094) If you need a document witnessed, signed or certified as a true copy so it holds up legally, you need a notary public in Dubai. Our in-house notary public does this in person at our Business Bay office, online, or on a home visit. The other routes in Dubai are the Dubai Courts notary public, a licensed private notary, or the Ministry of Justice's e-notary system for remote cases. This page explains what each one does, what you need to bring, and how we notarise your document. See our [full range of services](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/) for the other document types we prepare. Quick answer ## At a glance - A notary public in Dubai witnesses signatures, administers oaths and certifies documents as true copies, under Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013 concerning Notaries Public in the Emirate of Dubai. - There are two routes in Dubai: the Government notary public at Dubai Courts, and licensed private notaries who sit on a roll kept by Dubai Courts. - The Ministry of Justice also runs an e-notary system, enotary.moj.gov.ae, for remote and electronic notarisation. We also offer our own online notary public services, alongside in-person and home visit appointments. - You will normally need your original ID (Emirates ID or passport) and the original document. - Notarised instruments are generally in Arabic, with bilingual Arabic and English drafting common in practice. - If the document is going abroad, notarisation is only the first step. The UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so foreign use runs through MOFAIC attestation and, where needed, embassy legalisation, not an apostille. In this group ## Pages in this group - [Private notary services](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/private-notary-services-in-dubai/) - [Public vs private notary](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/public-vs-private-notary/) - [What a notary is](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/notary-meaning/) Services ## What we cover under notary public in Dubai How a notary public works in Dubai, the Dubai Courts, private notary and MOJ e-notary routes, and how we prepare your paperwork and book the appointment. Notary Services Dubai ### [Private notary services](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/private-notary-services-in-dubai/) Get your document done by a Dubai-licensed private notary. We prepare it, translate it if needed and book your appointment, step by step. Read more Guide ### [Public vs private notary](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/public-vs-private-notary/) Public notary or private notary in Dubai? A plain comparison of who they are, what they handle, hours and cost, so you know which route fits. Read more Guide ### [What a notary is](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/notary-meaning/) What a notary public is, what notarised means, and what a notarised letter or copy looks like in the UAE, explained in plain words. Read more Notary Services Dubai is a notary services provider: we prepare the document correctly, arrange the legal translation if you need one, and notarise it with our in-house notary public, so the appointment itself is quick and does not get rejected over a paperwork detail. Choose us for fast track notary services in the UAE. ## What a notary public in Dubai does A notary public is the official who confirms that a signature, a copy or a declaration is genuine, then seals it so it can be relied on in court, by a government department, a bank or an authority abroad. In Dubai this covers acts such as: - Witnessing a signature on a contract, power of attorney or agreement. - Administering an oath or taking a sworn declaration or affidavit. - Certifying that a copy of a passport, certificate or other document matches the original (a certified true copy). - Authenticating company documents such as a memorandum of association or a board resolution. The notary does not draft your document or advise on whether the underlying deal is a good idea. The notary checks identity, checks the document is complete and correctly worded, watches you sign (or reviews the copy against the original), then applies a stamp and signature. Getting the drafting and the paperwork right before you arrive is where most of the actual work, and most of the risk of a rejected appointment, sits. We handle that part, and our in-house notary public then carries out the notarial act. ## The three routes to notarisation in Dubai ### Dubai Courts notary public The Government notary public sits inside the Dubai Courts system. This is the original, longest-established route for notarising documents in Dubai, and it is where most affidavits, powers of attorney and certified copies for local use are still handled. ### Licensed private notaries Dubai also licenses private notaries: lawyers who have been approved by Dubai Courts to carry out notarial acts and who appear on a roll that Dubai Courts keeps. A private notary is not a government employee, but the notarial act itself carries the same legal weight because it is done under the same law. In practice, a private notary can mean a shorter wait and a more flexible appointment time than the Government office. We cover the differences in more depth on the [private notary services in Dubai](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/private-notary-services-in-dubai/) page and set the two routes side by side on [public vs private notary](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/public-vs-private-notary/). ### The Ministry of Justice e-notary system The Ministry of Justice runs its own electronic notarisation system at enotary.moj.gov.ae, for people who cannot attend in person, including some cases from outside the UAE. It works through identity verification and a video call rather than an in-person visit. If you would rather deal with us directly, we offer online notary public services, in-person notarisation at our Business Bay office, and home visits. See [e-notary in Dubai](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/e-notary-in-dubai/) and [online notary services in Dubai](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/online-notary-services-in-dubai/) for the detail on which documents typically qualify. ## What we do and what the notary does Here is who does what when you notarise a document with us. **What we prepare:** - Drafting or checking the wording of the document (power of attorney, affidavit, declaration, consent letter) so it says what you need it to say. - Arranging legal translation through a translator registered with the Ministry of Justice, where the document needs to be in Arabic or bilingual. - Checking you have the right identification and originals before the appointment. - Offering three ways to sign: in person at our Business Bay office, online, or on a home visit. **What our in-house notary public does:** - Verifies your identity against your ID. - Reviews the document and, for a certified copy, checks it against the original. - Witnesses your signature or takes your oath. - Applies the official notarial stamp, seal and signature. **What you do:** - Bring the originals and ID requested. - Sign in front of the notary when required. - Confirm you understand what you are signing, since the notary will usually ask. ## Documents a notary public in Dubai handles Notaries in Dubai deal with a wide range of personal and business documents. The most common ones we prepare and notarise include: - **Powers of attorney** , general or special, for property, company matters, court cases or personal affairs. See [power of attorney in Dubai](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/power-of-attorney-in-dubai/). - **Affidavits and sworn declarations** , for example confirming a fact under oath for a visa, bank or legal process. See [affidavit in Dubai](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/affidavit-in-dubai-how-to-get-affidavit-in-dubai/). - **Witnessing of signatures** on contracts and agreements between two or more parties. See [witnessing of signature in Dubai](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/witnessing-of-signature-in-dubai/). - **Certified true copies** of passports, certificates, degrees and other documents, matched against the original. - **Company documents** , such as a memorandum of association or board resolution, where a signatory needs their authority notarised. If you are not sure which of these applies to your situation, our step by step walkthrough of [how do I notarise documents in Dubai](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/how-do-i-notarize-documents-in-dubai/) sets out the general process from drafting to stamped document. ## What to bring to your appointment Every notary public appointment in Dubai starts with identity and paperwork checks. As a general guide, expect to need: 1. Your original Emirates ID or passport (the notary will check this against your face and your signature). 2. The original document you are notarising, not a photocopy or a scan, unless you are certifying a copy of something else. 3. Any supporting documents the specific act needs, for example the original certificate you are getting a certified copy of. 4. A witness, if the document or the notary requires one. We check this with you before you travel to the appointment so you are not turned away for a missing paper. ## Arabic, bilingual documents and legal translation Arabic is the language of notarised instruments in Dubai. In practice, many documents are drafted bilingually, in Arabic and English side by side, which is common and widely accepted. If your document starts out in English only, it will usually need translation by a legal translator registered with the UAE Ministry of Justice before the notary will accept it. We arrange this translation as part of preparing your document, so the Arabic wording matches the English exactly and nothing gets lost or changed in translation. A mismatch between the two language versions is one of the more common reasons a notary appointment gets delayed. ## The notary stamp and notarial certificate Once the notary public is satisfied, they apply an official stamp or seal to the document along with their signature. This stamp is what makes the document a notarised instrument rather than a plain piece of paper: it shows the document was reviewed and witnessed by a notary acting under Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013, and it is what a bank, government department, court or authority abroad will look for. Depending on the type of act, you may also receive a separate notarial certificate confirming what was done (for example, that a signature was witnessed on a specific date, or that a copy was certified against an original). Keep the notarised original safe. If you need extra certified copies later, that is itself a notarial act and usually needs a fresh visit. ## Using a Dubai notary public document abroad Notarisation in Dubai is often only step one if the document is going to be used outside the UAE. A common mistake is assuming a notary stamp is enough on its own. The UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so there is no apostille (not a party, so no apostille applies) for a UAE document, and a foreign document will not be accepted in the UAE with an apostille either. Instead, the accepted route is legalisation: attestation in the country where the document originates (including at the UAE embassy there, for a foreign document), followed by MOFAIC attestation once it is in the UAE, or the equivalent chain in reverse for a UAE document going abroad. We cover the full attestation chain, including the MOFAIC step, on [documents attestation in Dubai](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/documents-attestation-in-dubai/). ## Finding a notary public in Dubai Dubai Courts and licensed private notaries operate from several locations across the city, and Abu Dhabi and Sharjah run their own notary systems under the same federal framework. With us you do not need to work out which location handles which type of act: our in-house notary public notarises your document at our Business Bay office, online, or on a home visit. Office open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. WhatsApp and online requests answered 24/7. If you are searching for the closest option to you, our page on [finding a notary near me](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/notary-near-me/) explains how to check. ## Get your document ready for a notary public Tell us what the document is and who needs to sign, and we will prepare it, arrange the translation if needed and notarise it with our in-house notary public in Dubai, in person, online or at your home. Call or WhatsApp +971 54 380 1094, email support@notaryservicesdubai.com, or visit us at Empire Heights Tower B, Marasi Drive, Business Bay, Dubai. Office open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. WhatsApp and online requests answered 24/7. Fees ## Notary public fees in Dubai Notary fees follow the federal schedule under Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024, plus, for a private notary, a professional fee on top. What you will pay depends on the type of document and its value. We set out the current fee structure on [notary services fees in Dubai](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/notary-services-fees-in-dubai/). How we help ## How we help We provide notary public services directly, in three ways: in person at our Business Bay office with our in-house notary public, through our online notary public services, or on a home visit. Around that, we prepare, draft and translate your documents. This is what working with us looks like in practice: 1. You tell us what the document is for and who needs to sign. 2. We draft or check the document, and arrange a Ministry of Justice-registered legal translation if it needs to be in Arabic or bilingual. 3. We confirm exactly which ID and originals you need to bring. 4. You choose in person, online or a home visit, and our in-house notary public checks your ID, witnesses your signature and applies the seal. 5. If the document needs to be used abroad afterwards, we arrange the MOFAIC attestation step. You deal with one point of contact throughout, from drafting to the notary's seal. FAQ ## Frequently asked questions ### What is a Dubai Courts notary public? A Dubai Courts notary public is the Government official within the Dubai Courts system who is legally authorised, under Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013, to witness signatures, take oaths and certify documents. They are separate from licensed private notaries, who are lawyers approved to carry out the same notarial acts. ### Where can I find a notary public in Dubai? Our in-house notary public works from our office at Empire Heights Tower B, Business Bay, and we also offer online notary public services and home visits. You can also use the Government notary public at Dubai Courts, a licensed private notary on the Dubai Courts roll, or the Ministry of Justice's e-notary system for cases that qualify for remote notarisation. ### What is the difference between a Dubai Courts notary and a private notary? The Dubai Courts notary public is a Government office, while a private notary is a lawyer approved by Dubai Courts to carry out the same notarial acts independently. Both have the same legal authority to notarise; the practical difference is usually availability and appointment flexibility. We compare the two in full on [public vs private notary](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/public-vs-private-notary/). ### What ID do I need to take to a notary public in Dubai? You will generally need your original Emirates ID or passport, plus the original document you want notarised. We confirm the exact list for your specific document before your appointment. ### Does my document need an Arabic translation for a Dubai notary? Arabic is the language of notarised instruments in Dubai, and bilingual Arabic and English drafting is common practice. If your document is only in English, we arrange translation through a translator registered with the Ministry of Justice. ### What does the Dubai notary stamp show on a document? The notary stamp, together with the notary's signature, shows that the document was reviewed and witnessed or certified by a notary public acting under Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013. It is what turns a plain document into a notarised instrument that banks, government departments and courts will accept. ### Can a notary public in Dubai notarise a document for use abroad? Yes, but notarisation on its own is usually only the first step. The UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention (no apostille applies here), so a document for use abroad typically also needs MOFAIC attestation, and sometimes embassy legalisation. See [documents attestation in Dubai](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/documents-attestation-in-dubai/) for the full chain. More answers, grouped by topic, are on our [questions and answers page](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/faq/). Reviews ## What clients say Read what people we have helped say about us on our Google profile, or read [about Notary Services Dubai](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/about-notary-services-in-dubai/). Keep reading ## Related services Guide ### [How it works](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/how-do-i-notarize-documents-in-dubai/) The steps to notarise a document in Dubai: pick the route, prepare and translate it, sign before the notary, then attest it if it goes abroad. Read more Notary Services Dubai ### [Private notary services](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/private-notary-services-in-dubai/) Get your document done by a Dubai-licensed private notary. We prepare it, translate it if needed and book your appointment, step by step. Read more Guide ### [Public vs private notary](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/public-vs-private-notary/) Public notary or private notary in Dubai? A plain comparison of who they are, what they handle, hours and cost, so you know which route fits. Read more More in how it works - [What a notary is](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/notary-meaning/) - [Online notary services](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/online-notary-services-in-dubai/) - [Notary services at home](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/notary-services-at-home/) - [Urgent notary requests](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/emergency-notary-services-in-dubai-24-7/) - [Witnessing of signature](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/witnessing-of-signature-in-dubai/) - [Notary near me](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/notary-near-me/) - [Power of attorney](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/power-of-attorney-in-dubai/) - [Certified true copies](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/certified-true-copy-attestation-in-dubai/) - [Documents attestation](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/documents-attestation-in-dubai/) About this page Prepared by the Notary Services Dubai team in Business Bay, Dubai. Last reviewed . ### Official sources we checked (6) - Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013 concerning Notaries Public in the Emirate of Dubai. Dubai Legislation portal (dlp.dubai.gov.ae). - Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022 on the regulation of the notary profession: [https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1563](https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1563) - Ministry of Justice E-Notary System: [https://www.moj.gov.ae/en/services/esystems/e-notary.aspx](https://www.moj.gov.ae/en/services/esystems/e-notary.aspx) - Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024 on notarisation fees: [https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/2491](https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/2491) - HCCH status table (UAE not a party to the Apostille Convention): [https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=41](https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=41) - MOFAIC attestation service: [https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/services/attestation](https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/services/attestation) 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.