# Power of Attorney for Inheritance in the UAE > Heirs who cannot attend in person can name someone to act for them. How an inheritance power of attorney works in the UAE and how we help. Source: https://notaryservicesdubai.com/power-of-attorney-for-inheritance/ Last updated: 29 September 2026 Publisher: Notary Services Dubai, Business Bay, Dubai (+971 54 380 1094) An inheritance power of attorney lets one heir, or a lawyer, act on behalf of others when a UAE estate is being settled: applying for the inheritance certificate, dealing with Dubai Courts, and handling the deceased's property, bank accounts or vehicles. Our in-house notary public notarises it at our Business Bay office, online, or on a home visit. It is especially useful when heirs live abroad and cannot attend every step in person. This page covers what the document should name, how it differs for Muslim and non-Muslim estates, what happens when heirs are outside the UAE, and how we prepare and notarise the power of attorney. Quick answer ## At a glance - An inheritance power of attorney lets a named agent, often a lawyer or one heir, act for the other heirs in an estate matter. - It is used for the inheritance certificate application, property transfer, bank accounts and vehicles. - A power of attorney given by the deceased person ends on their death. Heirs need their own new power of attorney, they cannot rely on one the deceased signed. - Heirs abroad can sign before a notary or accredited UAE consul, then complete attestation before the document is used in the UAE. - There is no general statutory validity period. The term is whatever the document states. - Fees for notarisation and translation are set by official schedules. ## What an inheritance power of attorney does When someone dies leaving property, bank accounts or other assets in the UAE, the heirs usually need to go through a court process to establish who inherits and how much. An inheritance power of attorney uae residents and heirs abroad both use lets one heir, or a lawyer acting for the family, handle this process instead of every heir attending each step in person. Once notarised, the agent can typically represent the heirs before Dubai Courts for the inheritance case, apply for the inheritance certificate, and act with the Dubai Land Department, banks and other bodies to transfer specific assets once the heirs' shares are established. What exactly the agent can do depends on the powers written into the document, so it should name the estate, the deceased person, and the specific acts the agent is authorised to carry out, rather than relying on vague wording. ## Typical uses - **Inheritance certificate application:** authorising an agent to file the application and represent the heirs before the relevant court. - **Property transfer:** once the inheritance certificate or court order establishes the heirs' shares, a power of attorney lets an agent complete the transfer of a title deed at the Dubai Land Department. - **Bank accounts:** authorising an agent to deal with the deceased's bank accounts on the heirs' behalf once the bank's own requirements for releasing funds to an estate are met. - **Vehicles:** transferring registration of a vehicle that formed part of the estate. ## Muslim and non-Muslim estates The court route for settling an estate in the UAE differs depending on whether Sharia inheritance rules or another applicable law governs the estate, including options available to non-Muslim residents in some cases. Whichever route applies, a power of attorney does the same practical job: it lets a named agent represent the heirs in that court process instead of every heir attending in person. If the deceased left a registered will, that will still needs to go through the relevant court process before an agent can act on distribution. ## Heirs living abroad Many families dealing with a UAE estate have heirs scattered across different countries. An heir who cannot travel to the UAE can still take part by giving a power of attorney to another heir, a relative in the UAE, or a lawyer. To do this from abroad, the heir signs the power of attorney before a notary public or an accredited UAE consul in the country they are in. The document then needs to be attested by the foreign ministry of that country, the UAE embassy or consulate there, and MOFAIC once it reaches the UAE. If the document was not drafted in Arabic, it also needs a certified legal translation by a translator registered with the Ministry of Justice before it can be used in the case. There is no apostille shortcut for this: the UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so this attestation chain is the route regardless of what the heir's home country otherwise does with an apostille. Our guide on [notarising a UAE power of attorney from abroad](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/how-to-notarize-a-uae-power-of-attorney-poa-from-abroad/) sets out the full process step by step. ## What the document should name An inheritance power of attorney is more useful when it is specific rather than general. It should name: - The estate and the deceased person, ideally referencing the death certificate. - The relationship of the principal (the heir giving the power) to the deceased. - The specific acts the agent can carry out: representing the heirs in the inheritance case, applying for the inheritance certificate, dealing with named banks, transferring named property, or registering a named vehicle. - Whether the agent can sign on the principal's behalf for a settlement between heirs, if that is intended. A power of attorney written only in general terms grants the agent authority to manage and preserve, not to carry out the kind of specific acts, such as selling or transferring inherited property, that an estate matter usually needs. That is why inheritance powers of attorney are normally drafted as special powers of attorney naming the exact acts involved. ## A power of attorney from the deceased does not carry over A power of attorney the deceased person signed during their lifetime, for example authorising someone to manage their property or bank account, ends automatically on their death. Heirs cannot use that document to act on the estate. Each heir who wants someone else to act for them needs their own new power of attorney, signed after the death and covering the inheritance matter specifically. ## Documents you will typically need - Death certificate of the deceased. - Proof of the heir's relationship to the deceased, such as a family book or birth certificate. - Passport and Emirates ID, or passport only for heirs who are not UAE residents. - Details of the assets involved: property title deed, bank account details, or vehicle registration, where known. - Any existing inheritance certificate or court order, if the case has already progressed that far. Fees ## Fees Official notarisation fees are published for a general or special power of attorney and for notarising a translation. We will confirm the exact cost for your document, and for our own service, before you commit to anything. ## Get help with your inheritance power of attorney Call or WhatsApp us at +971 54 380 1094, or email support@notaryservicesdubai.com, and we will talk you through what your inheritance power of attorney needs to say and notarise it with our in-house notary public. Office open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. WhatsApp and online requests answered 24/7. Related reading: our guide to a [power of attorney for a court case](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/power-of-attorney-for-court-case/), [power of attorney for property in Dubai](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/power-of-attorney-for-property-in-dubai/), [wills in the UAE](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/wills-in-uae-secure-your-legacy-in-the-emirates/), and our main [power of attorney in Dubai](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/power-of-attorney-in-dubai/) page for an overview of every type. How we help ## How we help There are three ways to get it notarised with us: in person at our Business Bay office with our in-house notary public, through our online notary public services, or on a home visit. We prepare the power of attorney for your inheritance matter, naming the estate, the deceased and the specific acts your agent needs, in Arabic and English where that helps the family. Our in-house notary public checks your ID, witnesses your signature and applies the seal, and we take care of the Arabic legal translation where needed, and manage the paperwork if an heir is signing from abroad, including the attestation steps. You and your family review and sign; we take care of the rest. FAQ ## Frequently asked questions ### What is an inheritance power of attorney in the UAE? It is a power of attorney that lets one heir, or a lawyer, act on behalf of other heirs in a UAE estate matter, for example applying for the inheritance certificate or dealing with the deceased's property and accounts. ### Can one heir act for the others with a power of attorney? Yes, if the other heirs each give that heir a power of attorney naming the estate and the specific acts, such as representing them in the inheritance case or dealing with a named bank or property. ### Where do I get a power of attorney for an inheritance certificate? The power of attorney is drafted to name the estate and the inheritance certificate application, then signed before a notary public in Dubai, or abroad followed by attestation. We prepare this document and our in-house notary public notarises it. ### Can someone with power of attorney inherit? A power of attorney only authorises the agent to act on the principal's behalf. It does not itself make the agent an heir or change who inherits. ### Can heirs living abroad give a power of attorney for UAE inheritance matters? Yes. They sign before a notary or an accredited UAE consul in the country they are in, then the document is attested by that country's foreign ministry, the UAE embassy or consulate there, and MOFAIC in the UAE, with an Arabic translation if needed. ### Can a power of attorney be used to transfer inherited property in Dubai? Yes, once the heirs' shares are established through the inheritance certificate or court order, a power of attorney can authorise an agent to complete the property transfer at the Dubai Land Department. ### What documents are needed for an inheritance power of attorney? Typically the death certificate, proof of the heir's relationship to the deceased, passport or Emirates ID, and details of the specific assets the power of attorney should cover. More answers, grouped by topic, are on our [questions and answers page](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/faq/). Keep reading ## Related services Services ### [Power of attorney](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/power-of-attorney-in-dubai/) How a power of attorney works in Dubai: general or special, what to prepare, notarisation in person or online, and cost, in one guide. Read more Power of attorney ### [Special power of attorney](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/special-power-of-attorney-dubai/) A special power of attorney lets someone do one named task for you. What it covers in Dubai, what to prepare, and how notarisation works. Read more Power of attorney ### [Company power of attorney](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/company-power-of-attorney/) Give a manager, PRO or partner authority to act for your company. What a company power of attorney covers and how we handle notarisation in Dubai. Read more More in power of attorney - [Property power of attorney](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/power-of-attorney-for-property-in-dubai/) - [Vehicle power of attorney](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/vehicle-power-of-attorney-uae/) - [Court case power of attorney](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/power-of-attorney-for-court-case/) - [Share transfer power of attorney](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/power-of-attorney-for-share-transfer/) - [Power of attorney from abroad](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/how-to-notarize-a-uae-power-of-attorney-poa-from-abroad/) - [Cancel a power of attorney](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/cancel-power-of-attorney-in-dubai/) - [Power of attorney attestation](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/poa-attestation-in-dubai/) - [Certified true copies](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/certified-true-copy-attestation-in-dubai/) - [Documents attestation](https://notaryservicesdubai.com/documents-attestation-in-dubai/) 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/). About this page Prepared by the Notary Services Dubai team in Business Bay, Dubai. Last reviewed . ### Official sources we checked (5) - 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) - Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025, Civil Transactions Law, Articles 869 to 871, 897 to 903, [https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/4011](https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/4011) - MOFAIC attestation service, [https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/services/attestation](https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/services/attestation) - HCCH status table, Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, [https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=41](https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=41) - Dubai Land Department, revocation of power of attorney service page, [https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/eservices/request-for-revocation-of-power-of-attorney/](https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/eservices/request-for-revocation-of-power-of-attorney/) 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.