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Revocation

Power of Attorney Cancellation in Dubai

Tearing up your copy cancels nothing. A power of attorney stays alive until it is revoked before a notary and the people relying on it are told.

Cancel a Power of Attorney Call +971 52 933 0454
Properly Revoked Before a notary, on record
Notification Handled Attorney and third parties
Deira Office Same-day where possible

How do you cancel a power of attorney in Dubai?

A power of attorney is cancelled by executing a revocation before a UAE notary public, the same authority that attested the original. The attorney must then be notified, along with any bank, court or registry that has been relying on the document. Until that notice is given, third parties may keep acting on it in good faith.

Power of Attorney Cancellation in Dubai at a glance
Done atUAE notary public, in person or via the MoJ digital platform
What you needA copy of the original POA, passport and Emirates ID
Also requiredNotice to the attorney and to relying third parties
Effect on past actsValid acts done before revocation normally stand
If used abroadRevocation follows the original legalisation chain
FeeSet by the notary counter — confirmed at the time

Last updated 3 August 2026 · Reviewed by Mohammed Shareef A, Senior PRO Consultant, Dubai government liaison. Fees and timelines are set by the issuing authority and change without notice — confirm current figures before you budget.

Why is notifying the attorney not optional?

Because a third party who does not know about the revocation has no reason to refuse the document. A bank presented with a notarised POA that appears valid will act on it, and unwinding that afterwards is a dispute rather than an administrative correction.

Notice is what converts a private decision into something the outside world can rely on.

  • Notify the attorney directly and keep proof of it
  • Notify banks, registries and any counterparty relying on the POA
  • Keep the notarised revocation with the proof of notice
  • Recover the original document from the attorney where you can
Legal document marked as revoked lying on a dark office desk

What happens to things already done?

Acts properly carried out while the POA was live generally stand. Revocation works forward, not backward, which is exactly why the timing of notice matters so much.

If you suspect the authority has already been misused, revocation is the first step but not the whole answer, and that becomes a legal matter rather than a document one.

  • Completed valid acts are not undone by revoking the POA
  • Revocation takes effect for the future
  • Suspected misuse needs legal advice alongside the revocation
  • Move quickly — the gap before notice is where the exposure sits
Notary stamp and a formal revocation letter prepared for service

What if the POA was used in another country?

Then the revocation has to travel the same road the original did. A POA legalised for India or Pakistan is not cancelled in the eyes of those authorities until a revocation reaches them in the same attested form.

That means the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs at AED 150 for a personal document, then the destination mission, then notice to whoever holds the original.

  • Revocation notarised in the UAE
  • UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation, AED 150 personal
  • Destination country's mission legalises it
  • Notice served on the attorney and the relying authority abroad

When should you revoke as a matter of routine?

When the job is finished. A POA drafted to sell one apartment has no purpose the day after the transfer completes, and leaving it live is an avoidable risk that costs nothing to close.

Also on any change in the relationship — a business separation, a divorce, an employee leaving.

  • As soon as the authorised transaction completes
  • When a business or personal relationship changes
  • When an employee holding company authority leaves
  • Before travelling, if you no longer want the authority live

How we run a revocation

  1. We review the original POAWhat it authorised, who holds it, and where it has been used. That decides how far the notice has to reach.
  2. We draft the revocationArabic or bilingual, identifying the original document precisely.
  3. NotarisationExecuted before a notary public with passport and Emirates ID.
  4. Notice to the attorneyServed and evidenced, so the date of notice is not arguable later.
  5. Notice to third partiesBanks, registries, counterparties — whoever has been relying on it.
  6. Legalisation, where it was used abroadMOFA at AED 150, then the destination mission.

What cancelling does and does not do

Effect of a notarised revocation
SituationEffect of revocation
Attorney signs a contract tomorrowNot authorised, once notice has been given
Attorney sold the car last month, validlyStands. Revocation is not retrospective
Bank not told about the revocationMay act in good faith on the document it holds
POA legalised for use in IndiaNot effective there until the revocation is legalised too
You destroyed your copy onlyNo legal effect. The authority is still live
The mistake we see most: Assuming a POA dies when the relationship does. A business partner leaves, everyone stops speaking, and nobody revokes the authority that lets one of them sign for the company. It sits there, valid, for years — until the day it is used. Revoke on the day the reason for it ends, not when it becomes a problem.
MSM tip: Keep the notarised revocation and the proof of notice together in one file. If it is ever questioned, the argument is about the date notice was given, and that is the only document that answers it.

What documents do you need?

What we need

A copy of the original power of attorney
Passport and Emirates ID of the grantor
Details of the attorney, including a contact address for notice
A list of banks, registries or parties that have relied on it
The country it was legalised for, if used abroad
The original document itself, if you can recover it

The item that most often causes a delay is the original POA reference. Without a copy, the revocation has to describe the document by its notary particulars, and tracking those down takes longer than the revocation itself.

Power of Attorney

The parent service: drafting, notarising and legalising any POA.

Special Power of Attorney

A POA limited to one defined act.

Property Power of Attorney

POAs for buying, selling or mortgaging Dubai property.

Go deeper

Specific situations we handle under this service, each covered in full.

India Desk

POA Dubai to India

Power of attorney drafted in Dubai for use in India, notarised, MOFA attested and legalised at the Indian consulate.

Pakistan Desk

POA Dubai to Pakistan

Power of attorney drafted in Dubai for use in Pakistan, notarised, MOFA attested and attested at the Pakistan Consulate for AED 40.

Real Estate

Property Power of Attorney

A power of attorney for buying, selling or mortgaging Dubai property, drafted and notarised so the Land Department and the trustee office accept it.

Read next: How the UAE attestation chain works, step by step · When the UAE requires a legal translation

Sources

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cancel a power of attorney without the attorney agreeing?
Yes. Revocation is the grantor's decision and does not need the attorney's consent. What it does need is notice to them, and to anyone relying on the document.
Is tearing up the POA enough?
No. The authority exists in the notarial record, not in your copy. It has to be revoked before a notary, and the revocation has to be communicated.
Does cancelling undo what the attorney already did?
No. Acts validly carried out while the POA was live generally stand. Revocation works forward from the point notice is given.
How do I cancel a POA that was sent to India or Pakistan?
The revocation is notarised here, attested by UAE MOFA at AED 150, legalised by that country's mission, and served on the attorney and the authority holding the original.
What does it cost?
The notary sets its own fee, which we confirm at the time rather than quoting an old figure. If the revocation has to go abroad, add AED 150 for the ministry step plus the mission's fee.
How quickly does it take effect?
Between you and the attorney, from notice. Against a third party, from the point that party is told — which is why we serve notice on banks and registries rather than leaving it to chance.

Need a power of attorney cancelled?

Send us a copy of the original. We will revoke it before a notary and serve notice properly.

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Request a Revocation

A copy of the original POA and the attorney's details is enough to start.

Hotline: +971 52 933 0454

Email: info@msmdoc.com

Office: Deira, Dubai — serving all seven emirates.

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