Corporate POA vs. Individual POA in the UAE — Key Differences | E-Notary Dubai

What makes a corporate POA different from an individual one in UAE law — and which documents are required for each.

20 March 2025· Updated Jan 2026

The Fundamental Difference

An Individual POA is issued by a natural person (an individual) granting authority to another person. A Corporate POA is issued by a company — and because a company cannot physically sign anything, it acts through its authorized signatories, as defined in its memorandum of association or a board resolution.

→Memorandum of Association (MOA) showing the authorized signatories

What Extra Documents Are Needed for a Corporate POA?

Yes, but banks and government authorities tend to scrutinize corporate General POAs more carefully. It is always better to issue a specific Corporate POA for each transaction type — a Banking POA for financial operations, a Real Estate POA for property matters, and so on.

→Board Resolution authorizing the specific person to sign the POA on behalf of the company (if not already covered in MOA)

Who Can Sign a POA on Behalf of a Company?

Free zone-registered companies have their MOAs and operating agreements governed by the respective free zone authority. A POA issued by a free zone company must show the free zone registration details and be consistent with the free zone operating license. Some authorities (especially UAE banks and DLD) may require additional notarization from Dubai Courts even for free zone companies.