A private notary in Dubai is a notary public licensed to notarize documents from a private office rather than a Dubai Courts counter, and some offer evening or video appointments. Residents, visitors and companies use one for powers of attorney, declarations and agreements. We are not notaries ourselves: Wordcraft drafts your document, prepares the Arabic legal translation and books a licensed private notary for you.
Private vs Dubai Courts Public Notary (Same Legal Effect)
Dubai licenses private notaries to notarize documents alongside the Dubai Courts notary public. When a licensed private notary acts within the scope of the license, the result is an official notarization, and banks, government departments, free zones and courts treat it the way they treat a court-notarized deed. The difference is in how you get there.
| Point | Dubai Courts notary | Licensed private notary |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Court notary counters and the Smart e-Notary | Private notary offices across Dubai, or by video |
| Hours | Government working hours | Often longer; evening or weekend slots depend on the notary |
| Booking | Queue or online booking | Fixed appointment, usually at short notice |
| Legal effect | Official notarization | Official notarization with the same effect |
A few transactions are still reserved for the Dubai Courts notary. We check your document against that before booking anyone, and if the court is the better fit we book the court instead. See notary public Dubai.
What a Private Notary in Dubai Can Notarize
- Powers of attorney: general, special, property, vehicle, bank and company POAs (see power of attorney services)
- Company papers: board and shareholder resolutions, MOA amendments, share transfers and specimen signatures
- Declarations: sworn affidavits, undertakings and no objection certificates
- Agreements: sale agreements, MOUs, partnership and settlement agreements
- Family documents: travel consent for minors and guardianship authorizations
- Signature attestation and true copies for use in the UAE or abroad
Evening, Weekend and Video Appointments
Many private notaries keep longer hours than the court, and some can hold a remote session by video where their license and your document allow it. We tell you which options exist for your document at the booking stage. On a video session, each signatory joins on a device with a camera, holds up an Emirates ID or passport and confirms the contents to the notary. The notarized document is issued electronically, and if a paper original exists we collect it for you. Prefer a government platform? We also arrange online notarization on the Dubai Courts or MOJ e-Notary systems.
The notary reads Arabic. An English-only deed needs a bilingual Arabic–English version or an Arabic legal translation, and our MOJ-certified legal translators prepare it before the appointment so nobody is turned away at the desk.
How to Choose and Book a Licensed Private Notary
Private notaries are licensed individually, so four checks before booking save a wasted trip.
- Confirm the license. The notary should appear on the official list of licensed private notaries kept by the authority that licensed them, Dubai Courts or the Ministry of Justice.
- Have the bilingual draft ready. Send the final Arabic–English text in advance. A notary who receives a clean draft can usually offer an earlier slot.
- Ask about video and out-of-hours slots. Not every private notary runs remote sessions or evening appointments, and not every document qualifies for them.
- Check with the receiving authority. Ask the bank, registry or foreign office that will receive the deed whether it accepts a private-notary notarization. Most do; a few insist on the court notary.
You will not find Wordcraft on those lists, because we do not notarize anything. Our part is the file: the draft, the translation, the supporting papers and a booking with a notary whose license covers your document.
What Each Signatory Brings
- The document itself, or a few lines on what it should say so we can draft it
- For each person signing: the original Emirates ID if they live in the UAE, or the original passport if they are visiting
- A copy of the other party's ID, for example the attorney named in a POA
- The paper behind the deed: title deed, vehicle registration, trade license, MOA or board resolution
- Any foreign-language document the deed refers to, so we can translate it first
From WhatsApp Photo to Notarized Deed
Send a photo of the document or a short brief to our Dubai HQ in Al Twar. Within 10–30 minutes you get a written quote that names the route (private notary, court notary or e-notary) and lists what each signatory must carry. Once you approve it, we prepare the bilingual draft for your sign-off and book the notary at a time that suits you. The notarized deed reaches you electronically; a deed bound for another country moves on to MOFA and the destination embassy, as explained on notarization for use abroad.
Who Uses a Private Notary
- Employees who cannot leave the office during court hours
- Sellers and buyers who need a property POA signed before a transfer date
- Companies preparing resolutions, POAs and specimen signatures for banks and free zones
- Visitors and non-residents who sign on a passport, in person or by video
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a private notary in Dubai legally valid?
Yes. A licensed private notary may notarize documents within the scope of the license, and the result is an official notarization. We book only notaries with a current license, and we first check whether your transaction must go to the Dubai Courts notary instead.
Is Wordcraft a private notary?
No. We draft, translate and book. The notarization itself is performed by a licensed notary, a court or a ministry platform.
Can I use a private notary without an Emirates ID?
Dubai Courts notarization requires a valid Emirates ID. Without one, we arrange notarization through the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) with your passport, usually by video; some documents carry extra conditions that we list in your quote. See our guide to notarization and Emirates ID rules.
How fast can I get a private notary appointment?
Same-day or next-day slots are common. The actual time depends on the notary's diary and on your draft being final, and we confirm it in your written quote.
Does my document need to be in Arabic?
The notary works from Arabic or bilingual Arabic–English text. A document in any other language gets an Arabic legal translation from us before the appointment.
Can a private notary notarize a document for use abroad?
Yes. After the private notary, the deed goes to MOFA for digital attestation and then to the destination country's embassy where that country requires it. We confirm the route for your country before you sign.
Last updated: September 2026
