Selling an office, shop, warehouse or other commercial property in Dubai can be straightforward when the owner is present and all records were issued in the UAE. The process becomes more complicated when the property belongs to a company, the owner lives overseas or a representative will complete the transfer.
In these situations, foreign powers of attorney and corporate documents may need attestation and certified Arabic translation before they can be used.
Not every sale document requires attestation. Understanding the difference can save time and unnecessary expense.
An individual seller will commonly need:
Dubai Land Department’s sale-registration service allows a sale to be completed by the buyer and seller or their legally authorised representatives through a Real Estate Registration Trustee Centre.
A UAE-issued Emirates ID, electronic title deed or developer NOC does not normally require foreign-document attestation.
Attestation is most likely to be required when a document:
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes attestation as verification of the signatures and official seals on documents issued inside or outside the UAE.
An owner who cannot attend the transfer may appoint a representative.
The power of attorney should provide sufficient authority to:
A power of attorney signed outside the UAE may need:
Vague authority or incomplete attestation can delay the transaction.
A UAE company selling commercial property may need:
Dubai Land Department lists corporate documents such as trade licences, Memoranda and Articles of Association and amendment annexes for different company structures.
A foreign company may need to provide:
These documents will commonly need the relevant foreign legalisation, UAE attestation and certified Arabic translation.
The resolution should clearly identify:
A foreign resolution may require attestation. A UAE resolution may require notarisation or certification depending on the company structure.
If the property is mortgaged, additional documents may include:
These locally issued banking documents do not normally require foreign attestation, but they must be valid and acceptable for the transaction.
A seller should also prepare:
These records may be important for the buyer’s due diligence even if they are not part of the core transfer checklist.
Easy Point supports individual and corporate property sellers with:
Final acceptance remains with Dubai Land Department, the Registration Trustee, developer, bank and other relevant authorities.
Do not wait until the transfer appointment to discover that a foreign power of attorney or company resolution is not valid in the UAE.
Contact Easy Point to review, attest and translate your commercial property sale documents before submission.
