General Power Of Attorney
A General Power of Attorney is a document through which a principal authorises another person to act on their behalf across multiple categories of matter. Unlike a Special POA, which is drafted for a single defined act, a General POA delegates authority broadly. Depending on its wording, it may extend to financial affairs, business matters, administrative actions, document execution, and in some cases property related acts. The scope is determined by the drafting, not by the label.
That breadth is why General POAs require careful judgment. The wider the authority granted, the greater the need for precise drafting, trust in the attorney, and practical awareness of how UAE institutions read such documents.
A General POA is defined less by what it specifies than by what it does not. A Special POA is named for the act it authorises: the sale of a particular property, the operation of a particular account. A General POA is named for the absence of that limitation. The instrument authorises the attorney to act within categories of matter, with the specific acts left to the attorney’s judgment at the time of execution.
A General POA, depending on its wording, may delegate authority across financial affairs, business operations, administrative dealings with government and private counterparties, and document execution. Each category contains acts the attorney may perform without further reference to the principal. These are not exhaustive. A General POA is defined by its wording; the wording can reach further or stop short.
UAE institutions read General POAs narrowly. Where the drafting is broad and the act in question is specific, the institution will typically require either a Special POA for the act or express language in the General POA that names the act in terms the institution recognises. Banks, courts, and government departments each apply this principle in their own way. The wider the wording, the closer the scrutiny.
This is not a defect of the instrument. It is the response of risk conscious institutions to a document that, on its face, authorises a great deal. The drafting must anticipate that response.
The distinction between General and Special POAs is covered on a dedicated page, as is the lifespan and termination of a General POA.
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Last reviewed: May 2026