Powers of attorney and wills in Ras Al Khaimah
Ras Al Khaimah runs its own judicial department, RAK Courts, rather than the federal courts, and its Public Notary attests powers of attorney, including for vehicles, property and company incorporation. Property is registered by RAK Municipality’s Lands and Properties Sector, which accepts a sale by the parties "or their legal representatives" and lists a power of attorney among the documents. For wills, the DIFC Courts extended their wills rules to Ras Al Khaimah in 2017.
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RAK has its own courts, not the federal system
The UAE Government portal explains that each emirate chooses between the federal judiciary and its own. It states that "Abu Dhabi Judicial Department in Abu Dhabi, Dubai Courts in Dubai and RAK Courts in Ras Al Khaimah maintain their own independent judicial departments." Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain follow the federal system instead.
In practice this means a power of attorney for use in Ras Al Khaimah is attested by RAK Courts’ own notary, not by a federal Ministry of Justice notary or by Dubai Courts.
How RAK Courts attests a power of attorney
RAK Courts publishes a Power of Attorney Attestation service, delivered by its Public Notary. Its requirements are identity documents: "original ID and a copy of national ID or passport or driver’s license or any other document issued by an official entity within the United Arab Emirates", and "Original documents establishing the identity of attendee and his competence to act in signing."
The service lists the kinds of power of attorney it issues, including a general power of attorney, powers of attorney for vehicles, for properties, for incorporation, for inheritance and for administering an establishment. RAK Courts also lets users "submit a request to the notary public in RAK Courts", pay and track it online.
| Item | What RAK Courts publishes |
|---|---|
| Delivered by | Public Notary, RAK Courts |
| Published fee | General Power of Attorney: AED 200; Special Power of Attorney: AED 100 |
| Published service time | 15 minutes |
| Online request | Submit, pay and track through RAK Courts’ public notary service |
Documents issued outside the UAE
For contract attestation, RAK Courts states that "if the submitted documents are issued outside the country, they must be duly attested from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of UAE, and the translation of thereof attested from the Ministry of Justice if they are in a foreign language." It lists a power of attorney among the documents that establish someone’s authority to sign.
A power of attorney signed abroad for use in Ras Al Khaimah therefore goes through the attestation route of the country it was signed in and UAE MOFA first. The country guides for the UK, the US, India, Pakistan and China set out that route.
Selling or buying RAK property through a representative
Property is registered by the Lands and Properties Sector of RAK Municipality. Its sale-contract service "enables customers to apply for the registration of a real estate sale transaction (full or partial) between the seller and the buyer, or their legal representatives", and lists as a required document a "Power of attorney in case of the presence of a representative of the seller or the buyer in a legal capacity."
RAK Municipality states that "UAE and non-Emirati customers are entitled to own property in freehold areas", and names them: "Al Hamra Village, Mina Al Arab, Al Marjan Island, RAK Central, Julphar Towers, Al Maareedh (Plots), and the upcoming Beach District." A freehold sale also needs a "No objection letter from the real estate developer".
The service is in person: "This service is only provided through Customer Happiness Center." Its published fees are 2% of the market value of the property on the seller and 2% on the buyer.
Inherited property in RAK
Transfer of inherited property starts at RAK Courts. Its property-registration service requires the "Presence of all heirs to sign the application", and produces a "Letter of instruction to the lands department to own, sell, or transfer ownership to another person." An heir who cannot attend is the most common reason a power of attorney for inheritance is needed.
Source: RAK Courts, Property registration / Transfer of Ownership
Wills covering assets in Ras Al Khaimah
In March 2017 the DIFC Courts announced that a new Practice Direction "extends the application of the WPR rules to Ras Al Khaimah, enabling all property in Ras Al Khaimah to be disposed of by an English language common law will, and permitting registration of a will at the Registry, for eligible persons."
The DIFC Courts’ rules define a registrable will as one that "relates to movable and immovable assets situated in the Emirate of Dubai and/or Ras Al Khaimah". Guardianship clauses follow the same line: the DIFC Courts state that "The minor(s) must be residents of Dubai or Ras Al Khaimah at the time of Probate in order for the guardianship provisions to apply."
We did not find a non-Muslim wills registration service among RAK Courts’ own published services.
Questions
Can a Dubai Courts power of attorney be used in Ras Al Khaimah?
RAK has its own courts and its own notary, and the authority that receives the document decides what it will accept. If the document is for RAK, the RAK Courts notary is the published route; ask the receiving authority before relying on one attested elsewhere.
Can a foreigner own property in Ras Al Khaimah?
RAK Municipality states that non-Emirati customers are entitled to own property in freehold areas, and lists them, including Al Hamra Village, Mina Al Arab and Al Marjan Island.
Can my representative sell my RAK property without me?
RAK Municipality’s sale service accepts the parties "or their legal representatives" and lists a power of attorney among the documents. The service is delivered only at its Customer Happiness Center, so your representative attends.
Does a DIFC will cover property in Ras Al Khaimah?
The DIFC Courts extended their wills rules to Ras Al Khaimah in 2017, and their rules define a registrable will by reference to assets in Dubai and/or Ras Al Khaimah. See the guide to registering a DIFC will.
What this page does not do
- RAK Courts does not state on its attestation page whether the principal, the agent or both must attend, or how long a power of attorney remains valid.
- RAK Police’s vehicle pages could not be reached when this was written, so no RAK statement on vehicle transfer by power of attorney is quoted.
- Fees are as RAK Courts and RAK Municipality published them when read on 22 September 2026, and may change.
- The Deedbox is not a law firm and not a notary. It does not legalise, apostille or attest documents, and does not act for anyone before a mission, a foreign ministry or a court.