What Happens to a Power of Attorney When Someone Dies in the UAE?

A power of attorney in the UAE ends when the person who gave it dies. It also ends if that person loses legal capacity, or if the agent dies or loses capacity. Under the UAE's new Civil Transactions Law, in force since 1 June 2026, this happens automatically, and it applies even where a third party has a right attached to the agency, with one narrow exception for the sale of pledged property. From that moment the agent has no authority to sign anything, and the estate is handled through the will, the executor and the courts.

That is the short answer. The rest of this guide explains where the rule comes from, the few situations people get wrong, and what to do in the first weeks after a death.

Is a power of attorney valid after the principal dies in the UAE?

No. The rules on agency (the legal name for a power of attorney) now sit in Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025, which issued the new Civil Transactions Law. It replaced Federal Law No. 5 of 1985 and took effect on 1 June 2026.

Article 897 lists four cases in which "an agency shall be extinguished":

1. Completion of the work entrusted to the agent.
2. Expiry of the term specified for the agency.
3. Death of the principal or their loss of legal capacity, "even if a right of a third party is attached thereto", except in an agency for the sale of a pledged item where the pledger appointed the neutral custodian or the pledgee to sell the pledged property when it falls due.
4. Death of the agent or their loss of legal capacity, again even if a third party's right is attached.

Nothing needs to be filed for this to happen. The power ends because the person whose authority it carried no longer exists in law. Revocation is different: that is something the principal does while alive, and we cover it in our guide to cancelling a power of attorney in the UAE.

What about an "irrevocable" power of attorney?

This is where families are most often caught out. In property and finance deals you will often see a POA described as irrevocable, or issued in the agent's own interest. The new law does protect those documents during the principal's lifetime. Article 898 says the principal may revoke or restrict an agent at any time, "unless the agency involves a right of a third party or was issued in the interest of the agent", in which case the beneficiary's consent is needed.

But that protection is against revocation, not against death. Article 897(3) states that death or loss of capacity ends the agency even where a third party's right is attached. The only carve-out written into the article is the pledged-property sale described above. If you bought a property or a car on the strength of a POA and the seller has since died, do not assume the document still works. Get advice on how to complete the transfer through the estate.

What if the agent dies instead?

The power ends too. The agent's family does not inherit the authority. Article 897(4) adds a practical duty: if the agent's heir or guardian knows about the agency and has legal capacity, they must tell the principal that the agent has died and take whatever steps the circumstances require to protect the principal's interests. In real life that usually means handing back original documents, keys or papers the agent was holding, and letting the bank or developer know.

If you gave a POA to one person only and they die, you will need a fresh one. This is a good reason to think about naming two agents, or a substitute, when you draft.

Sub-agents follow their own rule. Under Article 903, a sub-agent is dismissed by the death of the original principal, but not by the death of the agent who appointed them.

Does a power of attorney cover a parent with dementia?

Not once capacity is lost. Article 897(3) treats the principal's loss of legal capacity the same way as death: the agency ends. So a standard UAE power of attorney does not work like the "lasting" or "enduring" powers that some other countries offer for exactly this situation.

So a POA signed by an elderly parent is useful while they are well, for example to let a son or daughter handle a bank visit or a tenancy renewal. It is not a plan for later incapacity. If a parent can no longer manage their affairs, the authority to act on their behalf generally has to come from the court, which is a slower process. If this is on your mind, plan early, and ask the relevant court or a lawyer about the procedure in your emirate.

Are deals signed before anyone knew about the death still valid?

They can be. Article 144 of the same law protects people who acted honestly. If both the representative and the person they contracted with were unaware, at the time of signing, that the representation had ended, the effects of the contract are attributed to the principal or their successors.

That protection depends on both sides not knowing. Once the agent knows the principal has died, they should stop. Continuing to use the document after that point exposes the agent personally and puts the transaction at risk. A third party who has been told about the death cannot rely on Article 144 either.

One timing note: Article 4 says the law does not apply retroactively to earlier facts and acts. If a death or a transaction happened before 1 June 2026, the previous 1985 law may govern it. In that case, take legal advice on which rules apply.

Who manages the assets after the principal dies?

Not the attorney. Once the power ends, the person who deals with the estate is the executor named in a registered will, or whoever the court authorises if there is no will. That is why a will and a POA do different jobs: the POA covers your lifetime, and the will takes over at death. If you are choosing who should handle that role, our guide to choosing an executor for your UAE will walks through the options.

For many expat families this is the real lesson. A spouse with a general POA can feel fully in control, right up until the day it stops working. If you want someone you trust to be able to act after your death, you need a registered will, not a broader POA.

What the agent and the family should do next

If you hold a POA for someone who has died, a calm checklist helps:

• Stop using the POA for any new signing, payment or application.
• Tell the people relying on it: the bank, the developer, the RTA or any agent you instructed. Keep a note of who you told and when.
• Return originals that belong to the principal, or keep them safe for the executor or heirs.
• Pass on records of anything you did under the POA, especially in the final weeks. The executor or heirs will need them.
• Pause open transactions such as a property sale or a vehicle transfer until the executor or court confirms how to complete them.

If the agent has died, the principal should collect the original documents back from the agent's family and issue a new POA if one is still needed. Our guide to general vs special powers of attorney can help you decide how wide the new one should be.

Frequently asked questions

Can my attorney sell my property after I die?

No. Article 897(3) of the Civil Transactions Law ends the agency on the principal's death. A sale after death has to go through the estate, through the executor or the heirs as the court directs.

Does a power of attorney end if the agent dies?

Yes. The authority does not pass to the agent's heirs. Under Article 897(4), an heir or guardian who knows about the agency should notify the principal and take steps to protect the principal's interests.

Is an irrevocable power of attorney still valid after death in the UAE?

Generally not. "Irrevocable" protects against the principal cancelling it during their lifetime (Article 898). Article 897(3) says death ends the agency even where a third party's right is attached, with a narrow exception for selling pledged property.

Can I use a POA for a parent who has lost mental capacity?

No. Loss of legal capacity ends the agency in the same way as death. Families usually need a court-appointed representative at that stage, so it is worth planning while the parent is well.

What happens to transactions signed before the death was known?

If both the agent and the other party were unaware that the authority had ended, Article 144 attributes the contract to the principal or their successors. Once the death is known, the agent should stop.

The Deedbox prepares powers of attorney and wills and coordinates notarisation and registration. We are not a law firm. For estates with property, business interests or a death before 1 June 2026, take legal advice as well.

Sources reviewed 25 October 2026: Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025 issuing the Civil Transactions Law (Articles 4, 144, 897, 898, 903), via the UAE Legislation portal. The official Arabic text prevails over the English translation.