Guide: Notary public services
The Dubai notary stamp: how to get a UAE notary stamp, and what it proves
A Dubai notary stamp is the seal and signature a notary public puts on a document after checking who signed it, or after comparing a copy with its original. To get one, you bring the document and your original ID, sign in front of the notary public, and the notary applies the seal.
We have in-house, in person notary public services, online notary public services and home visit notary services. So you can get your notary stamp at our office, by video through the UAE remote notarisation channels, or at your home. We prepare the document first, so it is ready for the seal.
For documents that will be used abroad, the notary stamp is usually the first stamp of several. MOFA and an embassy come after it. This guide explains what the stamp proves, how to get it, and what happens next.
What is a notary stamp?
A notary stamp is the mark a notary public leaves on a document to record a notarial act. In the UAE it is the notary’s seal together with the notary’s signature and the date of the act, applied to the document itself. People also call it a notary seal, a notary public stamp or a UAE notary stamp. They all mean the same act.
Side by side
What the notary public stamp proves, and what it does not
| The stamp proves | The stamp does not prove |
|---|---|
| The signer’s identity was checked | That the statements in the document are true |
| The person signed, or made the statement, before the notary | That a foreign office will accept it without further stamps |
| A copy matches the original the notary saw | That the original itself is genuine |
| The date and place of the notarial act | That the document is valid for every purpose |
That second column is why some people need more than a notary stamp: a bank abroad or a UAE office may ask for MOFA or embassy attestation on top.
The Dubai notary public stamp: Dubai Courts, private notary or electronic
People search for a “Dubai court stamp” and a “notary stamp” as if they were different things. For notarial work in Dubai:
The Dubai Courts notary public stamp
is applied by the notary public at Dubai Courts.
A private notary’s stamp
is applied by a private notary on the Dubai Courts roll.
An electronically notarised document
comes from a remote channel such as the Ministry of Justice e-Notary system, where the document type allows it.
All three are notary public stamps in the UAE sense. Which one fits depends on the document and on the office that will receive it. We tell you before you sign.
Step by step
How to get a notary stamp in Dubai, step by step
01
Know what the document is for.
“For my bank in India” or “for a school in Dubai” decides the wording, the language and whether MOFA follows.
02
Get the document into the right form.
Notarised instruments are in Arabic, with a conditional exception, and many are prepared in Arabic and English. A legal translator registered with the Ministry of Justice translates where needed.
03
Choose how to sign.
In person at our office, online by video, or at your home.
04
Book with us.
We set the appointment and tell you what to bring.
05
Attend with originals.
Your original passport, your Emirates ID if you live in the UAE, and the original of anything being copied.
06
Leave the signature line blank until the notary is watching.
A page signed at home has to be signed again.
07
Receive the stamped document.
Check the names and dates before you leave.
Three ways to get your notary stamp
In person.
Our in-house notary public services at our office.
Online.
Our online notary public services work by video, through the UAE remote notarisation channels such as the Ministry of Justice e-Notary system and UAE PASS. We tell you if your document can be done online. See online notary in the UAE.
At home.
We come to your home, office, hospital or care home in the UAE. See home visit notary in Dubai.
Checklist
Notary seal requirements: what the notary needs from you
Most refused appointments fail on something small. Before the day, check:
- the ID you bring is the original and in date;
- every person who must sign is attending, or can join by video where the channel allows;
- the document is complete, with no blank spaces to fill in later;
- names match the passport exactly;
- you understand the document, or you have asked for an interpreter;
- for a copy, you bring the original it will be compared with.
Step by step
After the stamp: MOFA and the embassy
If the document will be used abroad, the notary stamp is followed by:
01
MOFA attestation, which checks the notary’s seal. MOFA charges AED 150 for a personal document and AED 2,000 for a commercial one. Source: MOFA FAQ.
02
The destination country’s embassy or consulate in the UAE, where that country asks for it.
Our UAE attestation process guide lays out the whole chain, and public notary services in Dubai explains the notary step in more depth.
Notary stamp paper
In India, Pakistan and some other countries, certain documents are printed on government stamp paper, and people search for notary stamp paper expecting the same in Dubai. A Dubai notary does not issue stamp paper. The seal goes on the document itself. If the document will be used in another country, ask the office there whether it has its own stamp duty rules before you sign.
Checking a notary stamp
If you receive a notarised document from someone else, check that the notary’s name, seal, signature and date are all present and legible, and that the pages are joined or numbered so none can be swapped. If anything looks wrong, ask the person who sent it before you rely on it.
Watch for
Common mistakes with a notary stamp
- Signing before the appointment. The notary must see you sign.
- Bringing a photo of your ID. Originals only.
- Stamping a document that needed MOFA too. Ask the receiving office first, so you only book once.
- An English-only draft where the notary needed Arabic.
- Stamping the wrong version. Once the seal is on, changing a word means a new appointment.
How we help
- We draft or check the document so it is ready for the seal.
- We prepare the Arabic translation where needed.
- We notarise it in person, online or at your home.
- We take it through MOFA and the embassy if it will be used abroad.
Related pages: power of attorney notarisation, affidavits before a notary, signature attestation and certified true copies.
Prices
Prices
| Service | Our service price | Government fee, paid on top at cost |
|---|---|---|
| Witnessing of signature | From AED 900 | AED 200 per party (federal item 8) |
| Affidavit or declaration | From AED 600 | AED 300 (federal item 12) |
| Power of attorney | From AED 1,500 | AED 100 per party (federal item 9) |
| Certified true copy | From AED 400 | Confirmed at booking |
| Legal translation | From AED 50 per page | AED 50 per page if notarised with the instrument (federal item 11) |
| MOFA attestation after the stamp, personal | From AED 150 | MOFA AED 150 |
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What does a UAE notary stamp look like?
It is the notary’s seal with the notary’s signature and the date of the act, applied to the document itself. The design depends on whether the Dubai Courts notary public, a private notary or an electronic channel applied it.
Is a notary stamp the same as attestation?
No. The notary stamp is the notary public’s act. Attestation is the chain of government stamps that may follow it, such as MOFA and an embassy.
Can I get a notary stamp in Dubai without an appointment?
Book ahead. We set the appointment and tell you what to bring, so you only go once. Send us the document on WhatsApp first.
Do I need a notary stamp on a copy of my degree?
Only if the office asked for a certified copy. If it wants the original attested, the degree goes through the attestation chain instead. See certified true copies.
Can a notary stamp be done online?
For some documents, yes. Our online notary public services work by video through the UAE remote notarisation channels such as the Ministry of Justice e-Notary system. We tell you if your document can be done online.
Guides
More guides
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An MOE equivalency certificate in UAE is the name many people use for an official decision on what a foreign qualification is equal to in the UAE system.
Notary and MOFA
MOFA verification
MOFA attestation verification is the check an employer, school, bank or government office makes to confirm that the MOFA attestation on a document is real and belongs to.
Get your document stamped
Tell us what the document is and where it will be used.
- Phone: +971 52 947 5935
- WhatsApp: +971 52 947 5935
- Email: info@dubainotaryservices.com
Office open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. WhatsApp and online requests answered 24/7.
Notary public services
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Service hub
Dubai Notary Services offers public notary services in Dubai for people and companies who need a document signed, sworn or certified before a notary public.
Services
Sources for this page
- Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013 concerning Notaries Public in the Emirate of Dubai: https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2013/Law%20No.%20(4)%20of%202013%20Concerning%20Notaries%20Public%20in%20the%20Emirate%20of%20Dubai.html
- Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022 on the notary profession: https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1563
- Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024 on notary fees: https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/2491
- Ministry of Justice e-Notary system: https://www.moj.gov.ae/en/services/esystems/e-notary.aspx
- UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, FAQ and fees: https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/faqs
- Dubai Media Office, Dubai Courts private notary fee decision: https://mediaoffice.ae/en/news/2025/december/29-12/dubai-courts-is-preparing-to-implement-the-decision-regulating-the-fees-of-the-private-notary-public