Fujairah is the only emirate on the Gulf of Oman rather than the Arabian Gulf, and that geography drives its document work. The port, the free zone attached to it and the shipping, bunkering and trading businesses around them generate a steady flow of corporate and commercial paperwork — much of it needed at short notice, and much of it destined for counterparties outside the UAE.
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Federal Notarisation on the East Coast
Fujairah falls within the federal judiciary, so notarial work is carried out through Ministry of Justice notary public offices and the ministry’s electronic notary service under the federal notary law. There is no separate Fujairah notarial framework.
The east-coast location is the practical variable. Fujairah is separated from the western emirates by the Hajar mountains, and a document that has to be signed in person in Fujairah and then attested in Dubai or Abu Dhabi involves real travel time. Where a transaction has a fixed deadline — a vessel sailing, a cargo release, a filing window — it is worth establishing at the outset which steps can be completed electronically and which require attendance, and in which order.
Shipping and Trading Documents
Much of the notarial work here supports maritime and commodity trade: authority to sign on behalf of an owner or charterer, authority to deal with a port or customs authority, agency appointments, and documents required by a counterparty’s bank abroad. Two features are common to almost all of them.
First, the receiving party is frequently outside the UAE, so the document needs the outbound authentication chain — Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation and then either an apostille or consular legalisation, depending on the destination — before it will be accepted there. That chain takes time and it runs after notarisation, not alongside it.
Second, the authority granted has to name the acts specifically. A general authority to “act on behalf of the company” is regularly rejected by ports, customs authorities and banks that expect to see the particular act — signing a bill of lading, releasing cargo, giving a discharge — written out.
Fujairah Free Zone and Creative City
Fujairah Free Zone and Fujairah Creative City each hold their own company registers. As in every free zone, the register determines who may sign, and a resolution or power of attorney executed by someone the registrar does not recognise is not saved by notarisation. Confirm the recognised signatory and the registrar’s template before drafting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which authority handles notarisation in Fujairah?
Fujairah is within the federal judiciary, so notarisation is handled through Ministry of Justice notary public offices and the ministry’s electronic notary service, under the federal notary law.
My document is going to a counterparty overseas — is notarisation enough?
No. For use outside the UAE it will normally also need attestation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then either an apostille or legalisation at the destination country’s mission, depending on that country’s position under the Hague Convention.
Can any of it be done without travelling to Fujairah?
Some of it. The Ministry of Justice electronic notary service covers a range of documents, and attestation steps happen elsewhere in any event. Establish early which steps need attendance, because the east-coast location makes an unplanned trip expensive in time.
How specific does a shipping authority need to be?
Specific enough to name the act. Ports, customs authorities and banks routinely decline general authority to act on behalf of a company and expect the particular power — signing, releasing, discharging — to be set out.
Does the free zone accept a notarised resolution automatically?
No. Fujairah Free Zone and Creative City maintain their own registers and forms, and the resolution has to match what the registrar holds and expects. Ask the registrar before drafting.
Contact Our Team
Our firm provides legal services including drafting, review and coordination of notary-related documents. The practice is managed by Emirati Senior Lawyer Abdulhamid Al Balooshi, with more than two decades of legal practice. Our office is in Dubai and we assist clients across the Emirates according to the competent authority and nature of the matter.
Website: https://uaenotarypublic.com/ Email: notary@uaenotarypublic.com Office: 14th Floor, Aspin Commercial Tower, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Official Legal and Authority References
- Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022 Regulating the Notary Profession.
- Cabinet Resolution No. 16 of 2024 on the Executive Regulations of Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022.
- Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024 determining federal public-notary transaction fees and private-notary fees.
- UAE Ministry of Justice E-Notary and Notary Public & Authentication services, where the federal service framework applies.
- Dubai Courts official notary services, for Dubai-specific matters.
- Abu Dhabi Judicial Department official notary services, for Abu Dhabi-specific matters.
- The current official requirements of the relevant property authority, company registrar, free-zone authority, court, bank, MOFA or embassy should be checked where applicable.
Legal Disclaimer
This page provides general legal information and is not legal advice for a specific matter. Requirements vary by document, Emirate, free zone, court, notary, registrar, property authority and receiving institution. Official fees, service channels and documentary requirements may change. No notarisation, attestation, registration, third-party acceptance, completion time or legal outcome is guaranteed. Obtain matter-specific advice and verify current official requirements before signing or filing. For interpretation of UAE legislation, the official Arabic text should be consulted.