A Correction on the Age of Majority — 18, Not 21

Welcome back to The POA Desk by POAS.ae.

In the last episode, we corrected our explanation of apostilles and the authentication route for powers of attorney issued outside the UAE. Today, there is another correction to make.

Episode 22 said that a person under the age of 21 was a minor for the purpose we were discussing. That is not the current UAE civil-law position. Under the new UAE Civil Transactions Law, which took effect on 1 June 2026, a person reaches the age of majority on completing 18 Gregorian years. The official UAE legislation announcement describes this as a reduction from 21 lunar years to 18 Gregorian years.

So the updated headline is simple: in the UAE, the current general age of civil majority is 18, not 21.

Why it matters in a power of attorney

Because a power of attorney is not just a document with a signature. It is an act by which one person gives another person authority to act on their behalf. The person giving that authority — the principal — must have the legal capacity required for the act in question.

If someone is 19 years old, the earlier wording could wrongly suggest that they are automatically a minor and cannot grant authority in their own name. That is not the current general rule.

But 18 is not the whole capacity question

There is a second point, and it is just as important. Turning 18 does not mean that every transaction becomes automatic, or that age is the only capacity question.

The law distinguishes age from other legal impediments. A person may have reached 18 but still be subject to a court order, guardianship or another restriction relevant to the proposed transaction. A particular transaction may also require additional approvals. And where a person is under 18, a parent does not necessarily gain unlimited authority merely because they are the parent.

Dubai Land Department gives a useful property example. Its published guidance says that a person under 18 may own property. But if property belonging to a minor is to be sold, donated or mortgaged, approval from the competent judge is required. For a purchase in the name of a minor, the legal guardian signs on the minor's behalf. That illustrates the real principle. Ownership, capacity and authority are related, but they are not identical. A minor may own an asset. A guardian may have a role. A court may need to approve a particular disposal. And the receiving institution will need documents proving who has authority to do what.

The four questions to ask

So, when age or capacity is involved, there are four questions worth asking. First: how old is the principal today, using their Gregorian date of birth? Second: are they acting for themselves, or is someone acting for them as a parent, guardian or court-appointed representative? Third: what exact transaction is proposed? Buying an asset is not necessarily treated in the same way as selling, gifting or mortgaging one. And fourth: which authority or institution will receive the document, and what proof of capacity or representation does it require?

At POAS.ae, we use those questions to identify whether a standard preparation route appears suitable or whether the matter should first be referred to the relevant authority or an appropriately qualified lawyer. Those are sorting questions, not legal conclusions: we do not determine legal capacity, issue court approvals or control how a receiving institution assesses a document. Where there is a dispute about capacity, an active guardianship matter, a court order, conflicting family instructions or uncertainty about who may act, that is not something to solve by simply drafting a broader power of attorney. It needs the right legal or judicial review.

This episode is general information, not legal advice. Capacity can be fact-specific, and the relevant authority should confirm what it requires.

In the next episode, I'll correct the way we described the lifespan of Dubai property powers of attorney. For Dubai Land Department transactions, the published periods are not simply whatever duration the principal chooses.

I'm Patrick. Thanks for joining me at The POA Desk.