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Making a power of attorney in Qatar
How to give someone legal authority to act for you in Qatar: choosing between a general and a special power of attorney, getting it authenticated by the Ministry of Justice (online through Sak or in person), having it attested for use abroad, using a power of attorney made in another country, and cancelling one.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- Who issues it
- Ministry of Justice, Documentation (Authentication) Department, online via Sak or at a service centre
- MOJ fee
- Reported as QAR 100 for three copies, QAR 50 per extra copy; check before paying
- Time
- Often the same day in person; 1–2 days online after approval and payment
- For use abroad
- MOFA attestation (QAR 100 for authorisations), then usually your country's embassy
A power of attorney (POA, in Arabic wakala) is a document in which you, the grantor, give another person, the agent, the right to act in your name. Residents use it to let someone sell their car, deal with a government office, handle a court case or sort out loose ends after they leave Qatar. In Qatar a POA is only reliable when it is authenticated by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), which issues it electronically with a QR code that offices can scan to check it. The order is simple: decide exactly what the agent may do, get the POA authenticated at the MOJ (online through the Sak portal or at a service centre), then, if it will be used in another country, have it attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). A POA made abroad for use in Qatar goes the other way: notary, your foreign ministry, the Qatar embassy, then MOFA in Doha.
Before you start
- Your valid Qatar ID (QID); a passport copy if the agent or grantor is not a resident
- The agent's full name exactly as on their QID or passport, plus their QID or passport number and nationality
- A clear list of what the agent may do, for example 'sell my car, plate number …, and receive the price'
- Details of the thing concerned: the car's registration (Istimara) for a car, bank and account details for a bank matter, case number for a court case
- An active Tawtheeq / Qatar Digital Identity (QDI) login if you will apply online through Sak
- A Visa or Mastercard for online payment
- For a company: commercial registration, establishment ID and trade licence, plus proof you are an authorised signatory
- If you will use it abroad: the requirements of the office that will receive it (some want specific wording or a translation)
Step by step
Decide what the agent may do
Write down, in plain words, every act you want the agent to be able to do, and nothing more. Under Qatar's Civil Code an agent who acts beyond the powers in the POA does not bind you, so a vague POA can leave your agent stuck at a counter. On the other hand, a POA that is too broad can be misused, because the agent's acts within it bind you. Name the specific car, account, property or case where you can, and say whether the agent may receive money on your behalf. If you are unsure, ask the office that will receive the POA (the bank, the Traffic Department, the court) what wording they need.
Choose a general or a special POA
A general POA covers a broad range of matters, while a special (private) POA covers one matter or a set of named acts, such as selling one car or handling one lawsuit. As a rule in Arab civil law systems, including Qatar's, a POA in general terms covers ordinary administration, while acts like selling, buying, gifting or settling a case need to be spelled out. For most residents a special POA is safer and is what offices expect. The MOJ also has ready-made templates for common needs, such as a POA for a car, for cheques, for a single lawsuit, for customs clearance or for government transactions, so pick the one closest to your case.
Choose who to appoint
Pick someone you trust completely, because they can act without asking you each time. The agent will need to show their own ID whenever they use the POA, so check that their name and ID number are correct. Some templates limit who can be an agent; for example, a POA for a court case is normally given to a licensed lawyer, and reports of the online general POA say the agent should be a lawyer or a close relative. If you are leaving Qatar, appoint someone who will stay in the country long enough to finish the job.
Apply online through Sak
The MOJ's e-services portal for authentication is called Sak (sak.gov.qa), and there is also a Sak mobile app. Log in with your national digital identity (Tawtheeq / QDI). Guides to the portal describe the path as Authentication Services, then Power of Attorney, then the type you need; choose the template, add yourself as the grantor and the agent as the second party, enter the details and attach copies of your documents. Since December 2024 the MOJ has issued some POAs fully automatically, including general POAs for court cases and POAs for government transactions, when you use a template without changes and sign electronically with QDI. Other POAs go to an MOJ reviewer, who may verify you by video call before approving.
Or go to an MOJ service centre
If you prefer to do it face to face, or your case does not fit a template, go to the MOJ Documentation (Authentication) Department or a government service centre that offers MOJ services. Bring originals of all IDs and documents. A notary checks your identity and capacity, prepares the POA from your instructions, and you sign in front of them. In-person POAs are often finished the same day. If the agent must accept or sign, ask whether they need to come with you.
Pay and check the final POA
Once the application is approved you get a payment notice; pay by card online or at the counter. Fees are reported as QAR 100 for three copies of the POA and QAR 50 for each extra copy, but some POA types may cost more, so check the amount shown before paying. Read the final POA carefully: names, ID numbers, the car or account details and the list of powers. Every MOJ POA carries a QR code that banks and government offices scan to confirm it is genuine and still valid. Incomplete online applications are reportedly cancelled after 7 days, and a rejected one can be corrected and resubmitted within 15 days.
Give the POA to your agent and the office
Send the POA to your agent, who takes it with their own ID to the office concerned. For a car, the agent uses a car POA to complete the transfer for you; see our guide on selling a car for the rest of that process, such as clearing fines first. Banks often have their own rules on POAs, and many want the bank and account named, or ask the agent to fill in the bank's own forms; check with your bank before you leave. Keep a copy of the POA yourself so you know exactly what you allowed.
Read guide: Selling your car in Qatar and transferring ownership →Attest it if it will be used abroad
A POA made in Qatar for use in another country, such as selling property back home, usually needs attestation by Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). MOFA lists authorisations and other judiciary documents at QAR 100 each and a commercial POA at QAR 150. You can apply at the MOFA Consular Affairs building or a government service centre, or online with a Tawtheeq login and Qatar Post collection for QAR 40. Most countries then also want their own embassy in Doha to legalise it, because Qatar does not issue apostilles. As an alternative, many embassies in Doha prepare or attest a POA for use in their country directly, so check your embassy's consular services first.
Read guide: Attesting your degree for Qatar: the full chain →Use a POA made abroad in Qatar
If you are outside Qatar and need someone here to act for you, sign the POA before a notary in your country. Then have it authenticated by your country's foreign ministry (or the body that does this), legalised by the Qatar embassy or consulate there, and finally attested by MOFA in Doha. Qatar is not part of the Apostille Convention, so an apostille alone is not enough. If the POA is not in Arabic, get a certified Arabic translation in Qatar. Ask the receiving office whether the POA must also be registered or checked at the MOJ, and note that some authorities, such as the trademark office, only accept POAs issued in the last three years.
Making a POA after you have left Qatar
The best time to sign a POA is before you fly, while your QID and digital login still work. If you have already left, the MOJ has started serving people without a QID or Tawtheeq login through secure electronic links and a video meeting with a notary, so far tested for POAs; contact the MOJ to ask whether your case qualifies. Otherwise use the foreign route in the previous step. Our leaving Qatar guide lists the tasks that are worth covering with a POA, such as final bank matters or a car you could not sell.
Read guide: Leaving Qatar for good: a step-by-step exit checklist →Cancel or change a POA
You can revoke a POA at any time, unless it was given in a way that protects the agent's own rights. Do it formally through the MOJ: Sak has a revocation option (Revoke Power of Attorney) and a partial cancellation option, or go to a service centre with your ID and a copy of the POA. The reported fee is the same as for issuing one, QAR 100. Because the POA is electronic, cancelling it updates the MOJ record that offices check through the QR code. Also tell the agent and any bank or office that holds a copy, because acts done in good faith before they knew may still bind you.
Register an old paper POA if you have one
The MOJ has moved all POAs into an electronic register under the Documentation Law (Law No. 1 of 2023). In June 2025 it asked holders of POAs issued before 2011 to register them by applying at the Documentation Department with the original or a certified copy and the parties' IDs. If you rely on an old paper POA, ask the MOJ whether it is still valid before your agent uses it, or simply issue a new electronic one.
What it costs
| MOJ POA authentication, three copies (reported fee; check in Sak) | QAR 100 |
| Each extra copy of the POA | QAR 50 |
| MOJ POA revocation (reported fee) | QAR 100 |
| MOFA attestation of an authorisation / POA for use abroad | QAR 100 |
| MOFA attestation of a commercial POA | QAR 150 |
| Qatar Post collection and return for online MOFA attestation | QAR 40 |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Signing a general POA when you only need one thing done; the agent's acts within the POA bind you
- Writing powers too vaguely, so the bank or Traffic Department refuses to accept it
- Misspelling the agent's name or ID number; the POA must match their ID exactly
- Leaving Qatar first and only then trying to make a POA, after your QID and digital login stop working
- Assuming an apostille from home is enough; Qatar needs embassy legalisation plus MOFA attestation
- Forgetting MOFA and embassy attestation for a Qatar POA you will use in your home country
- Cancelling a POA without telling the agent and the offices that hold a copy
- Relying on an informal letter signed by two witnesses instead of an MOJ-authenticated POA
Questions people ask
Can my friend sell my car in Qatar after I leave?
Yes, if you give them an MOJ power of attorney for the car before you go, naming the car and allowing them to sell it and receive the price. The agent then completes the transfer with the POA and their own ID. Clear all traffic fines and any loan on the car first, because a car with fines cannot be transferred.
Is a letter signed by two witnesses valid as a power of attorney?
Not for official use in Qatar. A POA must be in the form required for the act it covers, and for government offices, banks and courts that means a POA authenticated by the Ministry of Justice. A private letter may be refused anywhere it matters.
What is the difference between a general and a special power of attorney?
A general POA covers many matters, often broadly worded. A special POA covers one matter or named acts, such as selling one car or one lawsuit. Selling, buying, gifting or settling a case normally has to be spelled out, so most people need a special POA.
Does a POA in Qatar expire?
The MOJ authentication itself does not expire, and the POA lasts until it is revoked, its purpose is done, a fixed period you set runs out, or either party dies or loses capacity. But the office using it may set its own rules: Qatar's trademark office, for example, accepts POAs for only three years, and banks may ask for a recent one. You can add an end date if you want.
Can I make a Qatar POA online without going to the ministry?
Yes, in many cases. The MOJ's Sak portal and app let you apply with your Tawtheeq / QDI login, and some common POAs are issued automatically when you use the standard template and sign electronically. Others are approved by a reviewer, sometimes after a short video call.
I made a POA in my home country. Can I use it in Qatar?
Only after it has been legalised: notary, your foreign ministry, the Qatar embassy in that country, then MOFA in Doha, plus a certified Arabic translation. Qatar does not accept an apostille in place of this chain.
How do I cancel a power of attorney I gave someone?
Apply for revocation through Sak or at an MOJ service centre with your ID and a copy of the POA. The electronic record is updated, so offices that scan the QR code will see it is cancelled. Tell the agent and any bank or office that has a copy as well.
Does my agent need to be a Qatari or a lawyer?
No for most matters; a resident friend, colleague or relative can be your agent. A POA to represent you in court is normally given to a licensed lawyer, and some online templates limit who can be appointed, so check the template's conditions.
Official sources
- QNA: Ministry of Justice launches digital POA and video-call services (Dec 2024) ↗
- Qatar Tribune: Ministry of Justice calls for registration of pre-2011 POAs (June 2025) ↗
- MOFA Qatar: legalization fees ↗
- MOFA Qatar: attestation e-services FAQ ↗
- K&L Gates: electronic execution and remote notarisation in Qatar (Aug 2026) ↗
- Marhaba: using foreign official documents in Qatar ↗
Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.