How to Add or Remove a RAK ICC Authorized Signatory or POA Holder

Behind every RAK ICC company are people authorised to act and sign on its behalf — and the RAK ICC portal keeps a record of who they are. Getting a RAK ICC authorized signatory or Power of Attorney (POA) holder correctly onto the record matters, because it keeps the company’s relationships transparent and up to date. But there’s a catch that trips people up: the portal entry alone does not appoint the signatory. This guide explains who authorized signatories and POA holders are, why RAK ICC records them, the all-important point about the appointing resolution, the exact steps to add and remove them, the start and expiry dates, the documents required, and the declaration and penalties. Because the source guidance dates from the feature’s launch, we flag anything that may have changed — especially fees and penalties — as [VERIFY].

What is an Authorized Signatory or POA holder at RAK ICC?

An authorized signatory is a person empowered to sign for and commit the company — think signing contracts, dealing with banks, or executing documents on the company’s behalf. A Power of Attorney (POA) holder is someone who acts under a power of attorney granted by the company, within whatever authority that POA confers. Both are about the authority to act for the company.

From 1 September 2019, the RAK ICC portal began recording information about POA holders and authorized signatories so that up-to-date data on all of a company’s relationships is held in one place. On the portal, these individuals sit alongside the company’s shareholders, directors, secretaries and beneficial owners — giving a complete picture of who owns, runs, and can act for the company.

Crucially, being an authorized signatory or POA holder is different from being an owner. A signatory can commit the company without necessarily owning any of it — which is exactly why recording the relationship accurately matters for good corporate governance.

Why does RAK ICC record POA and Authorized Signatory details?

The purpose is transparency and accurate relationship data. Knowing who can legally act for a company — not just who owns it — is part of sound corporate record-keeping and the wider push for corporate transparency in the UAE. When the portal knows who your signatories and POA holders are, the company’s official record reflects reality.

Two practical points from the guidance are worth noting up front. First, the portal states this service is free of charge [VERIFY current position]. Second, it is not mandatory to complete the information for POA holders or authorized signatories appointed before 1 September 2019 — but RAK ICC encourages you to do so, so the portal properly reflects the relationships. In practice, keeping the record complete is simply good housekeeping.

The most important point: the portal record doesn’t replace the resolution

This is the single most misunderstood aspect of the service, so it’s worth stating plainly: recording a signatory or POA holder in the portal does not, by itself, appoint them. The portal captures the relationship; the appointment is made by a resolution.

If you take away one thing from this guide, make it this. Treating the portal entry as the appointment — without filing the resolution — is the most common and most consequential mistake.

Authorized Signatory vs POA holder vs UBO — how the roles differ

Because the portal lists several types of individual side by side, it’s easy to blur the roles. They answer different questions: who can act versus who owns. Here’s the distinction.

The same person can, of course, wear more than one hat — a shareholder might also be an authorized signatory, for example. But the roles are recorded separately, and a person’s beneficial-ownership status is a distinct question from whether they can sign for the company. If you’re also reviewing owners, our separate guide on RAK ICC beneficial ownership covers the UBO tests in detail.

How do you add an Authorized Signatory or POA holder?

Filings are made by a licensed registered agent through a dedicated portal service. The steps are:

1. Open the service — on the home page, select Company Services, then choose Add/Remove POA/Authorized Signatory Details.
2. Select the company — enter and select the company name, complete the correspondence details, and click Next.
3. Review the individuals — the details page shows the existing individuals (shareholders, directors, secretaries and UBOs). Click Add New POA/Authorized Signatory for a new person, or Edit an existing individual.
4. Tick the checkbox — on the individual’s record, tick POA/Authorized Signatory, then complete the required details.
5. Set the dates — set the Start Date (it defaults to today and can’t be a future date) and, if the authority is time-limited, add an optional Expiry Date. Add any dual-nationality or additional home-country details, then Save.
6. Upload documents — upload a POA/Authorized Signatory document (existing individual), or a passport copy plus a POA/Authorized Signatory document (new individual).
7. Declare and submit — tick the declaration, review the confirmation page, and Submit.

Start date, expiry date and the validity of the role

Two date fields govern the timing of the role. The Start Date defaults to the current date and cannot be set in the future; if the exact start date is unknown, it can be left at today. The Expiry Date is optional and lets you specify the validity period of the POA or authorized-signatory role.

That optional expiry is more useful than it looks. Powers of attorney and signing authorities are often time-limited — granted for a specific transaction, a fixed term, or while someone holds a particular position. Setting an expiry date means the authority automatically lapses in the record when it’s meant to, rather than lingering indefinitely. Where authority is open-ended, the field can simply be left blank.

How do you remove an Authorized Signatory or POA holder?

Removal is handled on the same page, and the method depends on whether the person was already filed or is one you’re currently adding.

To remove an existing (already filed) authorized signatory or POA holder, click Edit against that individual, untick the POA/Authorized Signatory checkbox, enter an End Date, and click Save. The end date records when the authority ceased. By contrast, the Delete (Del) option only appears for a contact you’re currently adding in this session — so you can drop a new entry before submitting, but a previously filed record is end-dated, not deleted. After adding or removing, click Next to proceed to document upload, the declaration and submission. And remember: if the removal reflects a change in who can act for the company, the corresponding resolution should be filed too.

What documents does the filing require?

The documents depend on whether the individual is already on record or newly added. Unlike some filings, an existing individual here still needs a supporting document.

So in every case you’ll upload a POA/Authorized Signatory document, and for a new person you’ll add a passport copy as well. Having these ready before you start — along with the filed (or about-to-be-filed) resolution — keeps the whole submission smooth.

The declaration, deadlines and penalties

Before submitting, you complete a declaration confirming that all reasonable steps have been taken to verify the information, that it is true to the best of your knowledge and belief, and that you are aware of the fines for providing false or misleading information.

As with any RAK ICC filing, the message is verify before you declare, and treat a change in who can act for the company as something to record promptly — not at the next renewal.

Keeping your records current — and the wider picture

Signatory and POA records aren’t “set and forget.” Authority changes — people join, leave, or have their mandate varied — and the record (and the underlying resolutions) should keep pace.

Finally, keep these relationship filings separate from tax, which is a distinct obligation. A RAK ICC company is a UAE-incorporated juridical person that can be a resident person within scope of UAE Corporate Tax under Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022, and being registered with RAK ICC does not automatically grant the 0% Free Zone rate [VERIFY specifics for your structure]. The corporate tax guide for UAE businesses and our corporate tax team explain how residence, the AED 375,000 threshold and the 9% rate apply, while current AML and UBO records and clean accounting remain separate requirements. From incorporation and board resolutions to signatory filings, AML, tax and accounting, we manage the full RAK ICC picture on your behalf.