New Five-Year Limit on Powers of Attorney

Kuwait’s Ministry of Justice has issued Ministerial Decree No. 147/2025, published in the Official Gazette on 2 November 2025, introducing a maximum validity period for Powers of Attorney (POAs). Under the amendment to the Notarization Law (Law No. 10 of 2020), all POAs may now remain in force for up to five years unless a shorter duration is specified or the instrument is revoked earlier.

Existing POAs with unlimited duration will continue to be valid for two years from the date of publication. The decree does not apply to commercial agency contracts and other categories that the Ministry of Justice may exempt.

The change supports ongoing efforts to modernize notarization procedures and strengthen certainty regarding the validity of legal documents, particularly as Kuwait expands the use of digital and remote notarization systems.