Free Washington DC Power of Attorney (POA) Form

Start a Washington DC Power of Attorney (POA) form now to appoint a trusted individual to manage your estate, act for you professionally, or make medical decisions on your behalf.

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Table of Contents:

Types of Power of Attorney in Washington DC
How to Get a Power of Attorney in Washington DC
Washington DC Power of Attorney Requirements
Washington DC Power of Attorney Sample
FAQs About Washington DC Power of Attorney Forms

Types of Power of Attorney in Washington DC

There are many types of POA that can be used in Washington DC to appoint an Agent or Attorney-in-Fact to make decisions and to manage essential financial and/or medical responsibilities for a principal.

Type of Document	Uses	Usable After Incapacity?
Durable Power of Attorney	A durable POA allows an Agent to manage your estate for you at all times, even if you fall unconscious or become medically incapacitated.	Yes
General Power of Attorney	General POAs give Agents control over a wide range of your financial responsibilities. This expires, however, if you fall unconscious or are incapacitated.	No
Limited Power of Attorney	Limited POAs grant an Agent responsibility over specific, normally one-off, tasks. These forms are usually time limited, only giving your representative authority for a short period of time.	Yes (if durable)
Medical Power of Attorney	Medical POAs allow you to delegate important healthcare decisions to your Agent. This can then be used when urgent choices regarding treatment need to be made when you’re unconscious.	Yes
Advance Directive	Combines a Medical Power of Attorney with elements of a living will, allowing the principal to specify their end-of-life care and choose an agent to manage their wishes.	Yes
Living Will	A living will allows you to provide clear instructions on your treatment preferences to medical professionals for when you are unconscious and gravely ill. This includes options such as artificial nutrition and hydration and organ donation.	Yes
Real Estate Power of Attorney	Real Estate POAs let your Agent manage tasks related to the buying and selling of property on your behalf.	Yes (if durable)
Vehicle (DMV) Power of Attorney	Using a Vehicle POA allows an Agent to buy and sell vehicles for you and to manage other ownership tasks such as registering titles with the DMV and updating official documentation.	Yes (if durable)
Springing Power of Attorney	A Springing POA allows an Agent to act for you when certain conditions or criteria occur. For example: the Power of Attorney may only become active if you are unconscious or are unavailable for a period of time.	Yes (if durable)
Minor (Child) Power of Attorney	With a Minor POA, you can delegate your parental rights over a child to your Agent temporarily. This might be necessary if you are seriously ill, serving in the military or have to travel for work purposes.	Yes (if durable)
Tax Power of Attorney	With a Tax POA, your Agent may represent you and sign documents on your behalf at a local DC Office of Tax and Revenue.	Yes (if durable)

How to Get a Power of Attorney in Washington DC

A Washington DC Power of Attorney can be filled-in fully online with our step-by-step form completion survey. All you need to do is answer the questions and add in your own information to create a fully complete POA tailored to your necessities.

Alternatively, the task of creating a POA can be left to a lawyer. However, this is usually a more time-consuming and costly process.

Also, some pre-prepared forms for Vehicle POAs can be obtained directly from a DC DMV or Office of Tax and Revenue site. However, it is recommended to seek the help of an attorney in order to fill the document properly.

Washington DC Power of Attorney Requirements

There are a few important things you need to know before signing a Washington DC POA. Firstly, you must make sure all the parties involved are legally fit to sign contracts.

To be considered competent to sign a contract, parties must:

Be over 18 years of age
Show they are mentally competent
Demonstrably understand the powers being granted

If you choose a financial institution as an Agent, they must have trust powers and a registered office in Washington DC.

Also, there are set rules in place in Washington DC which police how a completed Power of Attorney must be signed and put into action. DC law (§ 21–2101) dictates in this case that:

The Principal and Agent must both sign the document.
The signing must be overseen by a notary public, who will also sign.
If you create an advanced directive, living will, or medical power of attorney you will need 2 witnesses present at the document signing.
If the Agent(s) will manage real estate for the principal, the form must be registered with the local clerk of the county where the property is situatedwithin 30 days of signing.
A notary public must also be present at the signing to notarize the document.

You won’t need a notary or witnesses to sign a Tax or Vehicle Power of Attorney, however. In these cases, only the principal needs to sign in order for them to be effective.

Washington DC Power of Attorney Sample

Before starting your own Washington DC Power of Attorney, it can help to look over an example document to understand how your final draft will look and what it will say. Simply view our POA sample now to get a feel for how these documents are written and appear once completed.

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FAQs About Washington DC Power of Attorney Forms

It is important to have a good understanding of what Washington DC Power of Attorney forms can do before filling in your own. Read through our FAQs below to get a better idea of the key information needed as well as any other special considerations.

Does a Power of Attorney in Washington DC Need to Be Notarized?

Yes, Washington DC Powers of Attorney require a notary public to oversee the signing of the document by the Principal and Agent. Alternatively, 2 witnesses must be present when a Medical Power of Attorney, Advance Directive, or Living Will document is signed in order to legally validate the agreement.

Who Should Be Your Washington DC POA Agent?

When choosing the right Agent for your Washington DC POA, it is essential to pick a person (or people) that you trust implicitly.

By granting Power of Attorney to someone, you allow them to hold a large amount of responsibility for your financial or even bodily wellbeing. An Agent therefore must be someone you know that will take the actions that serve these interests best.

Who Can Override a Washington DC Power of Attorney?

There are a few ways to override a Power of Attorney. First of all, you can simply revoke it, as the Principal retains the right to remove the powers at any time.

If on the other hand, you wish to revoke the Washington DC Power of Attorney of an already incapacitated family member, you will have to write to the Agent to ask them to formally step down as POA. If they refuse, you may then need to take the matter to court and appoint guardianship to render the powers of the Agent inactive.

You are only a few steps away from your own Washington DC Power of Attorney!

Download our professional examples

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Preview of your District of Columbia Power of Attorney

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA STATUTORY FORM POWER OF ATTORNEY

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

This power of attorney authorizes another person (your agent) to make decisions concerning your property for you (the principal). Your agent will be able to make decisions and act with respect to your property (including your money) whether or not you are able to act for yourself. The meaning of authority over subjects listed on this form is explained in the Uniform Power of Attorney Act of 2022 (D.C. Official Code § 21-2601.01 et seq.).

This power of attorney does not authorize the agent to make health care decisions for you.

You should select someone you trust to serve as your agent. Unless you specify otherwise, generally the agent's authority will continue until you die or revoke the power of attorney or the agent resigns or is unable to act for you.

Your agent may be entitled to reasonable compensation unless you state otherwise in the Special Instructions.

This form provides for designation of one agent. If you wish to name more than one agent you may name a coagent in the Special Instructions. Coagents are not required to act together unless you include that requirement in the Special Instructions.

If your agent is unable or unwilling to act for you, your power of attorney will end unless you have named a successor agent. You may also name a second successor agent.

This power of attorney becomes effective immediately unless you state otherwise in the Special Instructions.

If you have questions about the power of attorney or the authority you are granting to your agent, you should seek legal advice before signing this form.

DESIGNATION OF AGENT

I, _________, with permanent residence address at _________, telephone number _________, and email address _________, appoint the following person as my agent:

Name of Agent: _________
Agent's Address: _________
Agent's Telephone Number: _________
Agent's Email Address: _________

DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY

GRANT OF GENERAL AUTHORITY

I grant my agent and any successor agent general authority to act for me with respect to the following subjects as defined in the Uniform Power of Attorney Act of 2022 (D.C. Official Code § 21-2601.01 et seq.):

(INITIAL each subject you want to include in the agent's general authority.)

________ - Real Property (refer to § 21-2603.03 for additional notice requirements)

________ - Tangible Personal Property

________ - Stocks and Bonds

________ - Commodities and Options

________ - Banks and Other Financial Institutions

________ - Operation of Entity or Business

________ - Insurance and Annuities

________ - Estates, Trust, and Other Beneficial Interests

________ - Claims and Litigation

________ - Personal and Family Maintenance

________ - Benefits from Governmental Programs or Civil or Military Service

________ - Retirement Plans

________ - Taxes

LIMITATION ON AGENT'S AUTHORITY

An agent that is not my ancestor, spouse, or descendant MAY NOT use my property to benefit the agent or a person to whom the agent owes an obligation of support unless I have included that authority in the Special Instructions.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

My Agent is entitled to reasonable compensation for services rendered as my Agent.

My Agent will be entitled to reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred in acting under this Power of Attorney.

EFFECTIVE DATE

This power of attorney shall be effective immediately and will continue to be effective until my death, even if I became incapacitated, except as may be provided otherwise by an applicable state statute.

This Power of Attorney may be revoked or terminated by me at any time by providing written notice to my Agent.

RELIANCE ON THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY

Any person, including my agent, may rely upon the validity of this power of attorney or a copy of it unless that person knows it has terminated or is invalid.

Signed this ____ day of ______________, _______

___________________________________
(Your Signature)

SIGNATURES

Dated ____________________, _____, at _________, District of Columbia.


___________________________________	_______________
_________	Date

Address: _________
Telephone Number: _________
Email Address: _________

___________________________________	_______________
_________	Date

NOTARY ACKNOWLEDGMENT

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

This document was acknowledged before me on	_______________.
	(date)

by ___________________________________
_________

___________________________________
(Seal, if any)

Signature of Notary: __________________________________

My commission expires: _______________________________

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR AGENT

Agent's Duties

When you accept the authority granted under this power of attorney, a special legal relationship is created between you and the principal. This relationship imposes upon you legal duties that continue until you resign or the power of attorney is terminated or revoked. You must:

(1) Do what you know the principal reasonably expects you to do with the principal's property or, if you do not know the principal's expectations, act in the principal's best interest;

(2) Act in good faith;

(3) Do nothing beyond the authority granted in this power of attorney; and

(4) Disclose your identity as an agent whenever you act for the principal by writing or printing the name of the principal and signing your own name as "agent" in the following manner:

(Principal's Name) by (Your Signature) as Agent

Unless the Special Instructions in this power of attorney state otherwise, you must also:

(1) Act loyally for the principal's benefit;

(2) Avoid conflicts that would impair your ability to act in the principal's best interest;

(3) Act with care, competence, and diligence;

(4) Keep a record of all receipts, disbursements, and transactions made on behalf of the principal;

(5) Cooperate with any person that has authority to make health care decisions for the principal to do what you know the principal reasonably expects or, if you do not know the principal's expectations, to act in the principal's best interest; and

(6) Attempt to preserve the principal's estate plan if you know the plan and preserving the plan is consistent with the principal's best interest.

Termination of Agent's Authority

You must stop acting on behalf of the principal if you learn of any event that terminates this power of attorney or your authority under this power of attorney. Events that terminate a power of attorney or your authority to act under a power of attorney include:

(1) Death of the principal;

(2) The principal's revocation of the power of attorney or your authority;

(3) The occurrence of a termination event stated in the power of attorney;

(4) The purpose of the power of attorney is fully accomplished; or

(5) If you are married to the principal, a legal action is filed with a court to end your marriage, or for your legal separation, unless the Special Instructions in this power of attorney state that such an action will not terminate your authority.

Liability of Agent

The meaning of the authority granted to you is defined in the Uniform Power of Attorney Act of 2022 (D.C. Official Code § 21-2601.01 et seq.). If you violate the Uniform Power of Attorney Act of 2022 (D.C. Official Code § 21-2601.01 et seq.) or act outside the authority granted, you may be liable for any damages caused by your violation.

If there is anything about this document or your duties that you do not understand, you should seek legal advice.