Free Maryland Power of Attorney (POA) Form

There’s more than one type of Power of Attorney in Maryland and selecting the correct variant can be critical. Each kind offers different types of powers to an Attorney-in-Fact (also known as an Agent). Therefore, you must create the right class of document, in order for your POA to work as intended.

The most common variants available in Maryland include the following examples: 

• Durable: Durable Power of Attorney documents are invaluable tools for individuals planning how their estate will be managed in their old age, or in the event of sudden illness or disability. They allow the Agent to act for the Principal even if they become incapacitated.

• General: A General Power of Attorney form permits an Attorney-in-Fact to perform a number of financial and legal tasks for a Principal in Maryland. General POAs can operate over a long period of time, although they cease to be effective if the appointing authority becomes incapacitated.

• Limited: A Limited Power of Attorney allows a Principal to grant time-limited powers to an Agent. This is usually to allow the Agent to complete a one-off task such as signing a contract.

• Medical: Medical Power of Attorney (also known as an Advance Directive) is a durable form of POA that allows a Principal to appoint a person to make medical decisions for them if they become incapacitated

• Vehicle: A Vehicle POA is a kind of Vehicle Power of Attorney used with the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. This gives an Agent the authority to transfer ownership of a car or motorbike belonging to the Principal and to manage other issues related to cars and other motor vehicles. 

• Springing: A springing Power of Attorney is a legal instrument that allows you to appoint and give authority to an Agent when certain criteria are met and specific events occur. These will normally become active when the Principal becomes incapacitated and unable to act for themselves.

• Child Power of Attorney: This variety of Power of Attorney allows a Principal to appoint an Agent to take on their legal parental rights for a limited period of time. This could be for work reasons, deployment in the military, or due to an illness. 

• Tax: A Tax Power of Attorney form enables you to grant authority to an agent to represent you before Maryland’s tax office. 

A Maryland 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.  

Maryland recognized the Universal Power of Attorney Act (UPOAA) in 2010. Legislature  (§ 17-101) allows you to use your Power of Attorney in other states that have also adopted the UPOAA. Make sure the wording on your document also follows the guidelines of the act. 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 Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration site. However, it is recommended to seek the help of an attorney in order to fill the document properly.

In order to make sure your POA is fully valid upon completion and signing, you must make sure that you follow the right steps to prepare your Maryland Power of Attorney document before successfully putting it into action. 

To do this you will need to meet the following criteria:

1. Make sure all the details on the form are correct such as names, addresses, dates, and the powers that are to be granted.

2. The completed form should be signed by both the Agent and Principal.

3. It is essential that the signing of the document is viewed by 2 witnesses who must also sign the form.

4. A notary public must also be present at the signing and notarize the document too. 

5. In the event that the POA will be used to manage real estate, the document must be filed with the clerk of the county where the property is located 30 days after signing.

In addition to these steps, it is crucial that all the signing parties are legally able to enter into this agreement. This means that they must:

• Be over 18 years of age.

• Be mentally competent enough to enter into a contractual agreement.

• Understand the powers that are being granted.

Lastly, the Agent must be a legal adult or a financial institution with trust powers, a registered place of business within the state and that has the authority to carry out trust business in Maryland. They should also be someone that the Principal has full confidence in.

Before starting your own Maryland 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.