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Power of Attorney requirements, state by state
Which jurisdictions have adopted the Uniform Power of Attorney Act, whether a notary is required, how many witnesses must sign, and whether the legislature has published a statutory short form. Fifty states plus the District of Columbia, each with its governing statute.
51
Jurisdictions covered
29
Have adopted the UPOAA
35
Publish a statutory form
Compare all 51 jurisdictions
Filter the table, then open a state for detail.
| State | Framework | Notary | Witnesses | Statutory form | Governing statute |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | UPOAA | Recommended | None required | Yes | Ala. Code sec. 26-1A-101 et seq. |
| Alaska | Non-uniform | Required | None required | Yes | Alaska Stat. sec. 13.26.600 - 13.26.665 |
| Arizona | Non-uniform | Required | 1 witness | No | Ariz. Rev. Stat. sec. 14-5501 et seq. |
| Arkansas | UPOAA | Recommended | None required | Yes | Ark. Code Ann. sec. 28-68-101 et seq. |
| California | Non-uniform | Required for real estate | None required | Yes | Cal. Prob. Code sec. 4000 et seq. |
| Colorado | UPOAA | Recommended | None required | Yes | Colo. Rev. Stat. sec. 15-14-701 et seq. |
| Connecticut | UPOAA | Recommended | 2 witnesses | Yes | Conn. Gen. Stat. sec. 1-350 et seq. |
| Delaware | Non-uniform | Required | 1 witness | Yes | 12 Del. Code sec. 49A-101 et seq. |
| District of Columbia | UPOAA | Required | None required | Yes | D.C. Code sec. 21-2601.01 et seq. |
| Florida | Non-uniform | Required | 2 witnesses | No | Fla. Stat. ch. 709, pt. II |
| Georgia | UPOAA | Required | 1 witness | Yes | O.C.G.A. sec. 10-6B-1 et seq. |
| Hawaii | UPOAA | Recommended | None required | Yes | Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 551E |
| Idaho | UPOAA | Recommended | None required | Yes | Idaho Code sec. 15-12-101 et seq. |
| Illinois | Non-uniform | Required | 1 witness | Yes | 755 ILCS 45 |
| Indiana | Non-uniform | Recommended | None required | No | Ind. Code sec. 30-5-1-1 et seq. |
| Iowa | UPOAA | Required | None required | Yes | Iowa Code ch. 633B |
| Kansas | Non-uniform | Required | None required | No | Kan. Stat. Ann. sec. 58-650 et seq. |
| Kentucky | UPOAA | Recommended | None required | Yes | Ky. Rev. Stat. ch. 457 |
| Louisiana | Non-uniform | Required for real estate | None required | No | La. Civ. Code arts. 2985-3034 (mandate) |
| Maine | UPOAA | Required | None required | No | 18-C M.R.S. sec. 5-901 et seq. |
| Maryland | Non-uniform | Required | 2 witnesses | Yes | Md. Code, Est. & Trusts sec. 17-101 et seq. |
| Massachusetts | Non-uniform | Recommended | None required | No | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 190B, sec. 5-501 to 5-507 |
| Michigan | UPOAA | Recommended | None required | Yes | Mich. Comp. Laws sec. 556.201 et seq. |
| Minnesota | Non-uniform | Required | None required | Yes | Minn. Stat. ch. 523 |
| Mississippi | Non-uniform | Not verified | None required | No | Miss. Code Ann. sec. 87-3-101 to 87-3-113 |
| Missouri | Non-uniform | Required | None required | No | Mo. Rev. Stat. sec. 404.700 - 404.737 |
| Montana | UPOAA | Recommended | None required | Yes | Mont. Code Ann. sec. 72-31-301 et seq. |
| Nebraska | UPOAA | Required | None required | Yes | Neb. Rev. Stat. sec. 30-4001 et seq. |
| Nevada | UPOAA | Recommended | None required | Yes | Nev. Rev. Stat. sec. 162A.200 et seq. |
| New Hampshire | UPOAA | Required | None required | Yes | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. ch. 564-E |
| New Jersey | Non-uniform | Required | None required | No | N.J. Stat. Ann. sec. 46:2B-8.1 et seq. |
| New Mexico | UPOAA | Recommended | None required | Yes | N.M. Stat. Ann. sec. 45-5B-101 et seq. |
| New York | Non-uniform | Required | 2 witnesses | Yes | N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law sec. 5-1501 et seq. |
| North Carolina | UPOAA | Required | None required | Yes | N.C. Gen. Stat. ch. 32C |
| North Dakota | Non-uniform | Recommended | None required | No | N.D. Cent. Code ch. 30.1-30 |
| Ohio | UPOAA | Recommended | None required | Yes | Ohio Rev. Code sec. 1337.21 - 1337.64 |
| Oklahoma | UPOAA | Recommended | None required | Yes | Okla. Stat. tit. 58, sec. 3001 et seq. |
| Oregon | Non-uniform | Recommended | None required | No | Or. Rev. Stat. sec. 127.002 - 127.045 |
| Pennsylvania | Non-uniform | Required | 2 witnesses | Yes | 20 Pa. Cons. Stat. sec. 5601 et seq. |
| Rhode Island | Non-uniform | Required | None required | Yes | R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 18-16 |
| South Carolina | UPOAA | Required | 2 witnesses | No | S.C. Code Ann. sec. 62-8-101 et seq. |
| South Dakota | UPOAA | Required | None required | Yes | S.D. Codified Laws ch. 59-12 |
| Tennessee | Non-uniform | Not verified | Not verified | No | Tenn. Code Ann. sec. 34-6-101 - 34-6-112 |
| Texas | Non-uniform | Required | None required | Yes | Tex. Est. Code ch. 751 (form at ch. 752) |
| Utah | UPOAA | Required | None required | Yes | Utah Code sec. 75A-2-101 et seq. |
| Vermont | UPOAA | Recommended | None required | Yes | 14 V.S.A. ch. 127 |
| Virginia | UPOAA | Required for real estate | None required | No | Va. Code sec. 64.2-1600 et seq. |
| Washington | UPOAA | Recommended | None required | No | Wash. Rev. Code ch. 11.125 |
| West Virginia | UPOAA | Required | None required | Yes | W. Va. Code ch. 39B |
| Wisconsin | UPOAA | Recommended | None required | Yes | Wis. Stat. ch. 244 |
| Wyoming | UPOAA | Recommended | None required | Yes | Wyo. Stat. Ann. sec. 3-9-101 et seq. |
Legal Desire publishes this directory as general legal information, not legal advice. Power of attorney statutes change, and execution requirements can differ for health care, real estate and financial powers within the same state. Confirm the current text of the statute and speak with a licensed attorney in the relevant jurisdiction before signing or relying on any power of attorney.
Before you sign
Durability languageA power of attorney that should survive incapacity normally has to say so on its face. Under the uniform act durability is the default; in non-uniform states it usually is not.
Third party acceptanceBanks, title companies and brokerages often insist on their own form. Many uniform-act states penalise unreasonable refusal, but presenting a notarised statutory form avoids the fight.
Health care is separateFinancial powers and health care directives are governed by different chapters in most states. One document rarely covers both.
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