Free Motor Vehicle Power of Attorney Form

A motor vehicle power of attorney is a legal document that grants an agent permission to perform vehicle-related tasks on behalf of the vehicle owner. The vehicle owner (the “principal”) fills out the POA with their name, the agent’s name, and a description of the vehicle involved. The principal also assigns specific powers to the agent.

The principal completes a vehicle POA when they can’t be present to handle their vehicle-related affairs. The ability to delegate certain matters helps them ensure their vehicle is taken care of.

Once the principal fills out the vehicle POA with their desired terms, they sign it according to state rules. Most states require a notary public or witnesses to observe the principal’s signature. Then, the principal provides the agent with a copy of the POA. If the agent presents the copy and a government-issued ID to the requesting authority, they can exercise the powers stated in the form.

Why You Need a Power of Attorney for a Motor Vehicle

A power of attorney for a motor vehicle lets you restrict or grant whatever vehicle-related authorities you’d like. It’s common to write a vehicle power of attorney to sell a car, but it can also be used to award powers like:

• Registering a car at or handling business with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
• Transferring vehicle ownership
• Applying for a duplicate certificate of title
• Authorizing specific repairs or maintenance
• Handling insurance matters
• Deciding on where to park or store your vehicle

When you write a vehicle power of attorney, you should include your desired terms thoughtfully to ensure the agent can only act in ways that you authorize. Learn how to fill out a power of attorney for a motor vehicle below.

Step 1 – Identify Yourself as the Principal

Only a vehicle owner can grant an agent authority to act under a vehicle power of attorney. Ensure that you’re the owner of the vehicle that will be involved in the vehicle POA.

As the principal, you should record basic details, like your name and address. You can also include your phone number so the DMV or another agency can contact you and confirm your grant of authority.

Step 2 – Name Your Agent

Include the name and address of your agent or “attorney-in-fact.” This person is the person you choose to manage your vehicle(s) on your behalf. While optional, you can also assign a successor agent if your primary agent becomes unwilling or unable to act on your behalf.

Step 3 – Describe the Vehicle That Will Be Part of the POA

An agent won’t be able to make decisions on your behalf for all the vehicles you own—they’ll only be able to manage the vehicle(s) you describe in your POA. In your vehicle POA, provide the following details about your car or other vehicle:

• Make
• Model
• Year
• Body style
• Color
• Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
• Plate number

Step 4 – Assign Vehicle-Related Authority

Assign vehicle-related authority as you see fit. When you use Legal Templates’s guided form, you can grant or omit specific powers, like buying or registering a vehicle. You can also assign your own powers or implement restrictions or special instructions, such as the following:

• Authorizing your agent only to sign the title but not to sell the vehicle
• Requiring your agent to provide proof of sale before transferring funds
• Prohibiting your agent from making any odometer disclosure on your behalf
• Allowing repairs only to take place at a specific mechanic shop

A vehicle POA can act as a limited power of attorney because you can restrict the agent’s authority to meet your needs.

Step 5 – Specify Durability

Specify whether your power of attorney for your car will be durable or non-durable. If it’s durable, your agent will keep their vehicle-related powers if you become incapacitated. If it’s non-durable, your agent will only have their vehicle-related powers while you’re mentally competent.

Step 6 – Write the Effective & Termination Dates

State when your power of attorney for a car will go into effect. You can opt for it to become effective or on a specific date. If you don’t want the agent to act until you know you’ll be unavailable, you can record a date you want them to gain authority. If no date is specified, the document is presumed to become effective immediately upon signing.

You can also specify when you want the vehicle power of attorney to terminate. It’s common for the principal to decide on an end date, but you can also have it terminated upon your death if you want the agent to have a long-standing ability to act on your behalf. As a practical matter, most motor vehicle POAs are limited to a specific event, such as transferring title, and will terminate after the event is accomplished.

Step 7- Sign & Seek Acknowledgment

Once you’re content with all the terms, you must sign your vehicle POA as the principal. Most states only require the principal’s signature, but some also require the agent to sign.

Depending on your state’s rules, the principal may need to sign before a notary public or witnesses. Review the table below to determine if you need a notary acknowledgment or witnesses to observe your signature.

View our free sample of a motor vehicle power of attorney to see how to assign vehicle-related authority. Then, create your own document using Legal Templates’s guided questionnaire. When you’re done, you can download a final copy as a PDF or Word document and distribute it to your agent.