Power of attorney (POA) is the legal authority to make decisions on behalf of another person. It’s often used in the context of medical, real estate, and financial decisions.
Use a power of attorney form to set out that you (the “grantor” or “principal”) give someone else (the “grantee” or “agent”) the power to act on your behalf.
There are several types of power of attorney with requirements that vary by state. Find your free Washington, DC power of attorney form by type below.
Washington, DC Power of Attorney Documents
How to Get Power of Attorney in Washington, DC
To set up a power of attorney, both the agent and principal fill out and sign a power of attorney form.
When you sign a power of attorney in Washington, DC, you will need two witnesses, one of whom cannot be related to you. It is not required to be notarized.
All power of attorney forms on this page comply with the legal requirements in DC.
Washington, DC POA Requirements
Generally, a power of attorney will not be effective if the principal or grantor becomes incapacitated. If you want the power of attorney to “survive” an illness or sudden accident, then you need to use a durable power of attorney. In DC, this type of power of attorney is also referred to as the statutory power of attorney.
To make a POA “durable,” you must use specific language that states, for example,
“This power of attorney will continue to be effective if I become disabled, incapacitated, or incompetent,” or similar phrasing.
A District of Columbia durable power of attorney for health care is durable by default. It’s governed by § 21–2207, of the DC code, and will give someone else the power to grant, refuse, or withdraw consent for any healthcare service, treatment, or procedure.
Your agent will also have permission to talk to your healthcare personnel, get information related to your care and treatment, and sign any forms that would be required regarding the decisions they make for you.
As part of this document, you can also specifically set out your wishes regarding particular items, such as whether you want to be resuscitated.