Signing a power of attorney online

What a power of attorney does

A power of attorney lets one person, the donor or principal, authorise another, the attorney or agent, to act for them: to sign documents, deal with a bank, sell property or make health decisions. Because it hands over real control, the law surrounds it with formalities that most contracts do not need.

There are broadly three kinds. A general power covers business or financial matters while the donor has capacity. A lasting or durable power survives the donor losing mental capacity. A specific power covers one transaction, such as signing completion documents on a property sale abroad.

The formalities, country by country

This is general information, not legal advice. Use a lawyer or notary for any power of attorney you intend to rely on.

• England and Wales: a general power of attorney must be executed as a deed under section 1 of the Powers of Attorney Act 1971, so it must be signed in the presence of a witness. A lasting power of attorney must be made on the prescribed form, include a certificate provider's statement, and be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian before it can be used. Check the OPG's current process, which is being moved online under the Powers of Attorney Act 2023.
• United States: most states have adopted the Uniform Power of Attorney Act or similar rules. Notarisation is required or strongly encouraged, because a notarised power is presumed genuine. Healthcare powers often need two witnesses. Several states now allow remote online notarisation through approved platforms.
• UAE: a power of attorney must be notarised by a notary public to be relied on, which can be done in person or through the official remote notary services of the courts.
• India: the Information Technology Act 2000 excludes powers of attorney from its electronic signature provisions, and powers relating to property are usually registered.
• EU: rules vary by member state; many require a notarial deed for powers concerning property or company matters.

Where an e-signature can still help

Not every authority needs a formal power of attorney. A letter of authority asking a utility company to speak to your accountant, an internal authorisation letting a manager sign purchase orders, or a board's delegation of signing authority to an officer can usually be signed electronically. Sign PDF fits these well.

It can also help before the formal step: circulating a draft so everyone agrees the wording before the donor attends a notary.

What Sign PDF does not do

Sign PDF does not offer notarisation or remote online notarisation, does not check identity documents, and cannot confirm that a witness was physically present. Its signatures are simple electronic signatures, not qualified electronic signatures under the EU eIDAS Regulation. For a power of attorney, those are usually the things that matter.

We would rather say that plainly than have a power of attorney rejected by a bank or land registry when it is needed most.

If you do send a letter of authority through Sign PDF

Upload the letter. Sign PDF places the principal's signature and date and, if the letter includes them, a witness block and an acceptance block for the person authorised. The principal confirms a code from their email and signs.

The completed PDF is sealed with a DigiCert timestamp and carries a certificate showing who signed, from what email and IP address, and when. That is good evidence for an everyday authority. It is not a substitute for a notary.