A Maine living will, also called an advance health care directive, is a written document that lets you state your wishes for end-of-life medical care. It also lets you name a health care agent to make decisions if you become unable to decide for yourself. Maine law governs this document under the Probate Code, Title 18-C, Part 8, the Uniform Health Care Decisions Act.
FormsPal's Maine living will form covers:
This directive can also address mental health treatment decisions. In practice, your agent is expected to follow your stated wishes and act in your best interest on anything the form does not specifically cover.
A Maine living will is a written advance health care directive that lets you record your wishes for medical treatment before a serious illness or injury takes away your ability to decide for yourself. You can download FormsPal's free Maine living will template as a PDF or Word file, or complete it online, then sign it in front of two witnesses to make it effective.
Last Updated: September 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current Maine law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
Maine's advance health care directive law, the Uniform Health Care Decisions Act (Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 18-C, Part 8), sets the rules for how a living will must be signed and when it can be changed. To be valid, the document must be signed and dated[1.2], witnessed by two other people[1.2], and it can be revoked at any time in any way that shows you intend to cancel it[1.1].
Maine also offers an optional state form for an advance health care directive, organized into four parts[1.2]:
Part 1 lets you appoint an agent to make health care decisions for you if you become unable to make them yourself, or if you simply want someone else to make them. You may also name a backup agent in case your first choice cannot serve. Unless you limit your agent's authority in the form, your agent may:
Unless your agent is related to you by blood, marriage, or adoption, your agent may not be an owner, operator, or employee of the residential long-term health care institution where you are receiving care[1.2].
Part 2 lets you voice specific health care wishes. You can limit the authority of the agent named in Part 1 and state your own wishes about receiving or denying artificial nutrition, hydration, pain relief, and other life-prolonging treatment[1.2].
Part 3, if you choose to use it, lets you state your wishes about donating your organs and tissues after death[1.2].
Part 4, also optional, lets you name a primary physician to be responsible for your health care[1.2].
A Maine living will is also called an advance health care directive, a health care power of attorney, or a medical directive. These are different names for the same kind of document under Maine law.
| Document Name | Living Will Form |
| State Form Name | Maine Health Care Advance Directive Form |
| Signing Requirements | Two Witnesses |
| Validity Requirements | Signed, dated, and witnessed by 2 individuals (§ 5-805) |
| Avg. Time to Fill Out | 13 minutes |
| # of Fillable Fields | 48 |
| Available Formats | Adobe PDF; Microsoft Word |
| State Laws: Maine Probate Code, Title 18-C, Sections 5-801 to 5-817 | |
It becomes valid once you sign and date it and two other people witness your signature[1.2]. It stays in effect until you revoke it, and you can cancel it at any time in any way that clearly shows you intend to revoke it[1.1]. A later directive that conflicts with an earlier one cancels the earlier one only where the two disagree[1.1].
Give a copy of the signed document to your doctor, any hospital where you receive care, and the person you named as agent. A copy of the document has the same legal effect as the original[1.2].
A few avoidable errors can keep an otherwise valid Maine living will from working when you need it most. Most come down to a step skipped during signing or witnessing, not a mistake in what you wrote. Review this checklist before you sign the final copy.
Filling out the Maine Health Care Advance Directive is straightforward if you have your agent's contact information ready. You can complete it online with FormsPal's builder or print the PDF and fill it out by hand. The form walks you through eleven sections, from naming your health care agent to signing in front of two witnesses.
Example. Anna Baker names her sister, Ben Carter, as her health care agent and lists his contact information when she reaches the health care agent section. She also initials that she does not want artificial nutrition and hydration if she becomes permanently unconscious. Anna signs and dates the form, and two neighbors sign as her witnesses.
Once everyone has signed, give copies of the completed form to your doctor, your agent, and any family members you want to keep informed. If you would rather start over, you can download a fresh copy of the form at any time.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
