A Minnesota living will, called a health care directive under state law, is a written document that states your medical treatment wishes if you become unable to communicate them yourself. Under Minn. Stat. § 145C.03, it must be signed and dated, then verified either by a notary public or by two witnesses.[1]
Last Updated: September 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current Minnesota law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
A living will template lets you appoint a health care agent to make medical decisions for you. It also lets you record instructions for specific treatments, such as CPR or artificial nutrition, or give your agent broader authority instead.
Keep your Minnesota living will where your health care agent and primary physician can find it, and talk through your wishes with them. Review and update it whenever your health situation or preferences change.
A Minnesota health care directive is valid once you sign and date it, and your signature is verified either by a notary public or by two witnesses, under Minn. Stat. § 145C.03.[1] The rules below explain who can serve in each role.
You sign and date the directive yourself, or you authorize someone else to sign it on your behalf.[1]
Minnesota law calls this document a health care directive. You may also see it called a living will, an advance directive, or, when it names an agent, a health care power of attorney.
Common mistake: Do not ask your named health care agent or alternate agent to serve as a witness or notary. Minnesota law disqualifies them from that role.[1]
| Document Name | Minnesota Living Will Form |
| State Form Name | Minnesota Health Care Directive |
| Signing Requirements | Notary Public or Two Witnesses[1] |
| Validity Requirements | Minn. Stat. § 145C.03[1] |
| Suggested Statutory Form | Minn. Stat. § 145C.16[2] |

Filling out the Minnesota Living Will (Advance Health Care Directive) and Medical Power of Attorney covers your health care wishes, your agent's authority, and the signing requirements. The list below walks through each part in order.
FormsPal's printable form completes the witness-acknowledgment path on page 8. If you prefer notarization instead, which Minnesota law also allows, have a notary public verify your signature in place of the two witnesses.

Minnesota law provides a suggested combined form for a health care directive under Minn. Stat. § 145C.16, covering both the appointment of a health care agent and health care instructions.[2] The FormsPal Minnesota Living Will Form above follows that structure and is ready to fill in, print, and sign.
To create a Minnesota living will, complete the health care agent and health care instruction sections. Then sign and date the document yourself, or have someone you authorize sign for you. Have your signature verified either by a notary public or by two independent witnesses to make it valid.[1] The steps below walk through the FormsPal form section by section.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
Unless noted otherwise, the sources below are from the Minn. Stat..
