A Hawaii general power of attorney is a document that lets one person, the principal, name an agent to handle financial matters for them. The principal chooses which powers the agent receives, such as banking or real property. The form does not cover medical decisions. Under Hawaii Revised Statutes section 551E-3, a power of attorney is durable unless it expressly provides that it is terminated by the incapacity of the principal.[1.1] FormsPal's free Hawaii power of attorney form PDF has 41 fillable fields, and you can fill it out online, then print and sign it.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current Hawaii law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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Legal Requirements for a Hawaii General Power of Attorney
Under Hawaii's power of attorney law, a general power of attorney must be signed by the principal. Another person may sign the principal's name, but only in the principal's conscious presence and at the principal's direction.[1.1] The document is effective when it is signed, unless the principal provides that it becomes effective at a future date or upon a future event or contingency.[2]
The statute states the signing rule this way:
A power of attorney shall be signed by the principal or in the principal's conscious presence by another individual directed by the principal to sign the principal's name on the power of attorney.
Tip: The form includes an acknowledgment block for a notary public on page 5. The FAQ below explains what Hawaii law says about an acknowledged signature.
On the Hawaii form, the principal decides four things:
Filling Out the Hawaii General Power of Attorney Form
To get a general power of attorney in Hawaii, you complete a form like this one and the principal signs it. This Hawaii power of attorney form PDF has five pages and 41 fillable fields. Work through it in the order below, from the names on page 1 to the notary acknowledgment on page 5. You can type your entries with our online PDF editor, then print the form.
The screenshots under each step show the FormsPal Hawaii general power of attorney template filled with sample entries in blue, so you can see where each answer goes. The names, addresses, dates and amounts are examples only.
Principal and agent (page 1). Read the notice at the top. It says the powers are broad and that the document does not authorize medical or other health-care decisions. Then write your name and address, and your agent's name and address, in the appointment paragraph.Step 1: sample entries, not a real document.
Initial the powers (A) to (K) (page 2). Write your initials on the line in front of each power you are granting, from (A) real property transactions to (K) benefits from social security, medicare, medicaid, or other governmental programs. Leave a line blank to withhold that power.Step 2: sample entries, not a real document.
Powers (L) to (N) and Special Instructions (pages 2 and 3). Initial (L) retirement plan transactions and (M) tax matters if you want to grant them. To grant every power, initial only line (N). The form says you need not initial any other line then. The three Special Instructions are preprinted, so there is nothing to fill in. They cover medical claims, retirement and savings accounts, and digital assets.Step 3: sample entries, not a real document.
Effective date (page 3). Under Effective Date, initial one line. The first line starts the power of attorney right away. The second line starts it on a date you write in the blanks.Step 4: sample entries, not a real document.
Termination: written revocation (page 3). Under Termination Date, the form says to initial one line. Initial the first line if the power of attorney should end when you have signed a written revocation.Step 5: sample entries, not a real document.
Termination: a set date or incapacity (page 3). Instead, initial the line to end on a date and write that date, or the line to end when you are determined to be incapacitated. The form defines incapacity just below, continuing onto page 4. It means a court finding that you are incompetent, a court-appointed conservator or guardian for your estate, or written certification from two physicians who are unrelated to you and to each other.Step 6: sample entries, not a real document.
Successor attorney-in-fact (page 4). In the Successor Attorney-in-Fact paragraph, write your agent's name, then the name and address of the alternate agent. The alternate steps in if your agent is unable or unwilling to serve. The paragraph above it, on more than one agent, is preprinted text with nothing to fill in.Step 7: sample entries, not a real document.
Date and sign (page 4). Fill in the day, month, and year on the "Signed this" line, then sign and print your name beneath it. Just above that line, the form states that all prior general powers of attorney you signed are revoked. The form has no line for the agent to sign.Step 8: sample entries, not a real document.
Notary acknowledgment (page 5). The notary completes the acknowledgment with the county, the date, the officer's name and title, and your name. The certificate on the form says the notary verifies only the identity of the person who signed, not the truthfulness, accuracy, or validity of the document.Step 9: sample entries, not a real document.
Officer signature and seal (page 5). The notary signs on the Signature line at the bottom of page 5 and adds the seal. This line is for the notary, not for you.Step 10: sample entries, not a real document.
Frequently Asked Questions
These answers cover how Hawaii law treats a notarized signature, a photocopy, and the end of a power of attorney. Each answer points to the section of the Hawaii Revised Statutes it comes from, so you can check the wording yourself.
Does a power of attorney have to be notarized in Hawaii?
Hawaii's power of attorney statute ties notarization to a presumption. A signature is presumed to be genuine if the principal acknowledges it before a notary public or another individual authorized by law to take acknowledgments.[1.1]
Is a photocopy of a Hawaii power of attorney valid?
Generally, yes. Except as another law provides, a photocopy or electronically transmitted copy of an original power of attorney has the same effect as the original.[1.2]
How does a power of attorney end in Hawaii?
Under Hawaii's power of attorney law, a power of attorney terminates when any of these happens:[3]
The principal dies.
The principal becomes incapacitated, if the power of attorney is not durable.
The principal revokes the power of attorney.
The power of attorney provides that it terminates.
The purpose of the power of attorney is accomplished.
The principal revokes the agent's authority, or the agent dies, becomes incapacitated, or resigns, and the power of attorney does not provide for another agent to act.
When does an agent's authority end in Hawaii?
An agent's authority terminates when either of these happens:[3]
The principal revokes the authority.
The agent dies, becomes incapacitated, or resigns.
What if the agent acts before learning the power of attorney ended?
The termination of an agent's authority or of a power of attorney is not effective as to an agent or another person who acts in good faith under it without actual knowledge of the termination. An act done that way binds the principal and the principal's successors in interest, unless the act is otherwise invalid or unenforceable.
The same protection applies to incapacity. If the power of attorney is not durable, the principal's incapacity does not revoke or terminate it as to a person who acts in good faith under it without actual knowledge of the incapacity.[3]
Does a Hawaii power of attorney expire with time?
Not by itself. Unless the power of attorney provides otherwise, an agent's authority is exercisable until it terminates, even after a lapse of time since the power of attorney was signed.[3]
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General information, not legal or tax advice.
Sources
Unless noted otherwise, the sources below are from the Haw. Rev. Stat..
Mara has been practicing estate planning and trust law in California since 2003, taking pride in helping clients of all backgrounds and asset profiles form a complete and customized estate plan. Her specialties are: estate planning, wills and trusts, trust and probate administration.
