A Virginia general financial power of attorney is a written document in which a person, called the principal, names an agent (also called an attorney-in-fact) to handle money and property. The principal chooses which financial powers the agent receives, and the form does not cover medical decisions. FormsPal offers a free power of attorney form Virginia residents can use. It has 41 fillable fields, and you can fill it out online, print it, and sign it.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current Virginia law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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In Virginia, this document must comply with state laws, particularly the Uniform Power of Attorney Act.[1] Under Virginia's power of attorney statute, the principal signs the document. Another individual may sign the principal's name, but only in the principal's conscious presence and at the principal's direction. A signature is presumed genuine if the principal acknowledges it before a notary public or other individual authorized by law to take acknowledgments.[1] The document takes effect when it is signed, unless the principal provides a later start.[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.
The principal can choose a later start. The document may provide that it becomes effective at a future date or upon the occurrence of a future event or contingency.[2]
A Virginia power of attorney that will be recorded has an extra requirement. To be recordable, it must satisfy the requirements of Va. Code Ann. § 55.1-600.[1]
Tip: The form includes an acknowledgment for a notary public on page 5. The FAQ below explains what Virginia law says about acknowledging a signature.
On the Virginia form, the principal decides four things:
Which powers the agent receives (page 2).
When the power of attorney starts (page 3).
When the power of attorney ends (page 3).
Who steps in if the agent cannot serve (page 4).
Virginia law also sets duties for an agent who has accepted appointment. Under Va. Code 64.2-1612(B)(4), the agent shall keep a record of all receipts, disbursements, and transactions made on behalf of the principal. Agents must also perform their duties with the appropriate level of care and skill that would be expected under similar circumstances.[4]
How to Fill Out the Virginia General Power of Attorney Form
The Virginia general power of attorney form PDF has five pages and 41 fillable fields. Work through it in the order below, from the principal and agent names on page 1 to the acknowledgment on page 5. Each step shows the part of the form it covers.
The screenshots under each step show the FormsPal Virginia 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 form does not cover medical 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 (page 2). Initial (L) retirement plan transactions and (M) tax matters if you want to grant them. To grant every listed power, initial only line (N). The form says you need not initial any other line then. The three Special Instructions below the list 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 the one line that matches the start you want. One line starts the power of attorney as soon as you sign. The other lets you write a later start date 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 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 covers more than one agent. It is preprinted, so there is 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. Just above that line, the form states that all prior general powers of attorney you signed are revoked.Step 8: sample entries, not a real document.
Acknowledgment before a notary (page 5). You appear before the notary, who completes the acknowledgment with the county, the date, the officer's name and title, and your name. The certificate 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 under "WITNESS my hand and official seal." This line is for the notary, not for you.Step 10: sample entries, not a real document.
How to Sign and Use the Virginia General Power of Attorney
Once the form is filled out, a few practical steps help the power of attorney work when your agent needs it. These steps are general practice, not requirements of Virginia law, and a bank or other institution may have its own rules for accepting the document.
Choose your agent with care. The agent can handle your money and property, so many people pick someone they trust. Many people also expect an agent to act in the principal's best interest and avoid conflicts of interest.
Check the form before you sign. Read the names, initials, and dates once more. If you downloaded the PDF, you can type your entries with our online PDF editor and then print it.
Take it to a notary. Page 5 holds the acknowledgment, so many people sign and have it completed in one visit.
Give copies to the people who need them. Provide a copy to your agent, to your successor attorney-in-fact if you named one, and to any financial institutions where your agent will act on your behalf. The form says a third party who receives a copy of it may act under it.
Keep the original safe. Store the signed original somewhere secure but easy to reach, such as a deposit box or with your attorney.
Tell people if you cancel it. If you decide to revoke the power of attorney (our revocation guide explains how), many people put the revocation in writing and tell the agent and every institution that holds a copy. The form says a revocation is not effective as to a third party until that party has actual knowledge of it.
Does a power of attorney have to be notarized in Virginia?
Virginia's power of attorney statute ties notarization to a presumption. A signature on a power of attorney is presumed to be genuine if the principal acknowledges the signature before a notary public or other individual authorized by law to take acknowledgments.[1]
When does a power of attorney end in Virginia?
Under Virginia's power of attorney statute, a power of attorney terminates when any of these happens:[3]
The principal revokes the power of attorney.
The principal dies.
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 a vulnerable adult, or resigns, and the power of attorney does not provide for another agent to act.
Unless the power of attorney provides otherwise, a lapse of time since it was signed does not end the agent's authority. The authority stays exercisable until it terminates on one of these grounds.[3]
When does an agent's authority end in Virginia?
An agent's authority terminates when any of these happens:[3]
The principal revokes the authority.
The agent dies, becomes a vulnerable adult, or resigns.
The agent is convicted of financial exploitation of the principal.
The power of attorney terminates.
Does divorce end a power of attorney in Virginia?
It can, when the agent is the principal's spouse. Unless the power of attorney otherwise provides, the agent's authority terminates when an action is filed for the divorce or annulment of the agent's marriage to the principal, or for their legal separation. The same happens when either of them files against the other for separate maintenance, or for custody or visitation of a child they have in common.[3]
Does the principal's incapacity end a power of attorney in Virginia?
It can, but only when the power of attorney is not durable. A power of attorney that is not durable terminates when the principal becomes a vulnerable adult. There is one exception for people who act in good faith. If the power of attorney is not durable, the principal's incapacity does not end it as to an agent or other person who acts in good faith under it without actual knowledge of the incapacity.[3]
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.[3]
Does a new power of attorney cancel an older one in Virginia?
Not automatically. Signing a new power of attorney does not revoke one the principal signed earlier, unless the new document provides that the previous power of attorney is revoked or that all other powers of attorney are revoked.[3]
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General information, not legal or tax advice.
Sources
Unless noted otherwise, the sources below are from the Va. Code Ann..
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.
