A Pennsylvania durable power of attorney is a written document that lets you, as the principal, name an agent to manage your finances and property. It stays in effect even after you become incapacitated, unless you limit it, revoke it, or a court ends your agent's authority, under 20 Pa.C.S. Section 5601.[1]
This form covers financial matters only. If you also want to appoint someone to make medical decisions on your behalf, you need a separate power of attorney built for health care.
See other PA power of attorney templates for the additional types available.
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Last Updated: September 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current Pennsylvania law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
So, the DPA form allows you to choose someone you can rely on even if you become unable to manage your own affairs. The document is called durable because it stays valid once you sign it, until you revoke it, your agent's authority ends, or you die.
The DPA form is the easiest and legal way to choose a person you trust to act on your behalf. Your agent may be a relative, a close friend, or a professional agent you hire specifically for this role. It is your choice alone to make.
State law sets out exact rules for signing it under 20 Pa.C.S. Section 5601. It must be dated, notarized before a notary public or other authorized officer, and signed by you or, at your direction, by someone else if you cannot sign yourself. Two witnesses are required only if you sign by mark or if a different person signs for you.[1]
"For a power of attorney executed on or after the effective date of this paragraph, the signature or mark of the principal, or the signature of another individual signing a power of attorney on behalf of and at the direction of the principal, shall be: acknowledged before a notary public or other individual authorized by law to take acknowledgments."
By completing the form, as a principal, you might delegate several financial matters to your agent(s) or attorney(s), including:
And many other matters that are tied to your properties and money.
Choose your delegated matters carefully. Your agent will carry out every transaction and operation you select, so pick a professional or someone you fully trust.
Pennsylvania law adds a few more formalities and restrictions:
Once it is signed and notarized, make at least three copies. Give one to your agent, keep one for yourself, and keep one with your other estate planning documents. Some banks and title companies want to review a copy before they will act on it.
Many guides claim every power of attorney needs two witnesses. That is only true if you sign by mark or have someone else sign on your behalf. If you sign it yourself, state law only requires notarization, not witnesses.
| Document Name | Pennsylvania Durable Power of Attorney Form |
| Other Names | Pennsylvania Financial Durable Power of Attorney, PA DPOA |
| Relevant Laws | Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, Title 20, Chapter 56 |
| Signing Requirements | Notary Public (witnesses required only if signed by mark or by another person on your behalf) |
| Avg. Time to Fill Out | 10 minutes |
| # of Fillable Fields | 37 |
| Available Formats | Adobe PDF |
Popular Local Durable POA Forms
Durable POA forms allow you to designate a proxy who will be able to take care of your financial affairs even when you end up unable to make decisions yourself. These are the states DPOA forms are used in most frequently.
Yes. Under 20 Pa.C.S. Section 5601, it must be acknowledged before a notary public or another person authorized by law to take acknowledgments. Notarization is required regardless of whether witnesses are also needed.[1]
The requirement applies to every principal signature or mark. The witness rule is separate and applies only when the principal signs by mark or through someone else.[1]
This form stays in effect even after you become incapacitated, so your agent can keep managing your finances if you are no longer able to make decisions yourself.[1] It ends only when one of the following happens:
This durability is what makes it different from a standard power of attorney, which works differently. Your incapacity does not revoke or terminate it as to an agent or other person who acts in good faith under it. That protection applies only if the person has no actual knowledge of your incapacity.[2]
If you name your spouse as your agent, that designation is automatically revoked when either of you files an action for divorce, annulment, or legal separation. The one exception is when your power of attorney specifically says the designation should survive that filing.[2]
For your information, we have prepared a detailed guide that provides you with all the steps you need to create the DPA form successfully in Pennsylvania. You may check out the instructions below.
1. Download the Pennsylvania DPA Form Template
To start creating the DPA, you will need its template. You may use our form building software to get the form on your device in the simplest way.
2. Read the Notice Carefully
As in many US states, the DPA form in Pennsylvania starts with a notice that contains general information about this document. If you are the principal, read the notice thoroughly to understand the key details and purposes of the form. In case of misunderstanding, contact your lawyer for clarification.
3. Fill in Your Name as Principal
Add your printed name in the space provided at the top. Do not sign yet. You will sign it later, in front of a notary.
4. Add Your Address
On the same page, fill in your full mailing address as the principal.
5. Assign Your Agent or Attorney-in-Fact
Below your own information, add the full name and address of the agent (or attorney-in-fact) you are appointing.
6. Opt for the Financial Matters
Next, choose which financial matters to delegate. The list of powers, which spans pages 1 and 2, includes:
To make it easier for the principal, every point of the list has a brief description. If you want to include any of them in the list of your agent's responsibilities, place your initials on the left-hand side in a relevant blank field. You also may choose all of the matters by placing your initials next to point "N."
7. Leave Special Instructions
Use the special instructions lines, which continue onto page 3, if you want to limit or extend your agent's authority beyond the powers you already initialed.
8. Choose When the Power of Attorney Takes Effect
On page 3, initial one of the options for when your power of attorney becomes effective. Read the definitions carefully before you initial your choice.
9. Review the Co-Agent Provision, If You Named More Than One Agent
Page 4 explains how co-agents must act if you appointed more than one agent. Read this section even if you named only one agent, so you understand how it would apply if you add a co-agent later.
10. Name a Successor Agent
A successor agent takes over if your first agent becomes unable or unwilling to serve. Page 4 has one line for a successor agent's name and address.
11. Sign the DPA Form
Sign and date the form on page 4, then print your name below the signature line.
12. Sign Before the Notary
Take the signed form to a notary public. The notary fills in the county, the date, and their name and title, then signs the acknowledgment on page 5 to complete it.
You can create it online using our guided builder, or download the fillable PDF and complete it by hand. Either way, you get a document built to follow the requirements in 20 Pa.C.S. Section 5601.[1]
This page is general information, not legal advice. For advice on your situation, talk to a Pennsylvania attorney.
Unless noted otherwise, the sources below are from the 20 Pa.C.S..