A revocation of power of attorney form is a signed document that cancels the authority you gave your agent in an earlier POA form. People use it when their needs change or when they want a different agent. Knowing how to complete the revocation of power of attorney form is critical because until the entire process is finished, your old power of attorney is likely still considered valid.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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Revoking a power of attorney ends your agent's authority to act for you. In 35 of the 49 jurisdictions FormsPal's verified state data covers, a power of attorney terminates when the principal revokes it. People revoke when the reasons they created it no longer apply, when they want a different agent, or when they no longer trust the person they named.
Some power of attorney documents also end naturally, called a limited POA. These estate planning documents are designed to only last for a specific period of time or the length of a specific transaction instead of lasting indefinitely.
Unless you need a durable power of attorney or an indefinite POA, think about limiting your original document so you don't have to revoke it later.
If you haven’t set up a limited power of attorney, there are many reasons you may want to consider revocation.
One of the most common reasons to revoke power of attorney is simply that the reasons you created the POA in the first place are no longer valid. For instance, say you created a power of attorney so your attorney-in-fact could manage properties in a different state. If you then moved closer to those properties, you likely no longer need it.
Another common circumstance is not that you don’t need a power of attorney any longer, but rather that you need a new POA instead of the old one. In that case, you’d use an attorney revocation form to revoke the power in your original POA and create a new one.
A change in your circumstances can also be a reason to revoke, such as a divorce or a big change in your finances. Divorce matters most when your spouse is your agent.
In 9 of the 49 jurisdictions FormsPal's verified state data covers, an agent's authority ends when someone files for dissolution or annulment of the agent's marriage to the principal. If your spouse is your agent, ask a lawyer whether you also need a separate revocation form as part of your divorce.
Changes in circumstance can include:
You may also want to revoke if your attorney-in-fact has proven to be unreliable. Maybe the person you appointed lacks the skills or time. Or you may have found that your attorney-in-fact was acting in bad faith, and you want to appoint someone else.
In some circumstances, you may also need an attorney revocation because your agent has asked to relinquish power of attorney.
Your agent cannot revoke their own power of attorney. They can refuse to act, in which case the responsibility and authority of the original power of attorney fall to your other agents or the next attorney in fact in line. But even if your agent has refused to act that is not an official revocation of power outside of that specific circumstance.
An agent's own situation can end the role too. In 22 of the 49 jurisdictions FormsPal's verified state data covers, an agent's authority ends when the agent dies, becomes incapacitated, or resigns.
If your attorney-in-fact asks for revocation, it’s best to fill out a revocation of a POA form and then create a new power of attorney to replace them.
These are only some of the possible reasons. You may want to make extensive changes to the original document, or you may want to act on legal advice you received after creating it.
| Document Name | Revocation of Power of Attorney Form |
| Other Names | Termination of Power of Attorney, Cancellation of Power of Attorney |
| Explanation for Revocation | Not required |
| Filing of Revocation PoA | Required only if a power of attorney was recorded with the County Recorder’s Office or Land Titles Office |
| Avg. Time to Fill Out | 5 minutes |
| # of Fillable Fields | 17 |
| Available Formats | Adobe PDF; MS Word |
You may wonder if there are any circumstances where you cannot get a revocation of power form as the principal named on a power of attorney. There are a very few indefinite power of attorney forms that may have been filled out, but usually, you won’t have gotten one of those power of attorney without legal advice or court order.
Short of that, the principal can pursue revocation of power at any time so long as they are still mentally competent. In 24 of the 49 jurisdictions FormsPal's verified state data covers, a power of attorney that is not durable ends when the principal becomes incapacitated.
The only power of attorney that does not expire if you are incapacitated is called a durable power of attorney. It’s doubly important to make sure you pick the right agent for a durable power of attorney because they will retain the power even after you have been incapacitated. You may not be able to get a revocation depending on the circumstances.
Before you revoke, check three things:
A power of attorney can end without any revocation form. In 40 of the 49 jurisdictions FormsPal's verified state data covers, it ends when the principal dies. Other events can end it too, depending on the document and the jurisdiction.
If you want to end a power of attorney before one of these events happens, a written revocation is the clearest way to do it.
Many people wonder how to revoke a power of attorney once it is signed, and that worry keeps some from creating one at all. Fortunately, it’s relatively simple to get a revocation of power of attorney form, and revocation is usually easier than creating a power of attorney in the first place.
The process has three steps:
This whole system is relatively straightforward, but it’s important to remember that the revocation isn’t official until the legal documents have been filled out and the entire process is finished. Your attorney-in-fact can continue acting with power of attorney until you’ve completed the form, not until you’ve started it.
If you need an urgent attorney revocation, try to complete the form and send it to all relevant parties on the same day.
Don’t worry, a one-day turnaround on revocation forms is very doable. The main thing you need to do is make sure you can see a notary public the same day.
Step 1: Find a Free Revocation Form
The first step is to find a revocation form you can fill out. While you can write a revocation form yourself, using a free legal document makes the whole process much faster and easier.
Most of these forms are fairly simple, like our revocation of power of attorney form. If the form is too complex look for an alternative.
Step 2: Fill Out the Form
Filling out these forms should be pretty straightforward. Don’t worry, we’ll walk you through the process in the next section. The most important step is making sure the form is signed and notarized. Getting the revocation notarized is especially important if the original power of attorney document was also notarized.
Step 3: Send the Finished Document to All Parties Involved
The last step is to send out the finished document to everyone relevant. That includes:
You can send the document by mail, email, or fax. However, it’s recommended that you use registered mail since you get a delivery confirmation. That way your attorney-in-fact cannot continue acting as your agent and claim that they never received word of your revocation.
It’s important to get the document in writing. While you can verbally revoke a power of attorney, proving that you have done so is challenging. It may not be legally binding if the original power of attorney was in writing.
If you have a good relationship with your agent, you may want to consider telling them about the revocation in person. That way, you can offer an explanation of why you want to move forward with revoking a power of attorney. Telling them in person may be especially important if your agent is a close friend or family member.
In 33 of the 49 jurisdictions FormsPal's verified state data covers, ending an agent's authority is not effective as to the agent or another person who acts in good faith without actual knowledge of the termination. Tell your agent and every institution that relies on the original document in writing as soon as you sign.
If the original power of attorney was recorded with a county office, ask that office how to record your revocation. In 4 of the 49 jurisdictions FormsPal's verified state data covers, the rules call for a revocation of a recorded power of attorney to be recorded as well.
The revocation form has 17 fillable fields and takes about five minutes to complete. You enter your name and address, identify the original power of attorney by its date, and then add the signature, witness, and notary details. After that, you send copies to everyone involved.
Have these details ready before you start:
If you download the PDF, you can fill it in on your computer with the FormsPal PDF editor before you print it.
Step 1: Fill Out Personal Information
Like most legal documents, the first step after finding the template is to fill out your personal information. For the revocation of power of attorney, you need to include your full legal name and your current address.
Step 2: Fill Out the Date of the Original Power of Attorney Document
You will also need the original date of a power of attorney. The date is used to identify a POA you’re talking about, though you may need to get more specific if you’ve filled out multiple power of attorney simultaneously.
You can also revoke every power of attorney you signed before this revocation. That helps if you aren’t sure when you finished the original or only have one or two on file.
Step 3: Have Your Revocation Witnessed and Notarized
All revocation of POA forms will need to be witnessed by a third party, and you will also need the witness to sign and date the form.
It’s easiest to get your revocation witnessed and notarized simultaneously. If your revocation is completed at the bank, you may get the bank to provide a witness and your notary public.
Step 4: Send Copies of Your Revocation to All Involved Parties
The last step is to send out copies of your revocation. You’ll need to send copies to your previous POA agent and any businesses or banks they may have worked with on your behalf. You should also send copies to your local county clerk and your lawyer if you have one.
You can deliver the documents in person, via email or fax, or through the postal service. We recommend using registered mail so that you have legal confirmation that the form was received.
You can fill out a revocation form yourself. A lawyer can help if your situation is complicated, such as a durable power of attorney, several agents, or a dispute with your agent. If you are unsure, ask a lawyer to review the form before you sign it.
In 15 of the 49 jurisdictions FormsPal's verified state data covers, an act the agent performs in good faith, without knowing that the power of attorney has ended, still binds the principal. That is why it helps to send your revocation to your agent and to every institution that relies on the original document as soon as you sign it.
In 2 of the 49 jurisdictions FormsPal's verified state data covers, signing a new power of attorney does not revoke an earlier one unless the new document says so. A written revocation form makes your intent clear.
The form takes about five minutes to fill out. The whole process has three parts:
You can finish all three on the same day.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
