A Virginia durable power of attorney is a written document in which the principal appoints an agent (the attorney-in-fact) to handle financial matters. It stays in effect even after the principal becomes incapacitated, unless the document says otherwise.[1] In practice, a durable power of attorney can name more than one agent, called a coagent or a successor agent. This form covers financial matters only, not medical decisions.
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Last Updated: September 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current Virginia law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
A power of attorney is effective immediately once it is signed, unless the document states a later date or a specific event.[4] In practice, incapacity means a person cannot receive and evaluate information or communicate decisions, or is missing and unable to return.
If you do not want your power of attorney to be durable, state in the document that it ends if you become incapacitated. A durable power of attorney is especially useful if you have an estate plan or want someone you trust to help with your finances if you become incapacitated.
The principal must sign a power of attorney themselves, or someone else can do it in their presence but only if the principal is conscious and directs them. A notary public, or another person who is authorized to acknowledge signatures, acknowledges the signature in Virginia.[2]
Many different powers can be included in the form. You do not need to give all of them to the attorney-in-fact. You can choose the ones you want to assign from a list. In Virginia, the powers typically assigned to agents relate to the following matters:
In a typical Virginia power of attorney form, the principal initials the boxes that correspond to the powers delegated to the agent. Think carefully about whether to delegate all of the above, or only specific matters.
This power of attorney form does not give the agent any rights to make health-related decisions. Those decisions are typically covered in a separate document, such as an advance medical directive or a medical power of attorney.
| Document Name | Virginia Durable Power of Attorney Form |
| Other Names | Virginia Financial Durable Power of Attorney, VA DPOA |
| Relevant Laws | Virginia Code, Sections 64.2-1600 to 64.2-1642 |
| Signing Requirements | Notary Public |
| Avg. Time to Fill Out | 10 minutes |
| # of Fillable Fields | 37 |
| Available Formats | Adobe PDF |
If you plan to use this power of attorney for real estate matters, Virginia requires it to satisfy Va. Code Ann. § 55.1-600 before it can be recorded in the land records.[2]
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A Virginia power of attorney ends when the principal revokes it, when the principal or the agent dies, or when the document's own terms bring it to a close. Signing a new power of attorney does not automatically cancel an earlier one unless the new document says so. The rules below, from Virginia's power of attorney statute, set out exactly when a power of attorney or an agent's authority ends.[3]
The power of attorney ends when:
An agent's authority under the power of attorney ends when:
Unless one of these events happens, an agent's authority stays exercisable no matter how much time has passed since the power of attorney was signed.[3]
Signing a new power of attorney does not revoke an earlier one unless the new document states that it revokes the prior power of attorney, or that it revokes all other powers of attorney.[3] A termination is not effective against the agent, or against another person who acts in good faith under the power of attorney, until that person actually knows about it.[3]
In the same way, the principal's incapacity does not revoke or terminate a power of attorney that is not durable. This protection applies to an agent, or another person, who acts in good faith without actual knowledge of the incapacity.[3]
An act the agent performs before learning of a termination is valid.[3] It binds the principal and the principal's successors, the same as if the power of attorney were still in force.[3]
FormsPal's online builder walks you through this Virginia durable power of attorney form step by step, and you can also fill out the downloaded PDF by hand if you prefer to work offline.
The form asks for your and your agent's information, the powers you are granting, any special instructions, and your effective-date choice, then closes with a notarized signature. Here is what each part covers, in the order the form presents it.
Download this Virginia durable power of attorney template as a ready-to-use PDF, or build and customize it online using the tool above. Either version includes the appointment paragraph, the initialed powers list, the effective-date choice, and the notary acknowledgment described in the steps above.
This page is general information about Virginia durable power of attorneys, not legal advice. For advice on your situation, talk to a Virginia attorney.
Unless noted otherwise, the sources below are from the Va. Code Ann..