The Virginia motor vehicle power of attorney is a legal document that allows a car owner to designate another person to handle specific transactions related to their motor vehicle. This type of power of attorney is particularly useful for activities such as registering, titling, buying, or selling a car on behalf of the owner.
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 If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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About the Virginia Motor Vehicle Power of Attorney
A Virginia motor vehicle power of attorney names an agent to deal with one vehicle for its owner. The owner is called the principal, and the person chosen to act is the agent, also known as the attorney-in-fact. The template on this page authorizes the agent to handle tasks such as vehicle registration, licensing, selling, transferring ownership, repairs and retitling.
All Virginia POAs must be in writing and include specific information about the vehicle and the powers granted. The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) provides Form VSA-70 as a power of attorney to transfer motor vehicles. This document is necessary when the car owner cannot sign the required documents in person. A power of attorney remains effective until its specified expiration date or until the vehicle owner revokes it.
Virginia Motor Vehicle Power of Attorney Form Details
This free template is a PDF with 26 fillable fields and takes about 10 minutes to complete. The state's related form is Form VSA-70, and you can visit the Virginia DMV website to see the state's own version.
How to Fill Out the Virginia Motor Vehicle Power of Attorney
The steps below follow the FormsPal template on this page, a three-page power of attorney for motor vehicles. They run from the appointment paragraph at the top of page 1 to the acknowledgment on page 3. Each step names one part of the form and tells you what to enter there. Gather the agent's details and the vehicle's VIN before you start.
The screenshots under each step show the FormsPal Virginia Virginia Motor Vehicle 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.
Appointment paragraph: principal and agent At the top of page 1, enter your full legal name exactly as it appears on the vehicle title. If there is a co-owner, their full legal name must also be entered following the same format. Fill in the street address, city, state, and ZIP code for the vehicle owner and co-owner (if applicable). Next, enter the name of the agent you appoint. Also, provide their complete street address, city, state, and ZIP code. The agent is the person who will act for you on the vehicle.Step 1: sample entries, not a real document.
Vehicle: make, model, year, VIN and odometer Enter the make, model, year, VIN and odometer reading. Use Other Identifying Characteristics for anything else that sets the vehicle apart, such as the body type or license plate number. Copy the VIN from the title or registration card to avoid typing mistakes.Step 2: sample entries, not a real document.
Social Security or Tax ID number and date of birth Enter your Social Security Number or Tax ID Number and your date of birth on the two lines under the powers paragraph. The effective date statement below them is already printed, so there is nothing to enter there.Step 3: sample entries, not a real document.
Successor Attorney-in-Fact At the top of page 2, repeat the agent's name, then enter the alternate agent's name and address. The form text says the alternate takes over if the first agent is unable or unwilling to serve.Step 4: sample entries, not a real document.
Signed this ___ day of ___, 20__ Enter the day, month and year on the Signed this line. Then sign on the signature line and print your name below it. If you plan to use the acknowledgment on page 3, sign when you are with the notary.Step 5: sample entries, not a real document.
Acknowledgment: county, date, officer and principal The notary or other officer completes the acknowledgment on page 3 with you. Enter the county, the date, the officer's name and title, and the principal's name as the form shows.Step 6: sample entries, not a real document.
Officer signature and seal The notary or other officer signs on the Signature line near the bottom of page 3 and adds the seal. This line is for the officer, not for you or your agent.Step 7: sample entries, not a real document.
How to Sign and Use the Virginia Motor Vehicle Power of Attorney
Once the template is filled in, a few practical steps remain before you hand it to anyone. Print the pages, check the details and keep a copy of everything you sign. The steps below follow the order most people work in.
Sign the form. Both the vehicle owner and the co-owner (if applicable) must sign the form to validate the power of attorney. These signatures legally empower the attorney-in-fact to act on your behalf.
Read the certification. Read and affirm the certification section, which includes verification that all provided information is true and accurate under penalty of perjury. This affirmation must be acknowledged by the owner(s) through their signatures.
Have the acknowledgment completed. Page 3 of the template is the acknowledgment, which a notary or other officer completes and signs.
Review and deliver. Before submitting the form to the DMV, double-check all entries for accuracy and completeness to avoid any issues with processing. Ensure the form is either submitted in person or mailed to the correct DMV address specified by your local DMV office. Keep a signed copy for your own records.
Before you print, check that the names on the form match the names on the IDs. Keep a signed copy with your vehicle papers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Virginia motor vehicle power of attorney?
It is a document in which a vehicle owner names an agent to handle certain matters for a vehicle, such as registration or a title transfer. It helps when the owner cannot be there in person.
What should I have ready before I start?
Gather these items before you open the form:
Your full name and address
The agent's name and address
The vehicle's make, model, year, VIN and odometer reading
Your Social Security or Tax ID number and date of birth
The name and address of an alternate agent, if you want to name one
Having them on hand keeps the form to one sitting.
Where do I find the vehicle identification number?
The VIN is usually printed on the vehicle's title and registration card. You can also find it on the insurance card and on a plate at the base of the windshield on the driver's side.
How is this template different from Form VSA-70?
Form VSA-70 is the vehicle power of attorney published by the Virginia DMV. The FormsPal template on this page has its own layout, with an appointment paragraph, a vehicle section, a successor agent part and an acknowledgment. You can visit the DMV website, linked in the details table above, to see the state's form.
Can I fill in the form on my computer?
Yes. Use the Create My Document button to answer a few questions, or download the PDF and complete it with the FormsPal PDF editor. After downloading, print the pages for signing.
What does the successor attorney-in-fact part do?
It names an alternate agent on page 2. According to the template text, the alternate takes over if the first agent is unable or unwilling to serve.
Create a high-quality Virginia Motor Vehicle Power of Attorney Form online now!
General information, not legal or tax advice.
Mara Erlach
Writer & Attorney
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.
