Power of Attorney in Iowa
What a Iowa power of attorney needs to be valid — signing, witnesses, notary — and the official forms, plus health care directives.
Short answer: Iowa follows the Uniform Power of Attorney Act and provides an optional statutory form. A power of attorney must be signed by the principal (or by someone else, not the agent, in the principal's conscious presence at their direction) and must be acknowledged before a notary or other… Iowa Code §§ 633B.104, 633B.105, 633B.301
| Financial power of attorney | Iowa follows the Uniform Power of Attorney Act and provides an optional statutory form. A power of attorney must be signed by the principal (or by someone else, not the agent, in the principal's conscious presence at their direction) and must be acknowledged before a notary or other authorized officer; the agent cannot notarize it. It is durable unless it says it ends when the principal becomes incapacitated. |
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| Health care directive | Durable power of attorney for health care: must explicitly authorize the agent to make health care decisions, be dated, and be signed either before two adult witnesses (who sign in each other's and the principal's presence, at least one not related to the principal within the third degree) or acknowledged before a notary. The agent and the principal's attending health care provider or its employees cannot be witnesses, and an attending provider cannot be the agent. Living will (declaration on life-sustaining procedures): any competent adult may sign one with the same witness-or-notary choice; the statute gives an optional form. Valid documents from other states are honored. |
| Official power of attorney forms | Iowa has an optional "Iowa Statutory Power of Attorney Form" for property and finances under the Iowa Uniform Power of Attorney Act (Iowa Code 633B.301); it does not cover health care decisions. A power of attorney must be signed by the principal (or, in the principal's conscious presence, by another person other than a prospective agent at the principal's direction) and must be acknowledged before a notary public; an agent named in it may not notarize the principal's signature (633B.105). A durable power of attorney for health care must explicitly authorize health care decisions, be dated, and be either signed by two witnesses in the presence of each other and the principal or acknowledged before a notarial officer; attending health care providers and their employees, the named agent and anyone under 18 cannot witness, and at least one witness must not be related to the principal within the third degree (Iowa Code 144B.3). Execution: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/633B.105.pdf ; health care: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/144B.3.pdf |
Official forms
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FAQ
What are the requirements for a power of attorney in Iowa?
Iowa follows the Uniform Power of Attorney Act and provides an optional statutory form. A power of attorney must be signed by the principal (or by someone else, not the agent, in the principal's conscious presence at their direction) and must be acknowledged before a notary or other authorized officer; the agent cannot notarize it. It is durable unless it says it ends when the principal becomes incapacitated.
What are the requirements for a health care directive in Iowa?
Durable power of attorney for health care: must explicitly authorize the agent to make health care decisions, be dated, and be signed either before two adult witnesses (who sign in each other's and the principal's presence, at least one not related to the principal within the third degree) or acknowledged before a notary. The agent and the principal's attending health care provider or its employees cannot be witnesses, and an attending provider cannot be the agent. Living will (declaration on life-sustaining procedures): any competent adult may sign one with the same witness-or-notary choice; the statute gives an optional form. Valid documents from other states are honored.
Where can I get a power of attorney form in Iowa?
Iowa has an optional "Iowa Statutory Power of Attorney Form" for property and finances under the Iowa Uniform Power of Attorney Act (Iowa Code 633B.301); it does not cover health care decisions. A power of attorney must be signed by the principal (or, in the principal's conscious presence, by another person other than a prospective agent at the principal's direction) and must be acknowledged before a notary public; an agent named in it may not notarize the principal's signature (633B.105). A durable power of attorney for health care must explicitly authorize health care decisions, be dated, and be either signed by two witnesses in the presence of each other and the principal or acknowledged before a notarial officer; attending health care providers and their employees, the named agent and anyone under 18 cannot witness, and at least one witness must not be related to the principal within the third degree (Iowa Code 144B.3).
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.