Power of Attorney in Virginia
State-specific overview · Estate & Probate
Virginia requires powers of attorney to be notarized and allows agents to act immediately unless you specify otherwise.
How Virginia treats Power of Attorney
Virginia law (Va. Code § 26.1-1) permits both durable and non-durable powers of attorney. The document must be notarized to be valid. You can grant immediate authority to your agent or delay it until you become incapacitated, depending on your preference. Virginia recognizes both financial and healthcare powers of attorney under the same general framework.
The general definition of Power of Attorney
A legal document authorizing someone to act on your behalf in financial or medical decisions.
A power of attorney is a document you sign giving another person (called an agent or attorney-in-fact) the authority to make decisions and sign documents for you. You can make it broad (covering all financial matters) or narrow (only for selling a specific property). It takes effect immediately or only if you become incapacitated, depending on what you choose.
Read the full Power of Attorney entry →This page is a plain-English reference and is not legal advice. State laws change frequently. For specific situations consult a licensed attorney in Virginia.