Maryland Power of Attorney Form
Authorize someone you trust to act on your behalf. Fill in the details below and download a print-ready PDF. Free, no signup — but read the signing rules below, because a POA usually must be notarized.
Maintained by the SealForms editorial team · Every state-specific figure on this page is cited to its statute or official agency page · Dataset last verified 2026 · Not legal advice.
Using a power of attorney in Maryland
How Maryland’s statute treats durability, statutory forms, real estate, and revocation — with the section each rule comes from.
- Durable by default. In Maryland a power of attorney stays effective if you become incapacitated unless the document says otherwise. — Md. Code, Estates & Trusts § 17-105(c) ↗
- Statutory form. Maryland’s code includes an optional form (Maryland Statutory Form Personal Financial Power of Attorney, Estates & Trusts § 17-202 (also Maryland Statutory Form Limited Power of Attorney, § 17-203)); banks are most familiar with it. — Md. Code, Estates & Trusts § 17-202 ↗
- Real estate. Yes: a POA authorizing an agent to sell/grant property must be executed like a deed and recorded before, on the same day as, or (subject to conditions) after the deed is recorded. — Md. Code, Real Property § 4-107(a) ↗
- Agent’s certification. Agent's Certification as to the Validity of Power of Attorney and Agent's Authority (optional form), Estates & Trusts § 17-204 — Md. Code, Estates & Trusts § 17-204 ↗
Each point links to the Maryland source it was taken from. Rules change; confirm before relying on them.
Maryland signing rules · as of 2026
- Notarization
- Required
- Witnesses
- 2 witnesses
- Official state form
- Yes
Source: Md. Code Est. & Trusts §17-110 (form §17-202) · verify ↗. A POA gives real authority over your money — sign it before a notary (and witnesses where required), and take advice for high-value or health-care matters.
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Power of Attorney
State of Maryland
I, __________ ("Principal"), of __________ , appoint __________ ("Agent" / Attorney-in-Fact), of __________ , to act on my behalf.
Powers. I grant my Agent authority over the following: __________ . The Agent shall act in my best interest and keep records of actions taken.
Effective. This power of attorney takes effect on signing. Durability. Durable: __________. If "Yes" is written above, this power of attorney is DURABLE: it is not terminated by my subsequent incapacity. If "No" is written above, this power of attorney is NOT durable: it TERMINATES if I become incapacitated.
This document is governed by the laws of the State of Maryland. It is revocable by me at any time while I have capacity.
Witness 1: __________________ Witness 2: __________________ (if required by Maryland)
State of Maryland, County of ____________ — acknowledged before me on ____________ by the above-named Agent.
Notary Public: __________________________ My commission expires: ____________
Generated with SealFormsReflects Maryland law · verified 2026
What a Maryland power of attorney does
It lets your chosen agent step into your shoes for the tasks you allow — paying bills, managing bank accounts, handling real estate or taxes — which is invaluable if you travel, deploy, or want a plan in case of illness. You stay in control: you decide the powers, whether it’s durable, and you can revoke it anytime.
Signing it correctly in Maryland
A POA only works if institutions accept it, which is why the signing formalities matter. Get itnotarized, add witnesses if Maryland requires them, and check whether your state has a statutory form banks prefer. See the current Maryland power-of-attorney requirements.
Frequently asked questions
Does a Maryland power of attorney have to be notarized?
Yes — in Maryland, a financial power of attorney must be notarized to be valid, and it requires 2 witnesses (as of 2026). Source: Md. Code Est. & Trusts §17-110 (form §17-202).
What is a durable power of attorney?
A “durable” power of attorney stays in effect even if you later become incapacitated — which is usually the point of having one. A non-durable POA ends if you lose capacity. Set “durable” in the form to keep the agent’s authority in place; this is the more common choice for planning ahead.
What powers can I give my agent?
You can grant broad authority (banking, real estate, bills, taxes, insurance) or limit it to specific tasks. List exactly what you want your agent to handle in the “powers” field. Some acts (like real estate) may need extra formalities to be recorded in Maryland.
Can I revoke it later?
Yes. You can revoke a power of attorney at any time while you have capacity by notifying your agent in writing (and any institution relying on it). Keep the signed original safe and give copies only to those who need them.
Is a power of attorney durable by default in Maryland?
Yes. In Maryland a power of attorney stays effective if the principal becomes incapacitated unless the document says otherwise. Source: Md. Code, Estates & Trusts § 17-105(c).
Does Maryland have a statutory power of attorney form?
Yes — Maryland Statutory Form Personal Financial Power of Attorney, Estates & Trusts § 17-202 (also Maryland Statutory Form Limited Power of Attorney, § 17-203). Banks and agencies are most familiar with it; the template here follows the same structure. Source: Md. Code, Estates & Trusts § 17-202.
How does Maryland compare? See the notary and witness rules in all 50 states, every rule cited to statute.
How Maryland compares
Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of 2026). Source for Maryland: Md. Code Est. & Trusts §17-110 (form §17-202) ↗.
- Maryland is one of 29 of 51 jurisdictions that require notarization (21 recommend (but do not require) notarization; 1 do not require notarization).
- Maryland is one of 35 of 51 jurisdictions that publish a statutory form in the code (16 have no statutory form).
- Witnesses required
Witnesses required: 2 — about Infinity× the national median of 0 across the 51 states with a statutory rule.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 5 other states.
Witnesses required in neighboring states — Delaware (1), District of Columbia (0), Pennsylvania (2), Virginia (0), West Virginia (0).
Power of attorney in other states
More Maryland legal forms
Different state? See power of attorney by state →