New York 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 New York
How New York’s statute treats durability, statutory forms, real estate, and revocation — with the section each rule comes from.
- Not a uniform-act state. New York has its own power of attorney statute rather than the Uniform Power of Attorney Act — expect some differences from other states. — N.Y. General Obligations Law Art. 5, Title 15 (§5-1501 et seq.) — New York's own statutory short form regime, not the UPOAA ↗
- Durable by default. In New York a power of attorney stays effective if you become incapacitated unless the document says otherwise. — N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law §5-1501A(1) ↗
- Statutory form. New York’s code includes an optional form (New York Statutory Short Form Power of Attorney, GOL §5-1513); banks are most familiar with it. — N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law §5-1513 ↗
- Real estate. A POA containing a power to convey real property, acknowledged like a deed, may be recorded with the county recording officer (RPL §294); if recorded, any revocation must also be recorded in the same office (GOL §5-1511). — N.Y. Real Property Law §294; N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law §5-1511 ↗
- Revoking it. Principal revokes per the POA's terms, or by delivering a revocation to the agent in person or sending a signed, dated revocation by mail, courier, electronic transmission or fax; recorded POAs require the revocation to be recorded too (§5-1511). — N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law §5-1511 ↗
Each point links to the New York source it was taken from. Rules change; confirm before relying on them.
New York signing rules · as of 2026
- Notarization
- Required
- Witnesses
- 2 witnesses
- Official state form
- Yes
Source: N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law §5-1501B (form §5-1513) · 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.
Important: New York requires mandatory statutory wording
New York law requires a power of attorney to substantially conform to the exact statutory wording of N.Y. General Obligations Law §5-1513 — including the “Caution to the Principal” and “Important Information for the Agent” sections — and requires the agent to sign and date the document with the agent’s signature acknowledged before a notary. A generic template that omits that statutory text is likely INVALID in New York. Use the official New York Statutory Short Form Power of Attorney instead of this generic template.
Source: N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law §5-1501B · Official statutory form ↗
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Power of Attorney
State of New York
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 New York. It is revocable by me at any time while I have capacity.
Witness 1: __________________ Witness 2: __________________ (if required by New York)
State of New York, County of ____________ — acknowledged before me on ____________ by the above-named Agent.
Notary Public: __________________________ My commission expires: ____________
Generated with SealFormsReflects New York law · verified 2026
What a New York 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 New York
A POA only works if institutions accept it, which is why the signing formalities matter. Get itnotarized, add witnesses if New York requires them, and check whether your state has a statutory form banks prefer. See the current New York power-of-attorney requirements.
Frequently asked questions
Does a New York power of attorney have to be notarized?
Yes — in New York, a financial power of attorney must be notarized to be valid, and it requires 2 witnesses (as of 2026). Source: N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law §5-1501B (form §5-1513).
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 New York.
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 New York?
Yes. In New York a power of attorney stays effective if the principal becomes incapacitated unless the document says otherwise. Source: N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law §5-1501A(1).
Does New York have a statutory power of attorney form?
Yes — New York Statutory Short Form Power of Attorney, GOL §5-1513. Banks and agencies are most familiar with it; the template here follows the same structure. Source: N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law §5-1513.
How do I revoke a power of attorney in New York?
Principal revokes per the POA's terms, or by delivering a revocation to the agent in person or sending a signed, dated revocation by mail, courier, electronic transmission or fax; recorded POAs require the revocation to be recorded too (§5-1511). Source: N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law §5-1511.
How does New York compare? See the notary and witness rules in all 50 states, every rule cited to statute.
How New York compares
Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of 2026). Source for New York: N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law §5-1501B (form §5-1513) ↗.
- New York is one of 29 of 51 jurisdictions that require notarization (21 recommend (but do not require) notarization; 1 do not require notarization).
- New York 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 — Connecticut (2), Massachusetts (0), New Jersey (0), Pennsylvania (2), Vermont (0).
Power of attorney in other states
More New York legal forms
Different state? See power of attorney by state →