Short answer. A notary is required; 2 witnesses.
At a glance
- Uniform act
- Maryland's law is its own Maryland General and Limited Power of Attorney Act (Estates and Trusts 17-116).
- Notary
- Acknowledged by the principal before a notary, in person or electronically.
- Witnesses
- Two adult witnesses sign in the presence of the principal and each other; the notary may be one of them.
- Agent's acknowledgment
- The statutory forms (17-202 general and 17-203 limited, as amended in 2023) have no agent signature or acceptance block; the agent signs as agent when acting.
- Official form
- Maryland Statutory Form Personal Financial Power of Attorney (17-202) and Limited Power of Attorney (17-203). Sections 17-202 and 17-203 set the general and limited forms; 17-204 is an optional agent's certification. Open it
- Recording for real estate
- The act doesn't require recording; it mentions recording only in passing, for example that a clerk may refuse to record a photocopy.
- Durable
- A written power of attorney is durable unless its terms say otherwise (17-105).
- Healthcare document
- Two witnesses; the health care agent can't be one, and at least one must not inherit or otherwise benefit financially. No notary is needed.
In the official wording
Notary
Need this notarized? Online notarization for signers in Maryland.
"Acknowledged by the principal in the physical or electronic presence of a notary public."
Witnesses
"Attested and signed by two or more adult witnesses."
Agent
"(Principal's Name) by (Your Signature) as Agent"
Durability
"IT IS A DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY UNLESS OTHERWISE PROVIDED BY ITS TERMS."
Healthcare
"Maryland law does not require this document to be notarized."
Get it notarized online today
Online notary: open now until 9 PM ET · sessions by appointment · times confirmed by email
A New Jersey notary can notarize this with you on a video call, wherever you are in the U.S. $50 for the session, $10 for each extra signer. Any other fee shows in the booking form before you confirm. Open 7 am to 9 pm ET, every day, by appointment.
What you need
- A valid government photo ID
- A computer or phone with a camera
- The unsigned document
Our certificate states the act was performed using communication technology, as New Jersey law requires. What it must say
Most U.S. recipients accept a remotely notarized document; check with whoever will receive it. What to ask them · Several signers
Signing-day steps
- Statutory form: recommended or optional
- Notary: required
- Witnesses: required
- Agent's acknowledgment: not required
- Recording for real estate: not required
Full checklist with the reasons: financial · healthcare.
Worth knowing
These rules apply to a power of attorney executed on or after October 1, 2010.
Signing in New Jersey? MCC Solutions provides mobile notarization, hospital notarization and remote online notarization for New Jersey signers. Elsewhere, a local notary can help.
Official sources
- Estates and Trusts 17-110, Execution of power of attorney (Maryland General Assembly) (checked November 2026)
- Estates and Trusts 17-203, Maryland Statutory Form Limited Power of Attorney (Maryland General Assembly) (checked November 2026)
- Maryland Advance Directive, revised May 2024 (Maryland Office of the Attorney General, via Maryland Department of Health) (checked November 2026)
- 2010 Chapter 689 (HB 659), Maryland General and Limited Power of Attorney Act (Maryland General Assembly) (checked November 2026)
- Estates and Trusts 17-202, Statutory form personal financial power of attorney (Maryland General Assembly) (checked November 2026)
- 2023 Laws of Maryland Chapter 696 (HB 18), amending 17-202 and 17-203 (Maryland General Assembly) (checked November 2026)
General information, not legal advice; we are not lawyers. Have a lawyer prepare or review the power of attorney itself.
Common questions
Does a power of attorney have to be notarized in Maryland?
Yes. Acknowledged by the principal before a notary, in person or electronically.
How many witnesses does a Maryland power of attorney need?
Two adult witnesses sign in the presence of the principal and each other; the notary may be one of them.
Does the agent have to sign anything in Maryland?
Not before acting. The statutory forms (17-202 general and 17-203 limited, as amended in 2023) have no agent signature or acceptance block; the agent signs as agent when acting.
Must a Maryland power of attorney be recorded to sell or mortgage real estate?
The act doesn't require recording; it mentions recording only in passing, for example that a clerk may refuse to record a photocopy.
Is a Maryland power of attorney durable?
Yes, by default. A written power of attorney is durable unless its terms say otherwise (17-105).
How is a healthcare power of attorney signed in Maryland?
Two witnesses; the health care agent can't be one, and at least one must not inherit or otherwise benefit financially. No notary is needed.
All states: power of attorney requirements by state · Maine · Michigan · Signing a healthcare proxy or medical power of attorney