Signing checklist for Illinois

The signing steps in Illinois law, step by step. Pick your documents to see them.

Checked against official sources: October 31, 2026.

Short answer

This checklist lists the signing rules in Illinois law. It does not check whether your document is valid.

Financial power of attorney: Notarized and signed in front of one witness
Health care directive: Signed in front of one witness (no notary)

Financial power of attorney: Illinois

Choose your form Illinois Statutory Short Form Power of Attorney for Property. You do not have to use it. Using the form is optional; other forms may be used. The form has three parts: the Notice to the Individual Signing (a cover sheet), the form itself and the Notice to Agent. You strike out any category of powers you do not want; a category not struck out is granted. You may name successor agents but not co-agents on this form. It must be signed by one witness and notarized. The Department on Aging PDF footer reads 'Based on 755 ILCS 45/3-3 (eff. July 27, 2015)'. Official text
Law: 755 ILCS 45/3-3, 3-4, 2-10.5(a)
Sign it You (the principal) sign. The Act does not set out a rule for someone else signing for you on a property power.
Law: 755 ILCS 45/3-3(b), (d); 3-3.6; 2-8(a)-(b); 3-3(e)
Notary or witnesses Sign your power of attorney for property in front of one witness and a notary public. Both the statutory form and any other ('nonstatutory') property power must be signed by at least one qualified witness and acknowledged before a notary.
Law: 755 ILCS 45/3-3(b), (d); 3-3.6; 2-8(a)-(b); 3-3(e)
Who cannot witness At least one witness must sign, and your signature must be notarized. The notary may not also sign as a witness. None of these may be the witness or the notary: your attending physician or mental health service provider, or a relative of either; an owner or operator (or a relative of an owner or operator) of a health care facility where you are a patient or resident, including directors and executive officers of a corporate operator; a parent, sibling or descendant, or the spouse of a parent, sibling or descendant, of you or of any agent or successor agent (by blood, marriage or adoption); or any agent or successor agent. A second witness is optional.
Law: 755 ILCS 45/3-3(b), (d); 3-3.6; 2-8(a)-(b); 3-3(e)
The agent signs too No agent signature is needed to make the power of attorney valid. When a bank or other third party asks, the agent must give an affidavit or the 'Agent's Certification and Acceptance of Authority' (separate versions exist for successor agents and co-agents). The agent must be given the Notice to Agent.
Law: 755 ILCS 45/3-3(b), (d); 3-3.6; 2-8(a)-(b); 3-3(e)
If you sign electronically A power of attorney that is durable under Article II, an agent's certification and an advance directive are 'nontestamentary estate planning documents': they may be signed electronically, notarized electronically, and witnessed electronically, and a requirement that a witness be in your presence is met by real-time 'electronic presence'. Any document other than a will may also be witnessed by audio-video communication under the procedure in the Act.
Law: 755 ILCS 45/3-3(b), (d); 3-3.6; 2-8(a)-(b); 3-3(e)

Health care directive: Illinois

Choose your form Illinois Statutory Short Form Power of Attorney for Health Care. You do not have to use it. Official text
Law: 755 ILCS 45/4-10
Sign it You sign. The signature and execution requirements may be met with written signatures or initials, or with electronic signatures or computer-generated signature codes.
Law: 755 ILCS 45/4-5.1, 4-10
Notary or witnesses Sign the form in front of one qualified adult witness and have the witness sign. The form does not need to be notarized.
Law: 755 ILCS 45/4-5.1, 4-10
Who cannot witness One witness who is at least 18. None of these may witness: your attending physician, advanced practice registered nurse, physician assistant, dentist, podiatric physician, optometrist or psychologist, or a relative of one of them; an owner or operator (or a relative of an owner or operator) of a health care facility where you are a patient or resident (this extends to directors and executive officers of a corporate operator, but not to other employees such as non-owner chaplains, social workers or nurses); your parent, sibling or descendant, or the spouse of a parent, sibling or descendant, of you or of any agent or successor agent (by blood, marriage or adoption); or any agent or successor agent for health care.
Law: 755 ILCS 45/4-5.1, 4-10
If you sign electronically Electronic signatures are allowed, and an electronic health care power of attorney may be created, signed or revoked electronically through a secure system that meets the electronic-signature standards in the law. An agent may show an electronic copy of a signed form on a device, and doctors, EMS and providers may not refuse it for that reason.
Law: 755 ILCS 45/4-5.1, 4-10
If you live in a nursing facility No extra witness is required in a nursing facility, but the owner or operator of the facility where you live (and its directors and executive officers) may not witness.
Law: 755 ILCS 45/4-5.1, 4-10

After signing

Give copies to the right people Keep the signed documents in a safe place and give copies to your health care proxy and your doctors. Some states have registries that store an advance directive for doctors and your proxy.

Signing checklist

This checklist lists the signing rules in Illinois law. It does not check whether your document is valid.

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