Signing checklist for Maryland

The signing steps in Maryland 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 Maryland law. It does not check whether your document is valid.

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

Financial power of attorney: Maryland

Choose your form Maryland Statutory Form Personal Financial Power of Attorney and Maryland Statutory Form Limited Power of Attorney. You do not have to use it. You may use a document substantially in one of these forms. Both forms end with a notary acknowledgment and a witness attestation for two witnesses. A business may not demand a different form for authority granted in a statutory form. The limited form's 'Grant of Specific Authority' items (gifts, trusts, beneficiary changes and others) apply only if you initial them. Official text
Law: Md. Code, Est. & Trusts §§ 17-201 to 17-203
Sign it Signed by you (the principal), or by another person for you in your physical presence and at your express direction.
Law: Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 17-110
Notary or witnesses A Maryland power of attorney signed on or after October 1, 2010 must be in writing, signed by you, acknowledged before a notary public, and attested and signed by two adult witnesses. The notary can count as one witness. Electronic or remote signing has extra rules, including a supervising attorney.
Law: Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 17-110
Who cannot witness Two or more adult witnesses must attest and sign in the presence of you and each other (physical or electronic presence). The notary who takes your acknowledgment may also be one of the two witnesses.
Law: Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 17-110
If you sign electronically A power of attorney may be signed and witnessed electronically or remotely if the principal is in or a resident of Maryland, remote witnesses are U.S. residents located in the U.S., and a supervising attorney is present and creates a certified paper power of attorney. The notary may act remotely under State Government § 18-214.
Law: Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 17-110
If it may be used for real estate An electronic power of attorney used for a real estate transaction is excluded from the remote/electronic signing procedure in § 17-110(c). A clerk of court may refuse to record a photocopy or electronic copy.

Health care directive: Maryland

Choose your form Maryland Advance Directive: Planning for Future Health Care Decisions (Part I health care agent, Part II treatment preferences/living will, Part III signature and witnesses). You do not have to use it. Official text
Law: Md. Code, Health-Gen. §§ 5-602, 5-603
Sign it Dated and signed by you, or at your express direction.
Law: Md. Code, Health-Gen. § 5-602
Notary or witnesses Sign and date the advance directive in front of two witnesses who also sign it. No notary is needed. You can also make an oral advance directive in front of your attending physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner and one witness, documented in your medical record.
Law: Md. Code, Health-Gen. § 5-602
Who cannot witness Any competent individual may witness, including a health care facility employee or your physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner acting in good faith. Your health care agent cannot be a witness. At least one witness must not knowingly be entitled to any part of your estate or any financial benefit from your death.
Law: Md. Code, Health-Gen. § 5-602
If you sign electronically An electronic advance directive may be witnessed in the electronic presence of the witnesses. The State-designated health information exchange may accept an unwitnessed, dated video advance directive stored by an electronic advance directives service recognized by the Maryland Health Care Commission; an unwitnessed electronic directive must be submitted to such a service.
Law: Md. Code, Health-Gen. § 5-602
If you live in a nursing facility An owner, operator or employee of a health care facility where you receive care (or their spouse, parent, child or sibling) cannot be your agent unless they would qualify as your surrogate or you named them before you began receiving care there.
Law: Md. Code, Health-Gen. § 5-602

After signing

Registry (optional) Electronic advance directives service recognized by the Maryland Health Care Commission (the Maryland Department of Health links MyDirectives). Official text
Law: Md. Code, Health-Gen. §§ 5-619 to 5-623
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 Maryland law. It does not check whether your document is valid.

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